Chayse Capps Leads The Top Five NCAA All-Arounders To Watch In 2017
Chayse Capps Leads The Top Five NCAA All-Arounders To Watch In 2017
Freshmen Maggie Nichols and Kyla Ross will look to make a splash in the all-around and lead the top five all-arounders to watch in the NCAA during 2017.
The all-around is the pinnacle of elite gymnastics, and while college gymnastics focuses far more on the team aspect, there are still individual titles handed out at every meet. For the top programs, being able to rely on an athlete to put up four quality scores at each meet helps contribute to a great team total. All five of these gymnasts bring incredible poise and consistency to their teams and will be performers to watch throughout the season, no matter the event.
Capps finished the 2016 season ranked second in the all-around and was just edged by Florida's Bridget Sloan for the NCAA all-around title. The Oklahoma senior, who competed in the all-around in every meet, was remarkably consistent last season as she posted just four scores below the 9.8 mark. Capps combines beautiful lines and form with great landings on all four events. She was a standout on balance beam but brought a unique and creative floor routine to the table as well. The Sooners lost both Haley Scaman and Keely Kmieciak after winning the 2016 NCAA championship and will look to Capps to lead OU's title defense.
(Video courtesy of NCAA Gymnastics)
Baker was the 2016 SEC all-around champion and finished the season ranked third in the all-around. Her strengths are on the power events--floor and vault--where she puts up consistently high scores. She was consistent on bars and beam last season, appearing in every meet and posting a 9.8 or better in 26 out of 28 routines. The Gators are looking to fill the void left by graduated senior Bridget Sloan, and Baker could slide right into that role.
Hambrick helped the Tigers to a program-best second-place finish at the NCAA championships with clean and consistent routines throughout the season. She finished tied for 10th in the country in the all-around and was the regional all-around champion. She was third at the NCAA championships. She performed 55 of a possible 56 routines as a sophomore and scored below at 9.8 just four times. Hambrick isn't an athlete who puts up the huge numbers on just a single event--she is balanced across all four and will be counted on to continue that consistency for the Tigers.
Ross was an all-around standout as an elite gymnast. She was a two-time junior national champion and earned several all-around titles at the U.S. Classic (2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014) and at the City of Jesolo Trophy (2011 and 2012). The UCLA freshman brings a wealth of Olympic and world championship experience as well. She earned silver (2013) and bronze (2014) at the world championships. She hasn't competed as an elite since the 2015 national championships, and it will be interesting to see her back on the competition floor. Her gorgeous lines and consistency will serve her well on the collegiate scene.
Like Ross, Nichols brings plenty of elite experience to her college team. She was seemingly a lock to land on the 2016 Olympic team before a knee injury prevented her from being at full strength for the Olympic Trials. She competed in the all-around during the team finals at the 2015 World Championships but did not qualify to the all-around as she was pulled off bars in qualifications. When we last saw Nichols competing she wasn't quite at 100 percent, and it will be interesting to see how she manages the grinding college schedule. But, if the Sooners intrasquad is anything to go by, it looks like it'll be a wonderful freshman season.
Honorable mention: Elizabeth Price (Stanford), Alicia Boren (Florida), Madeline Gardiner (Oregon State), Madison Kocian (UCLA), Nicole Artz (Michigan)
Related:
Top Five Must-See Vaults for 2017 NCAA Season
Top Five NCAA Bar Swingers to Watch in 2017
Top Five NCAA Beam Workers to Watch in 2017
Top Five NCAA Floor Performers to Watch in 2017
Chayse Capps (Senior) -- Oklahoma
Capps finished the 2016 season ranked second in the all-around and was just edged by Florida's Bridget Sloan for the NCAA all-around title. The Oklahoma senior, who competed in the all-around in every meet, was remarkably consistent last season as she posted just four scores below the 9.8 mark. Capps combines beautiful lines and form with great landings on all four events. She was a standout on balance beam but brought a unique and creative floor routine to the table as well. The Sooners lost both Haley Scaman and Keely Kmieciak after winning the 2016 NCAA championship and will look to Capps to lead OU's title defense.
(Video courtesy of NCAA Gymnastics)
Kennedy Baker (Junior) -- Florida
Baker was the 2016 SEC all-around champion and finished the season ranked third in the all-around. Her strengths are on the power events--floor and vault--where she puts up consistently high scores. She was consistent on bars and beam last season, appearing in every meet and posting a 9.8 or better in 26 out of 28 routines. The Gators are looking to fill the void left by graduated senior Bridget Sloan, and Baker could slide right into that role.
Myia Hambrick (Junior) -- LSU
Hambrick helped the Tigers to a program-best second-place finish at the NCAA championships with clean and consistent routines throughout the season. She finished tied for 10th in the country in the all-around and was the regional all-around champion. She was third at the NCAA championships. She performed 55 of a possible 56 routines as a sophomore and scored below at 9.8 just four times. Hambrick isn't an athlete who puts up the huge numbers on just a single event--she is balanced across all four and will be counted on to continue that consistency for the Tigers.
Kyla Ross (Freshman) -- UCLA
Ross was an all-around standout as an elite gymnast. She was a two-time junior national champion and earned several all-around titles at the U.S. Classic (2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014) and at the City of Jesolo Trophy (2011 and 2012). The UCLA freshman brings a wealth of Olympic and world championship experience as well. She earned silver (2013) and bronze (2014) at the world championships. She hasn't competed as an elite since the 2015 national championships, and it will be interesting to see her back on the competition floor. Her gorgeous lines and consistency will serve her well on the collegiate scene.
Maggie Nichols (Freshman) -- Oklahoma
Like Ross, Nichols brings plenty of elite experience to her college team. She was seemingly a lock to land on the 2016 Olympic team before a knee injury prevented her from being at full strength for the Olympic Trials. She competed in the all-around during the team finals at the 2015 World Championships but did not qualify to the all-around as she was pulled off bars in qualifications. When we last saw Nichols competing she wasn't quite at 100 percent, and it will be interesting to see how she manages the grinding college schedule. But, if the Sooners intrasquad is anything to go by, it looks like it'll be a wonderful freshman season.
Honorable mention: Elizabeth Price (Stanford), Alicia Boren (Florida), Madeline Gardiner (Oregon State), Madison Kocian (UCLA), Nicole Artz (Michigan)
Related:
Top Five Must-See Vaults for 2017 NCAA Season
Top Five NCAA Bar Swingers to Watch in 2017
Top Five NCAA Beam Workers to Watch in 2017
Top Five NCAA Floor Performers to Watch in 2017