Top Scores from Week 1 of Women's NCAA Gymnastics
The 2013 women's collegiate gymnastics season is officially underway! A number of NCAA teams opened up this past weekend. A few big teams were missing in action, including the #1 ranked University of Alabama who will open January 12th at Missouri. Here's a run down of the top scores from those out on the floor for week 1 of gymnastics competition. LSU sophomore Rheagan Courville leads the way Top All Around Score 1.Rheagan Courville 39.500 (LSU) 2. Vanessa Zamarripa 39.475 (UCLA) 3. Aubree Cristello 39.450 (ARIZONA) 4. Joanna Sampson 39.425 (MICHIGAN) 4. Austyn Fobes 39.425 (NEW HAMPSHIRE) 5.Taylor Spears 39.375 (OKLAHOMA) 6. Sharaya Musser 39.300 (PENN STATE) 7.Madisyn O'Brien 39.125 (CAL) 8. Diahanna Ham 39.1 (NC STATE) 9.Mariesah Pierce 39.075 (CAL) 10.Alicia Asturias 39.05 (CAL) 10 Moriah Martin 39.050 (DENVER) 10. Caitlin Atkinson 39.050 (AUBURN) Top Team Scores 1. 196.575 -Michigan & Florida 2. 196.450- Oklahoma 3. 196.150 - UCLA 4. 196.075 -LSU 5. 195.425- Stanford, Georgia, California 6. 195.125 - Kentucky 7. 194.975-North Carolina State 8. 194.925 -Central Michigan 9. 194.875 -Southern Utah 10. 194.850 -New Hampshire Who competed where? Here's a recap of the top team's season openers (along with their preseason rankings): Joanna Sampson of Michigan on beam. Photo: MGoBlue #10 Michigan The Wolverines were seeking redemption after missing the NCAA Championships last season. The Wolverines had a stellar competition at the Cancun Classic with a team total of 196.575 which tied them with the Florida Gators as the highest team total of the weekend. This was the highest season opening score ever recorded for the Wolverines, a fantastic start for the preseason #10 ranked team. The Wolverines also nabbed the top 3 spots in the all-around with Joanna Sampson, Sachi Sugiyama and Katie Zurales finishing 1-2-3. If the Wolverines continue on this path, I suspect their outcome in 2013 will supersede that of 2012. (c) Erin Long #3 Florida So how did the the #3 Florida Gators do? In an easy home dual meet with Ball State, they racked up a team total of 196.574 which was their third highest season opening score ever. This was a fine start for the Gators; however, only the beginning of what we will see from Florida this season. Gator fans were proud to have former U.S. National Team member and All-American, Mackenzie Caquatto, back in their lineup. Caquatto was limited to only uneven bars last season after having ankle surgery. Caquatto did not waste any time with her comeback winning the balance beam with a score of 9.875. Coach Rhonda Faehn was pleased with Caquatto's performance stating "This is a big milestone for her and a great comeback performance.” There were plenty of other great moments for Gator fans including the NCAA debut of 2009 World All Around Champion, Bridget Sloan who stuck her full twisting yurchenko and scored a 9.925 on her first routine as a collegiate athlete. Also, 2012 NCAA all-around champ and Honda Award winner, Kytra Hunter, leaped to the highest score both on bars and floor with a pair of 9.9's. (c) Erin Long #4 Oklahoma Oklahoma came from behind to earn a win over the #11 Georgia Gym Dogs in Athens, 196.450-195.425. It was a very tight race for the first three rotations with the Gym Dogs leading after three rotations by only .125. The Sooners had not won on the road in a season opener since 2001. OU had to close out the meet on the treacherous balance beam, but Oklahoma Coach K.J. Kindler knew that "It's not over until that last beam routine was over." The Sooners were solid on the beam and did not score below a 9.8, led by a 9.875 performance by all around champion Taylor Spears. The team's 49.2 on beam was more than enough to overtake the Gym Dogs who stumbled on floor and earned the Sooners their first victory in Athens. #2 UCLA UCLA Bruins opened their season at home against Southern Utah. The Bruins were hoping to avoid a repeat of their 2011 contest where the #23 SUU shocked #5 UCLA Bruins winning 194.75 to 194.425. The Bruins led by Senior Vanessa Zamarripa who won the all-around with a 39.475 defeated Southern Utah 196.15 to 194.875. Highlights included a 9.975, 9.925 and a 9.9 on floor exercise from Vanessa Zamarripa, Olivia Courtney and Alyssa Pritchett making this a great beginning. Be sure to check out our new UCLA web series, "Inside The Den" as we follow the Bruins this season on their way to hosting the National Championship in April. #8 LSU The LSU Tigers gave Head Coach D-D Breux her 600th win in record fashion. The Tiger's score of 196.075 was the highest score ever recorded by LSU in a season opener. Sophomore Rheagan Courville scored a 9.975 on her floor routine that contributed to LSU's unbelievable 49.525 total on the floor exercise. Associate Head Coach Jay Clark has to be pleased with his first meet on the LSU coaching staff. Clark spent 20 years at the University of Georgia helping the Gym Dogs win seven NCAA Championships and 12 SEC titles. #6 STANFORD Stanford competed in the NorCal Quad this weekend where the Cardinals delivered solid competition to earn a score of 195.425 ahead of San Jose State 192.875, UC Davis 191.400 and Sacramento State 191.100. Stanford gymnasts had the top three scores on each of the four events and Nicole Dayton, Senior Captain, scored a very impressive 9.95 on vault. Stanford was also impressed on balance beam earning a pair of 9.875's from Ivanna Hong and Amanda Spinner. Stay tuned for more NCAA Gymnastics this coming weekend as the remaining women's teams and the collegiate men's teams will take to the competition floor for the first time!
Jan 7, 2013
