Kentucky rises, Alabama enters Week 4 college gymnastics power rankings

With a month of gymnastics somehow already behind us, we’re getting a picture of what the landscape is going to look like this season. With perennial powers like Florida and Michigan taking somewhat of a step back so far, we’ve been treated to some new faces among the early favorites for the team final in April. The Sooners, Golden Bears and Wildcats have emerged as a clear top three, separating themselves from the pack in terms of both consistency and scoring potential.

Teams

1. Oklahoma, 197.775
2. California, 197.950
3. Kentucky, 197.950
4. Alabama, 197.575
5. Utah, 197.675
6. Arkansas, 197.225

Oklahoma faced its first major test of the season at Denver, where it was certainly a tighter meet than what the final scores might suggest. The Sooners faltered on vault, allowing the Pioneers to close the gap heading into the third rotation. Denver immediately returned the favor with a sub-49 beam rotation, but — however briefly — Oklahoma looked vulnerable for the first time this season.

Meanwhile, California continued to surge with a near-198 in its home opener against Oregon State. Dynamic duo Mya Lauzon and eMjae Frazier continued to prove their mettle, leading the team with dual 39.700s.

The Razorbacks extended their hot streak with a convincing win over the visiting Auburn Tigers while the Crimson Tide edged out the Florida Gators on their home turf. They’re two of the six SEC teams currently residing in the top 10, led by third-ranked Kentucky. The Wildcats have already been exceptional this season but managed to up the ante by turning in multiple program records at their first home meet of 2024 (in front of a 10,000-strong crowd, no less).

The Red Rocks seem to have found their groove after an oddly off performance in the ESPN quad a few weeks ago, posting another mid-197 over the weekend in a balanced performance. However, while Utah has certainly faced plenty of stiff competition, it has yet to compete outside of the Salt Lake City metro area this season, meaning the eye test is still incomplete with no true road meet so far.

Honorable Mentions: UCLA, Missouri

In its first home meet of 2024, UCLA looked far more like the team that finished fifth at nationals last season. Further proof that this SEC hierarchy shakeup isn’t just an early-season fluke, Missouri rallied after a nervy beam rotation with its second-best floor total ever to edge LSU.

All-Around

1. Mya Lauzon, California, 39.700
2. Luisa Blanco, Alabama, 39.700
3. Raena Worley, Kentucky, 39.600
4. Jessica Hutchison, Denver, 39.725
5. Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma, 39.700
6. Skyla Schulte, Michigan State, 39.600

Lauzon supplanted LSU's Haleigh Bryant in the top spot this week as the latter rested on floor against Missouri. Cal’s breakout star tallied her third consecutive score in the 39.7s thanks to a pair of 9.975s on beam and floor to close out the meet.

In a nail-biter at the O’Dome, Blanco secured the upset victory for the Crimson Tide with a clutch 9.950 on beam that ostensibly put the meet out of the Gators’ reach. Worley also closed out an SEC dual in proper fashion, sealing a solid four-event total with her first perfect 10 to help the Wildcats topple the visiting Gymdogs.

📊 PAST RANKINGS: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3

The Sooners may have won the meet, but Hutchinson posted 9.950s on three events to eclipse Bowers in the all-around. In addition to a new career high on vault, the Pios’ star senior topped her previous all-around high by a tenth.

The Spartans as a whole, and Schulte in particular, have thoroughly shaken off those early-season miscues. The junior closed out the meet with a season-high 9.950 on floor to match the 39.600 she scored last week at Penn State, but it was her pre-meet dance party with Iowa’s Karina Muñoz that fans are still talking about.

Honorable Mentions: Sierra Brooks

While she hasn’t yet matched her NCAA-topping 39.850 from a few weeks ago, Michigan’s Brooks has posted back-to-back 39.575s to stay within reach of the top six’s flashier totals. You can never count her out, as the 2021 NCAA champion has the composure to remain a contender.

Vault

1. Sage Kellerman, Michigan State, 9.900
2. Haleigh Bryant, LSU, 9.900
3. Makenzie Wilson, Kentucky, 10.000
4. Mya Lauzon, California, 9.925
6. Chae Campbell, UCLA, 9.950
7. Lilly Hudson, Alabama, 10.000

While both Bryant and Kellerman were a small hop away from perfection, two new vaulters were initiated into the 10.0 club this weekend. Kentucky vault anchor Wilson drilled her front handspring pike half on Excite Night to give the Wildcats their best-ever vault total. Meanwhile, in the penultimate spot, Hudson turned in a truly stunning Yurchenko one-and-a-half that helped shift the meet’s momentum in Alabama’s favor.

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Over on the West Coast, Campbell snagged a perfect score of her own, receiving full marks for the sixth time in her career with her booming Yurchenko full.

Lauzon has yet to score under 9.925 this season for her clean Yurchenko one-and-a-half. She’s tied with Kellerman for first in the national rankings, just edging out Bryant and Wilson.

Honorable Mentions: Jessica Hutchinson, Kyrstin Johnson Denver senior Hutchinson is best known for her beam and floor prowess (boasting a career-high 10.000 on each), but she’s coming into her own on vault. She outscored the entire Oklahoma vault lineup with a career-high 9.950 this weekend.

It’s rare to see a Yurchenko one and a half outside the top 36 teams, let alone one of Johnson’s caliber. The Talladega freshman earned a share of the vault title at SEMO, becoming the brand-new program’s first individual event winner.

Bars

1. Luisa Blanco, Alabama, 9.925
2. Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma, 9.975
3. Raena Worley, Kentucky, 9.850
4. Audrey Davis, Oklahoma, 9.925
5. Madelyn Williams, California, 9.850
6. Lily Smith, Georgia, 9.850

Overall, this was an off week on bars: Scores were down across the board, affecting even the best in the nation.

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Blanco was a notable exception, soaring back to the top of the power rankings after resting on the event in week three. She’s a shoo-in for a 9.9-plus score when she does compete, something we anticipate her doing from here on out as the Crimson Tide jockey for position atop the SEC.

Worley fell under 9.900 for the first time this season as the judges dinged her for a swim and a hop on her dismount, but the rest of the routine was pretty darn perfect. It was much the same for Williams and Smith, who had over- and under-rotated dismounts, respectively, that caused the judges to put pen to paper more than usual.

After a comparatively slow start, Bowers has dialed in her landings and stepped into the Sooners’ spotlight on bars over teammate Davis for the time being. The duo’s high-scoring ability has Oklahoma ranked as the top bars team in the country.

Honorable Mentions: Ellie Lazzari

A fixture in Florida’s bars lineup during her 2021 freshman campaign, Lazzari hadn’t competed in the event since—until last Friday. She followed up her fall on vault with a new career high of 9.925, which played a crucial role in the Gators’ efforts to keep pace with the visiting Crimson Tide.

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Beam

1. Mya Lauzon, California, 9.975
2. Maile O’Keefe, Utah, 9.925
3. Abby Paulson, Utah, 9.975
4. Ragan Smith, Oklahoma, 9.975
5. Sierra Brooks, Michigan, 9.925
6. Sienna Schreiber, Missouri, 9.350

Lauzon landed with her chest slightly forward on her double twist dismount but otherwise nailed her set for a second consecutive 9.975 on beam. O’Keefe also had a small landing error that prevented her from capitalizing on the setup from teammate Paulson. The latter’s scores have steadily risen each meet, putting her on pace to match her career-high perfect 10 in week five.

After a fall in week three, Smith has also posted back-to-back 9.975s while anchoring the Sooners’ top-ranked beam lineup that currently boasts the top average of any team on any event.

Like O’Keefe in week two, Schreiber turned in a near-flawless routine other than falling on her acro series. We’ll see if she’s also able to mimic O’Keefe’s revenge 10 at the event next week.

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Honorable Mentions: Konnor McClain, Jessica Lin

Freshman phenom McClain achieved the second perfect 10 of her young career, this time on beam. After struggling to control her original series (two back handsprings to a layout of two feet), she switched to the less risky front aerial to back handspring. After not competing in her freshman season, sophomore Lin made the most of her debut with a 9.900 which stands as Brown’s highest score of the season and ties the second-highest beam score in program history.

Floor

1. Mya Lauzon, California, 9.975
2. Raena Worley, Kentucky, 10.000
3. Sierra Brooks, Michigan, 9.925
4. Nikki Smith, Michigan State, 10.000
5. Creslyn Brose, Kentucky, 9.975
6. Brooklyn Moors, UCLA, 9.950

With Minnesota’s Mya Hooten resting on floor this week, a different Mya overtakes No. 1; Lauzon continues to push for perfection, topping her third power ranking of week four. Nipping at her heels is fellow all-around standout Worley, who finally got her flowers—the long-awaited first perfect 10 of her career on any event.

Sophomore Smith also hit perfection on floor, besting her previous 9.975 career high thanks to a flawlessly stuck opening full-twisting double tuck. Not to be outdone, in-state rival Brooks posted her third straight score over 9.900. As it stands, the Big Ten-floor title is shaping up to be an epic battle between Smith, Brooks, Hooten, and Ohio State’s Ella Hodges (the Buckeyes won’t compete until Monday evening, so Hodges’ results will be considered for next week’s power rankings).

Setting Worley up for her first perfect 10 was freshman Brose, who got oh so close to a 10 of her own just four routines into her NCAA career. The former three-star recruit has been one of the most exciting rookies of the season thus far, pleasantly surprising many and having an undeniable impact on the Wildcats’ rise into the top three.

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Unsurprisingly, Moors makes an appearance in the power rankings this week as her tumbling has been just as impressive as her captivating performance quality this season. Her closing Rudi (front layout with one and a half twists) is truly one of the best there’s ever been, with a perfect chest-up landing position every time.

Honorable Mentions: Kennedy Griffin

Missouri’s “Fab Floor” currently sits just outside the top five in the national rankings, and Griffin is a key reason why. A freshman who performs with the confidence and polish of a veteran, Griffin snagged a massive 9.975 this week as she grooved along to her medley of hits from the Destiny’s Child album “Survivor.”

Bonus: Freshmen

1. Lily Smith, Georgia
2. Ady Wahl, Georgia
3. Delaynee Rodriguez, Kentucky
4. Konnor McClain, LSU
5. Anya Pilgrim, Florida
6. Madison Ulrich, Denver

Teammates Smith and Wahl have been Georgia’s highest-scoring gymnasts so far. Smith has understandably garnered the lion’s share of the spotlight for her near-flawless execution, but utility player Wahl has provided much-needed consistency for the Gymdogs’ otherwise erratic and injury-riddled lineups. Georgia would not be a top-25 team without this duo.

Likewise, Rodriguez has been an absolute rock for the Wildcats, averaging 9.819 or better in all four events. Those numbers are impressive in and of themselves but are downright jaw-dropping considering she’s also served as Kentucky’s leadoff on every single event at every single meet this season. That’s an insane role to fill competing collegiately for the first time, and she’s done it incredibly.

McClain is the definition of “high risk, high reward.” In her first four collegiate meets, she had a fall and scored a perfect 10 on both bars and beam. She joined the Tigers’ top-ranked floor lineup in week three and immediately surpassed the 9.9 mark. If rumors of her Yurchenko double full on vault turn out to be true, her scoring potential rivals that of teammate Bryant.

It’s no surprise that elite Pilgrim is capable of big scores after her world championships appearance for Barbados, but her composure under pressure is proving invaluable for a Florida team that’s still finding its footing without heavy hitters Trinity Thomas and Kayla DiCello in the lineups.

Similarly, former five-star recruit Ulrich has competed like a veteran for the post-Lynnzee Brown Pioneers, averaging 39.419 while competing in the all-around every week. Not only has she been consistent, but she’s improved upon her four-event total every week to break up the SEC party in the top six.

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Honorable Mentions: Hannah Horton, Lilly Lippeatt

The performances of several freshmen have helped propel Missouri back into the top 10 and nationals conversation this season, but none have been as impactful as Horton. She’s yet to record a miss, scoring as high as 9.950 for her exceptional Yurchenko one and a half while her tidy (and oh so difficult) tumbling fits seamlessly into the Tigers’ floor lineup. Former U.S. national team member Lippeatt has been reliably excellent in her first three meets, kicking off her career with a 9.900. A three-eventer with all-around potential, Lippeatt has been key in Clemson’s remarkable top 20 ranking just weeks into its premier season.

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