Utah climbs in women's gymnastics Week 6 power rankings

The NCAA gymnastics weekend was the perfect Taylor Swift Super Bowl preshow, providing drama and standout performances from start to finish—as it usually does. Load management of superstars and testing championship depth have seen teams shuffle some lineups as we near the halfway point of the season, and with the polls switching to using National Qualifying Scores instead of average next week, we’re set to see some major shakeups in the rankings, too.

Teams

1. Oklahoma, 198.450
2. California, 197.125
3. Utah, 197.775
4. Kentucky, 197.300
5. LSU, 197.625
6. Michigan State, 197.475

The Sooners can seemingly do no wrong, scoring 9.800 or better on every single routine this week. Once again, Oklahoma posted the nation’s top score of the week, just a shade off LSU’s 198.475, which is currently the season's top score.

California had a scare on Super Bowl Sunday, as it narrowly pulled out a home win over a tough Arizona squad after trailing heading into the final rotation. The Golden Bears proved they have the grit and composure needed to win championships with a furious late comeback, all the more impressive for doing so while resting superstar all arounder Mya Lauzon.

It may have taken the Utes until week six to compete outside Salt Lake City, but a season-high in a well-balanced win at Washington helps dispel concerns that their momentum wouldn’t travel well. Former Olympian Grace McCallum made her all-around return, vaulting for just the second time this season.

📊 PAST RANKINGS: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5

Kentucky bounced back from a decidedly off-beam rotation to post a still-competitive 197.300 against Missouri. The perennial bubble team looks like a lock for nationals closing in on the halfway point of the season.

Without a win in either of its previous two away meets, LSU also had some legitimate road woes to worry about heading into the weekend. However, Haleigh Bryant’s historic evening (more on that later) and the Tigers’ touted depth were more than enough to surpass a solid effort from host Georgia.

The Spartans retain their spot atop the Big Ten rankings and are firmly in the driver's seat heading toward the postseason. That said, Ohio State and Michigan—both of whom scored within a tenth of Michigan State in week six—are right on their heels and ready to capitalize on any missteps.

Honorable Mentions: Talladega, Auburn
 Talladega sealed up its first team win by overtaking both Alaska and Centenary, becoming the first HBCU to win a meet outright. Proving Friday’s performance was no fluke, the Tornadoes turned in a similarly strong performance on their Sunday afternoon quad meet to finish second. Auburn has been literally hit or miss this season but looked the best we’ve seen in the post-Suni Lee era. The team posted an impressive—and, dare we say, not unrealistic—197.725 to best rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl of NCAA gymnastics.

All-Around

1. Haleigh Bryant, LSU, 39.750
2. Raena Worley, Kentucky, 39.725
3. Jessica Hutchinson, Denver, 39.825
4. Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma, 39.750
5. Selena Harris, UCLA, 39.750
6. Sierra Brooks, Michigan, 39.675

Becoming just the 14th gymnast to ever earn a gym slam (i.e., scoring a 10.0 on every event), Bryant cements herself atop the power rankings for the foreseeable future: Her perfect 40 scoring ceiling plus that unwavering ability to hit under any circumstance is a combo that’s near impossible for anyone to overcome. That said, fifth-year Worley continues to shine with her third score of 39.7-plus in four weeks. In fact, she has yet to score below 39.600 this entire season and shows no signs of letting up any time soon.

Speaking of hot streaks, Hutchinson bettered the career high she set in week four by a full tenth and officially upgraded her postseason status from “dark horse contender” to “legitimate all-around title threat.” The Pioneer senior posted the top all-around score over the weekend.

🤩 SETTING RECORDS: LSU's Haleigh Bryant becomes 14th women's gymnast to record career gym slam

Bowers has emerged as the undisputed top all arounder from the Sooners’ stout quartet of four eventers. In both meets this month she’s scored a 9.975 or 10.000 on two events, making her a threat for any title, any day.

Harris put UCLA on her back for a convincing win at Oregon State, using another 39.7-plus total to help offset the absences of heavy hitters Chae Campbell and Nya Reed. Much of the Bruins’ success this season hinges on Harris, and—so far—she’s delivered.

Michigan has run hot and cold in 2024, but fifth-year Brooks has been reliably excellent. She leads the team in scoring on all four events while showcasing remarkable consistency—she upped her all-around total by a tenth this week after scoring 39.575 the previous three meets in a row.

Honorable Mentions: Leanne Wong, Florida
The Olympic hopeful has only competed in the all-around three times this season, but Wong reminded us that she’s still very much in the thick of the title conversation. Her casual 39.725 from this weekend would certainly challenge the likes of Worley, Bryant, or Lauzon in direct competition.

Vault

1. Sage Kellerman, Michigan State, 9.925
2. Haleigh Bryant, LSU, 9.950
3. Makenzie Wilson, Kentucky, 9.950
4. Selena Harris, UCLA, 10.000
5. Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma, 9.975
6. Katherine LeVasseur, Oklahoma 9.975

We all expected a front handspring pike half to top the national rankings this season, we just didn’t expect it to be Kellerman’s. Though preseason favorite Bryant is still wowing with her explosiveness, her landing adjustments—a hop forward this week—keep her a pace behind Kellerman, who sticks week in and week out. Junior Wilson rounds out the trio of front-entry vaulters, with her fourth 9.900 or better in as many weeks.

As we inch closer and closer to the postseason, expect a heavier Yurchenko presence in the power rankings as the landings become tidier and more controlled. Case in point, Harris drilled the landing on her one and a half to snag her second career 10 on the event and overtake teammate Campbell in the power rankings (the latter is nursing a minor lower leg injury and did not compete). Similarly, Bowers and LeVasseur each stuck their one and a halves for near-perfect totals as the Sooners’ vault lineup is heating up at just the right time.

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Honorable Mentions: Malia Hargrove, Arizona
Technical difficulties prevented most of the world from seeing Hargrove’s Yurchenko one and a half in real-time, though it’s easy to see in fan video why she matched her career-high 9.975.

Bars

1. Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma, 9.975
2. Audrey Davis, Oklahoma, 9.950
3. Raena Worley, Kentucky, 9.950
4. Maddie Williams, California, 9.975
5. Selena Harris, UCLA, 9.950
6. Lily Smith, Georgia, 9.875

After a few down weeks, bars scoring is back on the rise, and the usual suspects are cashing in. Although both Bowers and Davis did the opposite of most of the field and dropped a quarter-tenth from their previous scores, they’re still the best one-two punch in the nation.

Williams’ near-perfect set came right after Hargroves’ near-perfect vault, meaning video of the routine was lost in the void of streaming difficulties, but matching her career-high means the Golden Bears’ bars aficionado is back on 10.0 watch.

Top allarounders Harris and Worley continue to shine on bars, ranking fourth and second in the nation, respectively. Their scores are even more crucial for their teams, as bars are the lowest-ranked event for both Kentucky and UCLA.

Smith hangs onto her place in the power rankings despite taking a sizable step on her full-twisting double tuck this week. Smith on bars is like Haleigh Bryant on vault: She has no built-in deductions and little to no variation in her performance week-to-week except for the landings. When she sticks, odds are at least one judge is going to throw a 10.

Honorable Mentions: Leanne Wong, Florida, Kinsey Davis, Nebraska
Propelling Wong to her season-best all-around total was a perfect 10 on bars, where her elite technique truly shines (especially when she nails her double layout). Davis continues to play an integral role in the Huskers’ return to relevance this season, hitting 9.975 on bars for a second time in 2024.

Beam

1. Abby Paulson, Utah, 9.950
2. Maile O’Keefe, Utah, 9.800
3. Faith Torrez, Oklahoma, 9.950
4. Ragan Smith, Oklahoma, 9.950
5. Sierra Brooks, Michigan, 9.950
6. Sienna Schreiber, Missouri, 9.375

With Lauzon resting and out of consideration this week, a pair of dynamic duos slide into the top four of the power rankings. The Utes have set the beam standard over the last few seasons, ranking first more often than not. After a slower start than usual due to lineup turnover, stalwarts Paulson and O’Keefe have them back up to No. 2 in the national rankings. O’Keefe broke her streak of either falling or scoring 10 thanks to a sizable balance check, while classmate Paulson continues to be the unsung hero of the lineup with another near-perfect routine.

Ahead of the Utes and on top of the standings is Oklahoma, led primarily by standouts Torrez and Smith. Over the last month, they’ve both hit a pair of 9.975s while dropping under the 9.900s just once throughout the season.

A wise dismount change headlined Brooks’ Week 6 beam routine, as the fifth-year switched from a double tuck to a double full to cap off her set. While the more difficult double back was thrilling to watch—and Brooks was still one of the nation’s top beamers with it—the change was smart as it left less room for deduction and helped reduce the impact on her body.

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Taking cues from O’Keefe, Schreiber has been inconsistent on her back handspring to two layouts step out flight series, falling for a second time over the weekend. The Tiger responded to her first misstep with a 9.975 the following week, so the ball is in Schreiber’s court for a huge response (and possible revenge 10?) next week.

Honorable Mentions: Haleigh Bryant, LSU | Syd Morris, LIU
Bryant completed her gym slam with a phenomenal (albeit not quite perfect) beam routine. Here’s hoping she pulls a Raena Worley and hits a truly deduction-free set next week, so we can put this discourse to bed. Beam has been one of the few bright spots in recent weeks for a flagging LIU, thanks in large part to Syd Morris. The sophomore is currently ranked third nationally, going 9.900 or better in all three of their [sic] beam performances this season.

Floor

1. Raena Worley, Kentucky, 9.975
2. Haleigh Bryant, LSU, 9.950
3. Jocelyn Moore, Missouri, 9.975
4. Sierra Brooks, Michigan, 9.925
5. Ella Hodges, Ohio State, 9.850
6. Mya Hooten, Minnesota, 10.000

Worley fell just shy of snagging a third consecutive 10 on floor, sharing the event title with Mizzou anchor Moore—who’s back in the power rankings thanks to her reliably clean and powerful tumbling and scores of 9.900 or better in all six-floor performances this year. Conferencemate Bryant and her immaculate double front continue to impress, as she’s also scored no less than 9.900 on floor this season.

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The Big Ten’s top trio continues to battle for supremacy, but Brooks’ consistency puts her ahead of the rest this week, while Hodges’ first sub-9.900 of the year sees her slide down to the No. 5 spot. Following last week’s 9.850, Hooten returns to the rankings with her second perfect 10 of the season after switching back to her signature opening full-twisting double tuck.

Honorable Mentions: Jessica Hutchinson, Denver
The senior standout’s floor scores have grown weekly in 2024, starting at 9.825 in week one and culminating in her second career floor 10 this week. Hutchinson boasts what is arguably the most controlled front double full currently being competed.