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Claire Billman and Brandis Heffner | College Gym News | March 11, 2024

Oklahoma, Cal, Kentucky lead Week 10 women's college gymnastics power rankings

We’ve reached the awkward part of the year — the uncanny valley between the regular season and the postseason where the math is weirder than usual, half the teams are deflated because they know there’s nothing they can do to change their postseason prospects, and others are kind of coasting.

Teams

1. Oklahoma 198.350
2. California 198.550
3. Kentucky, 197.800
4. LSU, 198.425
5. Florida, 197.700
6. Utah, 197.875

Oklahoma toyed around with lineups and tested its depth in Arkansas while Cal flexed its muscles with three event totals of 49.700 or better against Stanford. Scoring trended loose at both meets, but it’s genuinely hard to find deductions when these lineups stick the landings.

Kentucky impressed on the road in Chapel Hill, posting a realistic 197.800. Simply put, the Wildcats have been unflappable this season, proving yet again that they can put up top tier performances any time, any place, and in any conference.

From what we’ve seen from the somehow untelevised or streamed Baton Rouge podium meet, scores were generous but not rage-inducing. This was an undeniably fabulous showing for the Tigers, but we have to address the fact that this was a de facto home meet and LSU simply hasn’t demonstrated the ability to consistently produce 198-worthy results outside Baton Rouge.

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While the Gators’ streak of improving their score every week came to an end in a quad meet at Nebraska, their total in a tough scoring environment while resting a few key routines shows that they’re still in the championship hunt.

Utah may still be a pace behind the team final favorites, particularly on vault and bars, but it continues to put up big totals and cannot be left out of the conversation. A trio of former five-star recruits play a major role in the Red Rocks lineups, and as they continue to adapt to krikya18.competition, the Red Rocks’ upside continues to grow.

Honorable Mentions: Clemson
The Tigers raised eyebrows (and possibly garnered a few side-eyes) with an ACC-best 197.600 in its final home meet of 2024, but this was undoubtedly the team’s cleanest and most complete showing thus far—a fitting end to a record-breaking inaugural season. They’ll close out the regular season at head coach Amy Smith’s alma mater, UCLA, and if they can replicate that level of performance, they could very well give the floundering Bruins a run for their money.

All-Around

1. Haleigh Bryant, LSU, 39.925
2. eMjae Frazier, 39.825
3. Jordan Bowers, 39.725
4. Raena Worley 39.700
5. Mya Lauzon, 39.775
6. Jessica Hutchinson, 39.725

Bryant is still the heavy favorite for 2024 NCAA all-around champ, but sophomore Frazier is rapidly closing the gap as evidenced by her third consecutive score of 39.750 or better. Yes, we’re well-aware that both gymnasts were gifted at least a tenth from the judges, but honestly, who wasn’t this weekend? These two were simply exceptional.

Bowers started off slow by her standards, coming up a little short on the landings of both her vault and bars dismount, but she was exceptional in the final two rotations in churning out another 39.7-plus total. It was the same story for Worley, who took steps on landings in the first half of her meet before finishing strong on floor and beam.

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Yet to miss a routine despite resting just one weekend this season, Lauzon continues to be the ever-reliable all-arounder for the Golden Bears and the catalyst to their team’s success. Knowing she’s going to hit takes a considerable amount of pressure off of her teammates, enabling them to put up big numbers in comfortable performances.

Hutchinson has been thriving as the Pioneers’ top all-arounder this season after spending most of her career as No. 2 to the legendary Lynnzee Brown. Like Lauzon, she’s yet to have a miss in 2024 and has Denver primed for another run at nationals.

Honorable Mentions: Luisa Blanco, Alabama
Blanco and the Crimson Tide have had a rather uneven season, but she bookended her senior night with perfect 10s on vault and floor to tie Alabama’s program record all-around total of 39.850.

Vault

1. Haleigh Bryant, LSU, 10.000
2. Suki Pfister, Ball State, 9.925
3. Makenzie Wilson, Kentucky, 9.875
4. Sage Kellerman, Michigan State, 9.875
5. Katherine LeVassuer, Oklahoma, 9.900
6. Luisa Blanco, Alabama, 10.000

We’ve been waiting all season long for Bryant to well and truly stick her front pike half, and she left no room for interpretation this week: This was the 10-iest 10 and easily her best performance on any event this season. Her first vault 10 of 2024 also means she’s achieved a rare single-season gym slam—a perfect 10 on every single event in the same season.

Pfister was the best of the rest of the front handspring pike half club, as her third-straight 9.9-plus bested the sub-9.9s of Kellerman and Wilson. Excelling despite somewhat stingy MAC scoring also gives Pfister the edge this week.

✨ SPECIAL RECORDSTap to see which gymnast might break the latest collegiate records

Blanco featured heavily in our preseason power rankings, but hasn’t been consistent enough on any event this season to crack the top six—until now. The super senior helped Alabama hit 198 for the second time this season with a double 10 performance, nailing her Yurchenko one and a half landing to start her evening.

In other Yurchenko one and a half news, LeVasseur's continues to reign supreme as a minor landing adjustment prevented her from another huge score over the weekend. Her execution continues to be the gold standard on this vault.

Honorable Mentions: Alexis Castellaneta, Utica
The transfer from Brockport notched a third consecutive 9.850 for her vault and earned an individual berth to the upcoming NCGA championships, the national competition for the majority of DIII teams in the country. For good measure, she also qualified on beam and floor.

Bars

1. Audrey Davis, Oklahoma, 9.975
2. Leanne Wong, Florida, 9.975
3. Haleigh Bryant, LSU, 10.000
4. Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma, 9.900
5. Jade Carey, Oregon State, 9.950
6. Madelyn Williams, California, 9.950

Davis followed up her first perfect 10 last week with the 12th 9.975 of her career, meaning she’s getting a 10 from at least one judge more often than not. She and Bowers continue to dominate, as landings remain the only regular deduction judges can take on their routines.

While Wong didn’t compete in the all-around this week, she made the most of her three events—particularly that Mulligan on her beam dismount—kicking off her competition with a near-perfect start on bars. Her prowess for hitting at the end of the lineup has been invaluable for the Gators post-Trinity Thomas.

Two events into her Friday night, Bryant was sitting at a perfect 20 in the all-around thanks to her second 10.000 of the season on bars. While there has been some public debate over whether or not her Jaeger release is sufficiently straddled, the actual judges seem to think so.

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

Carey hasn’t been putting up the massive all-around totals we’ve come to expect from her, but she has been swinging bars as well as ever. The reigning Olympic floor champion has gone 9.900 or better on the event in every routine from the last six weeks.

The Golden Bears have been one of the nation’s best bars teams the past few seasons, but have raised the bar(s) higher this year as they rank second in NQS and have yet to even drop below the 49.300 threshold. One of the main reasons why is junior Williams, who continues to put up anchor-worthy numbers on the regular with her pristine lines.

Honorable Mentions: Grace McCallum, Utah
Two weeks after scoring the first 10 in her career on floor, the Olympic silver medalist hit perfection on bars en route to her season-high all-around total. As we mentioned earlier, bars hasn’t been the Utes’ strength this season, making McCallum’s ability to add 10 points all the more critical for their title hopes.

Beam

1. Ragan Smith, Oklahoma, 9.850
2. Maile O’Keefe, Utah, 9.975
3. Mya Lauzon, California, 10.000
4. Abby Paulson, Utah, 9.875
5. Faith Torrez, Oklahoma, 9.850
6. Sienna Schreiber, Missouri, 9.925

A Sooner did get a perfect 10 on beam this week, but it was Ava Siegfeldt and not Ragan Smith, meaning the latter’s 10.0-streak ended at a remarkable four routines. Smith’s and Torrez’s 9.85s were down to uncharacteristic bobbles, meaning their “missed” routines for the year are likely out of the way.

O’Keefe creeps closer to retaking the No. 1 spot after a near-perfect total of her own, as her and Paulson’s side aerial to layout step-out acro series remain a weekly highlight. Should the Red Rocks’ and Sooners’ beam lineups go head-to-head this postseason, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll come out on top.

✨ PERFECTION: Here's a look at career-perfect 10 leaders in women's college gymnastics

For the second time in three weeks, Lauzon hit a 10.0 in the Golden Bears’ record-breaking performance on beam, showing off her elite technique and flexibility. Schreiber wasn’t able to follow up her first career perfect score with a second, but her 9.925 after errors earlier in the Tigers’ lineup shows she’s back in the groove on her pet event.

Honorable Mentions: Jamie Shearer, North Carolina and Chloe Widner, Stanford
Widner is no stranger to the honorable mentions, but—after earning the first 10 of her career—it’s worth singing her praises once again. The extension on both her dance and acro skills remains some of the best in the country.

Props to Jamie Shearer for turning in a clutch 9.775 in the anchor spot to avoid counting an 8.850 despite UNC’s cameraman wiping out mere feet away during her routine. We also have to give a shout out to the broadcast’s producer for immediately cutting to said cameraman so we could see their legs in the air.

Floor

1. Raena Worley, Kentucky, 10.000
2. Creslyn Brose, Kentucky, 9.925
3. Haleigh Bryant, LSU, 9.975
4. Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma, 10.000
5. Gabby Wilson, Michigan, 9.975
6. Ella Hodges, Ohio State, 9.950

Now with five perfect scores to her name (including four on floor), it’s wild to think that Worley entered 2024 with none. The fifth year is doing the best, most confident gymnastics of her career, but another big difference for her this season has been having Brose setting her up in the lineup. The impact of the freshman phenom and her weekly 9.9-plus contributions cannot go unstated.

đź“ş VIDEO VAULT: Katelyn Ohashi and her perfect career capper

Floor is the deepest event toward the top of the rankings, with nearly a dozen athletes in contention for the top six here—most of whom have appeared at some point this season. With heavy hitters like Aleah Finnegan and Mya Hooten having sub-9.9 outings this week, we see the return of Haleigh Bryant and Big Ten powerhouses Gabby Wilson and Ella Hodges, who drilled their landings this week en route to near-perfect totals.

Like Worley, Bowers recorded her fifth career perfect score with precise landings on both tumbling passes, including her sky-high double pike. Floor is the only event where the Sooners don’t rank first, sitting at second currently; Bowers is out to change that.

Honorable Mentions: Payton Murphy and Cassie St. Clair, Western Michigan
The Broncos are currently sitting on the regionals bubble at No. 38, but St. Clair and Murphy put up back-to-back 9.975s to give the team a massive 49.500 floor total and keep them in the postseason race.

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