With just a few weeks left in the season, we’re starting to see some very interesting changes, with the biggest being that Lindenwood and Texas Women’s have pulled ahead of Bridgeport in the D2 rankings after a great weekend for both programs.

Lindenwood especially had an outstanding meet against TWU and Whitewater, posting a 195.275. Katey Oswalt won vault with a HUGE 9.9, and also won floor with a 9.875 (I’m so glad she’s on my Fantasy Gym team!). Oswalt also contributed a 9.725 on beam.

Kierstin Sokolowski also had a big day, winning bars (9.85) and beam (9.875), and tying for 2nd on vault (9.825). Other 9.8+ worthy performances for the Lions came from Emily Millet on beam (9.825), Andy Alexander on floor (9.825), and Ryan Henry on floor (9.85).

TWU held their own at the meet, scoring a 194.35, and they were only three tenths behind Lindenwood on vault, one tenth behind on bars, and a quarter of a tenth away on beam. The team was led by Schyler Jones, who tied for second with Lindenwood’s Sokolowski on vault, and tied with Henry for second on floor.

Jenna Cashmore and Katie Simpson led the Pioneers on bars with a pair of 9.775s, and TWU counted all scores on beam of 9.7 or higher, led by a 9.85 from Mallory Moredock, earning her a second place finish on the event. Simpson won the all-around with a 38.775.

Division III Whitewater posted a season-high 192.6, and the craziest thing is that they BEAT both the division II teams on bars with a new school record of 48.675! Whitewater counted 4 scores above a 9.7 from Katie Mierow (9.725), McKenzie Foster (9.75), Mackenzie Smith (9.75), and Lisa O’Donnell (9.775) on that event.

Whitewater also counted four scores at 9.7 or higher on beam from O’Donnell (9.7), Courtney Pickett (9.725), Foster (9.75), and Smith (9.775). Pickett led the Warhawks on floor with a 9.8, followed by a 9.75 from O’Donnell. Chloe Rehberg posted Whitewater’s highest vault score of 9.7, and O’Donnell took second in the all-around with a 38.7.

There was a D3 east region showdown between powerhouses Brockport and Ursinus. I was very excited about this meet going into it. Last week, Ursinus had topped Brockport, but this week, Brockport pulled out a HUGE school record of 193.325, the highest Division III score this season.

Brockport swept the top four vault scores of the meet with 9.675s from Candis Kowalik, Stephanie Mager, and Jennifer Sklenar (they all do Yurchenko fulls, by the way), and a 9.625 from Casey Sullivan. Brockport had more 9.675s on bars from Maddie O’Braitis and Allison Hester, with Caitlin Elsadek close behind with a 9.625.

Brockport’s beam rotation bested that of the Ursinus beam queens, who struggled a bit more than usual. Kowalik led the Eagles with a 9.775, followed up by a pair of 9.7s from Kendal Hamer and Erica Roth.

The domination continued on floor, which has always been, as far as I can remember, a very strong event for them. They posted a huge 48.675 there, counting all scores of 9.7 or higher from Meghan Cash (9.7), Taylor Keough (9.725), Bridgette Schaal (9.725), Kowalik (9.75), and Brittany Vasile (9.775).

For Ursinus, Heather Brubaker posted the highest score on vault with a 9.6. Ursinus actually bested Brockport on bars (not surprising, since they were #1 on bars for much of the first half of the season). Vanessa Scalora’s 9.675 tied with Hester and O’Braitis for first place on that event, with Lauren Chavis and Kaelin Ruoss placing second with 9.65s.

Ruoss also won beam with a 9.85 with what seems to me like the shortest beam routine ever. But hey, get on the beam, do what you need to do, and get off the beam, am I right? I’ve always admired Ursinus for their routine construction there. They really know how to work the code and work with the strengths of their gymnasts to create unique combinations that work for them. Skyler Haas contributed a 9.675, while Autumn Snape posted a 9.65 (and she has the coolest beam series ever, a front aerial to front toss! It’s AWESOME).

Brubaker led the Bears on floor with a 9.625, followed by a 9.575 from Eleanor LaFountain and a 9.525 from Alexandra Puryear.

Springfield competed against D2 Southern Connecticut, and it was a very close meet for three of the four events. But, like always, it came down to beam (I feel like I’m always writing this), where Springfield struggled and Southern shined. The final score was Southern Conn. 190.55 to Springfield 189.075.

Springfield outscored Southern on vault 47.275 to 47.175, led by three 9.475s from Madi Bowen, Marissa DeAngelo, and Heather Gomes. Southern Conn.’s Tiffany Elliott won vault with a 9.5. To highlight just how close of a vaulting competition this was for these two teams, eight out of twelve competitors scored between a 9.4 and a 9.5. That is INSANE. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many scores that close.

Springfield also beat Southern Conn. on bars 47.225 to 47.05. Springfield’s Briana Kerr blew everyone out of the water and won the event with a 9.725, and Southern’s Kathleen Aberger took second with a 9.525.

Southern’s beam rotation (48.2) was led by Michaela Gilbert, who scored a new school record of 9.85 to win the event. The Owls swept the top three beam scores with Gilbert’s 9.85, Aberger’s 9.75, and Kylyn Dawkins’ 9.7. For Springfield, DeAngelo and Silva tied for fourth place finishes with 9.575s.

Both teams had solid floor rotations, but Southern Connecticut came out on top 48.125 to 47.85. Southern’s Alexandra Avendano and Springfield’s Tali Twomey tied for the floor title with 9.775s, Springfield’s Silva was second with a 9.75, and Southern’s Abigail Bensley was third with a 9.7.

D2 Standings

D2 All-Around Standings

D2 Vault Standings

D2 Bars Standings

D2 Beam Standings

D2 Floor Standings

D3 Standings

D3 All-Around Standings

D3 Vault Standings

D3 Bars Standings

D3 Beam Standings

D3 Floor Standings

Article by Sarah Keegan