Introducing Della Fowler’s Contained in the Matchup
Every week, Della will measurement up the competitors and key matchups dominating Girls’s NCAA Gymnastics on this all-new characteristic. Search for it every week on InsideGym.com and in a weekly video on YouTube! Right here’s who we’re watching throughout Week 8!
Inside The Matchup, delivered to you by Della Fowler & Inside Gymnastics Journal
Meet of the Week: Florida at Oklahoma 9:00 p.m. ET| Friday, Feb. 21 | ESPN2
If final week was the Tremendous Bowl, I’m making use of the Jalen Hurts’ principle to Oklahoma this week. Two years in the past QB Jalen Hurts and the Eagles went to the Tremendous Bowl and misplaced towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. After that loss, Hurts set the background on his telephone as a photograph of him strolling off the sphere that day and used it as a software to inspire him. A couple of week in the past, Hurts led his crew to a Tremendous Bowl win and took residence the title of Tremendous Bowl MVP.
The best way that Hurts used his lockscreen as a motivator is precisely what I count on to see from Oklahoma this week. I’ve little doubt that they are going to be dialed in, probably greater than they’ve ever been this season. Religion Torrez had a terrific meet at LSU, and I count on her to go even larger at residence in Norman. In my view, Jordan Bowers at her core is the quarterback of this crew, so if she does her factor and finds the sticks, it’s protected to say the crew will, too. Additionally they will depend upon robust performances from their underclassmen. Elle Mueller has been charming to observe this season, I completely love seeing her make lineups and contribute massive scores.
The Gators are going to have a look at this meet as a possibility to essentially show they’ll carry out on the highway. Two out of their three highest crew scores have been recorded in a house meet, so I’m actually wanting ahead to seeing the Gators develop of their highway performances. Particularly with NQS going into impact final week, the stress to carry out properly away from house is on. I’m completely geeking and totally satisfied that I manifested the Leanne Wong 2025 breakout meet, however however, having Leanne doing Leanne issues is big. It actually felt like final week was precisely what she wanted to get her CEO mojo again and I promise you’ll be seeing extra of her. (In case you’re mad about her 10 don’t come for me I’m not a decide!!!) Sloane Blakely is HER and that was confirmed by her well-deserved 10 on flooring final week. If their heavy hitters can get the sticks, this meet can be VERY shut.
5 Should Watch Meets:
- Georgia at Missouri 8:00 p.m. ET | Friday, Feb. 21 | SECN+
- Auburn at Alabama 8:30 p.m. ET | Friday, Feb. 21 | SECN
- Metroplex Problem Session Two (Arizona, Arkansas, Oregon State, SEMO) 8:30 p.m. | Friday, Feb. 21 | Meet Rating On-line
- Denver at Utah 9:00 p.m. ET | Friday, Feb. 21 | ESPN+
- UCLA at Michigan 4:00 p.m. ET| Sunday, Feb. 23 | Huge Ten Community
Georgia at Missouri 8:00 p.m. ET | Friday, Feb. 21 | SECN+
I’m so excited for this meet! Mizzou is having one in every of their greatest seasons in program historical past they usually don’t look to be slowing down. Final week, they set a program-high flooring rating of 49.725 on flooring, sealed by Kennedy Griffin’s good 10! This whole squad is a lot enjoyable, a selected favourite of mine is Hannah Horton. She carries a lot energy in her gymnastics and I believe she’s a giant a part of why Mizzou has been so profitable. The factor about Mizzou is, they’re but to have an entire meet. It looks like each week Mizzou can go massive on three out of 4 occasions, showcased by their vault rotation final week. Nevertheless, a meet at residence towards a tricky opponent is the proper surroundings for the items to fall into place.
Don’t neglect the Gymdawgs although, additionally they had one heck of a meet final week combating off one of many hardest groups within the NCAA, Arkansas. Of their meet, they delivered superb performances on bars (49.425) and flooring (49.450)! Freshman Nyla Aquino and sophomore Lily Smith each delivered 9.95s on flooring! My eyes for this meet can be on their lowest-scoring occasion, vault. I believe each profitable school crew wants a gymnast or two who you possibly can put in a lineup and file some 9.9s with out query. And Georgia completely has these gymnasts. The Gymdawgs are going to look to Ady Wahl and Anaya Smith to step up on this rotation and get these massive scores. If they’ll add only a tenth to each vaulter’s rating this week, that would be the key.
Auburn at Alabama 8:30 p.m. ET | Friday, Feb. 21 | SECN
Oh, you thought the Iron Bowl was only for soccer? Suppose once more. One of many fiercest rivalries in school sports activities is taking up the gymnastics stage, and also you already comprehend it’s going to be electrical! Buckle up, as a result of this one goes to be GOOD.
Alabama is coming off a robust efficiency on the Zou to the Lou Quad, the place they posted a 196.675 and noticed Lilly Hudson earn an ideal 10.0 on flooring! The Crimson Tide is heating up at simply the appropriate time, and with the house crowd behind them, they’ll be trying to convey the identical fireplace to Coleman Coliseum. Gabby Gladieux is having one more nice season, and I’ve been obsessed together with her flooring routine all 12 months—it’s simply hit after hit! In the meantime, Alabama’s bars lineup has been stellar, and if they’ll preserve that momentum rolling, they’ll be powerful to beat.
However Auburn isn’t any stranger to creating noise. The Tigers have been placing up massive scores all season, and with stars like Sophia Groth and Katelyn Jong, they’ve received all of the components for an enormous highway efficiency. Final week they posted a 196.825, marking their highest highway rating of the season so this journey is one other alternative to rise. Auburn has been stable on beam all 12 months (they’re ranked No. 4 nationally with a 49.320 NQS), so if they’ll clear up landings and herald these further tenths on vault and bars, they could possibly be in prime place to make an announcement in Tuscaloosa.
Metroplex Problem Session Two (Arizona, Arkansas, Oregon State, SEMO) 8:30 p.m. | Friday, Feb. 21 | Meet Rating On-line
All the things’s larger in Texas, and the Metroplex Problem is about to ship BIG gymnastics! This quad meet is stacked with expertise, and all eyes are on Oregon State’s Jade Carey, who has been unstoppable this season. Carey is sitting at #1 within the nation on beam and the all-around NQS and has but to lose an all-around title in 2025. However after the Beavers took their first loss final week, they’re coming in with one thing to show.
Arizona and Arkansas have been quietly climbing the rankings, and this can be a prime alternative for each to shake issues up. Arkansas has been red-hot on flooring, however final week they didn’t get the scores they have been on the lookout for on this occasion. Maintain your eye on Priscilla Park and Maddie Jones who posted 9.925’s on beam and bars respectively. Arizona brings the artistry, the place they’ve been stacking 9.9s on the ground. Regulate SEMO as properly! They will be the underdog right here, however they’ve been placing collectively robust rotations all season.
Denver at Utah 9:00 p.m. ET | Friday, Feb. 21 | ESPN+
I’ve had my eye on this meet all season, and the time has lastly come! Denver is driving excessive after their greatest meet of the 12 months, and simply in time, as a result of they’re heading straight into the Red Rocks’ den.
Let’s speak Utah. Makenna Smith is so due for a 10 on vault—it’s solely a matter of time. And Grace McCallum? Her bars routine actually lives in my goals, not kidding it’s simply her Chow on loop. Ella Zirbes can also be coming off of a terrific meet incomes a season-high on flooring of 9.925 whereas tying her season-high of 9.875 on vault to assist the Crimson Rocks keep undefeated in Huge 12 competitors. Utah has been rock stable all season, and competing at residence contained in the Huntsman Heart? Yeah, the Utes don’t fiddle. The important thing for Utah? Maintain being Utah.
However Denver isn’t coming to Salt Lake Metropolis only for the surroundings. Their vault squad is highly effective, led by Maddison Reidenbach, who was sooooooooo shut to perfection with a 9.975 final week. Cecilia Cooley has been crushing it too—a 9.925 on bars and a 9.875 on beam final week—and right here’s the kicker: Denver didn’t rely a single rating under 9.800 on three out of 4 occasions final week. I count on them to be hitting flooring so much in apply and if they’ll get these scores up, they may make it shut!
UCLA at Michigan 4:00 p.m. ET| Sunday, Feb. 23 | Huge Ten Community
Let’s speak about UCLA. Jordan Chiles is amassing Huge Ten Gymnast of the Week awards like they’re sweet, and Frida Esparza hit a career-high 9.975 on bars final week after rocking Pauley with formally the good nationwide anthem. The Bruins haven’t misplaced since Week 2, they’re recent off a season-high 49.575 bars rotation, and Chiles has been on fireplace—profitable her sixth consecutive flooring tile with a 9.950 final week. Oh, and did we point out UCLA simply jumped to No. 2 within the nation with NQS in impact? Nationwide Qualifying Rating (or NQS) takes a crew’s prime six scores-at least three should be from away meets-drops the best, and averages the remaining 5. That is precisely what the Bruins have been ready for as NQS balances out early-season struggles and accounts for residence vs. away scoring variations.
However don’t sleep on Michigan! The Wolverines are 4-1 within the Huge Ten and undefeated at residence, they usually’ve received Kayli Boozer, Carly Bauman, and Jenna Mulligan main the cost. Boozer is a beam queen with a career-high 9.950, I’m so impressed together with her progress from final season. Anticipate much more massive Boozer routines. Michigan’s bars lineup additionally set a season-high with a 49.400! The important thing? Michigan must convey the warmth early—UCLA’s flooring squad is among the greatest within the nation, so the Wolverines will need to preserve it shut earlier than that last rotation.
Search for Nate’s NCAA Notes every week and keep tuned to InsideGym.com and Inside Gymnastics journal for highlight options and interviews all through the 2025 season!
Nate Salsman, Della Fowler, Megan Roth and Christy Sandmaier present NCAA protection for Inside Gymnastics.
Photographs by Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics journal.
For Extra
Fueled By Religion
Contained in the Matchup February 7
Aurelie Tran Solutions the Name for the Iowa GymHawks
How Katelyn Jong Matches Proper In
Contained in the Matchup!
Helen Hu’s return to gymnastics
Brooklyn Moors Shines Early In Her Senior Season
In His Personal Phrases: Nikolai Kolesnikov
Wendy Hilliard’s 10 Ideas for 2025
Helen Hu’s Journey to a ten
Brooklyn Moors Shines Early In Her Senior Season
In His Personal Phrases: Nikolai Kolesnikov
eMjae Frazier: Prepared For Extra
Sam Phillips: His Personal Take
Breaking Down the Males’s Code of Factors
Males’s NCAA Coaches Tackle Modifications
For our Males’s NCAA Preview Half 1, Click on Right here
For our Males’s NCAA Preview Half 2, Click on Right here!
For the 2025 NCAA Season Schedule, Click on Right here!
For our 2025 NCAA Girls’s Preview, Click on Right here!
For the 2025 WCGA Coaches Ballot, Click on Right here!
For our characteristic on Utah’s Jaylene Gilstrap, Click on Right here!
For our characteristic on Lily Smith and the Georgia GymDogs, Click on Right here!
For our take a look at Mizzou, Click on Right here!
Why Paul Juda Is Prepared for 2025!
Brody Malone to Compete in 2025!
4 Up, 4 Depend. John Roethlisberger’s Take!
Lacking the Olympics? NCAA Gymnastics Might Be Your Repair!
Keep tuned to InsideGym.com and observe us @InsideGym for all the most recent!
For our take a look at the Class of 2026, Click on Right here!
Photographs by Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics
