Alright, what have you done for me lately, NCAA gym?
With JO Nationals coming up this weekend, focus is already shifting to the future—which gymnasts are leaving and which gymnasts are entering next season to make their teams inevitable garbage beautiful swans of success that will definitely win all the championships.
So, here’s a quick breakdown of the routines that are going away due to senioring and other reasons, along with the freshmen who will enter in 2018 and be expected to replace them.
I’ve noted which newbies are competing in which divisions of JO Nationals this weekend, so if you team is looking a little “What’s a bars routine?” you know which results to look out for.
Other thoughts: Georgia’s screwed, Florida’s going to be really good next year, Alabama’s loss = its gain, IM NOT READY FOR EBEE TO BE A SENIOR.
I think Georgia will actually improve, assuming recruits don’t flip. Schick and Broussard were inconsistent. Reynolds was solid and could go in the line-up anywhere, but would generally go 9.75-9.85. Roberts is not much of a loss.
Get Dickson and Snead healthy. Put Snead on the McMurtry pacing plan for her back. If the new coach keeps Vaculik that’s another UB/BB routine. Cherrey should be back and I suspect Pedersen will be on a few events. Then add the freshman into the mix and Johnson back on vault. It’s not as dire as people think.
Huh? How is UGA screwed?
I may be wrong, but I think Mary Jane Horth is coming back for a 5th year.
Last I heard, Lacey Rubin will be around one more year. She redshirted her first year. Good news for EMU!
It also makes me chuckle that Alabama is kind of replacing Katie Bailey with Bailey Key.
Emma Hartzler is walking on at Iowa and qualified Senior E. Her gymnastics is beautiful and worth watching.
It’s crazy to me that Florida isn’t losing a single Super Six routine. I think the top 3 teams will finish in the top 3 next year, but with Florida in 2nd. UCLA doesn’t lose a lot of routines, but pretty much every one is a 9.9 routine. Utah will come back with 5 new gymnasts (compared to Super Six). Bama’s incoming freshmen look great, but they lose a lot of routines too. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the exact same 6 teams next year in Super Six.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see the exact 6 teams for several years in a row. The ultimate SUPER six.
As a Florida fan, I’m so happy that they aren’t “losing” anyone and are gaining some excellent Freshman. Your …Danna being out at UGA made me LOL.
People seem to forget about injuries. Some of these top programs will lose their star routines at some point during the season over the next few years. UCLA could rebound fairly easily, a la Georgia losing Kupets and winning a title, but a Nichols/Skinner/Hambrick/McMurtry injury could be huge for a team.
No one wants to see anyone get hurt, but acting like these top six teams will skate through to finals every year is misguided.
Eh, I don’t think anyone is saying that. Injuries happen and you can’t say “in one year ___ will definitely happen”. Just based on recent performance and current rosters, it’s not unrealistic to say these 6 teams are likely to repeat as the 2018 Super Six.
I’m sorry Danna being out made people laugh. It was needed. BUT, the question is no longer the past, it’s where do we go from here. The answer is “SAMANTHA MUHLEMAN BROWN”. We as UGA fans have to go make this happen folks. She is an International Brevet Judge. One of only 20 or so. 2 others in college coaching (Rowland and Howell). She was part of 4 SEC Championship Teams and 2 Undefeated NCAA teams (1996-1999). Amazing person, amazing family. She has owned 2 gyms. Unfortunately, she took incorrect advice and got involved in the Penn State deal, but she, IMVHO, looks like the hero to me because she got the EVIL out of there, eventually. I, actually, haven’t kept in touch with Sam much, but I’ve followed her career intensely since her graduation, along with many from her time period. She’s just impressive. Sam as our head coach, watch out. We will be back. Alums who read this. Go make it happen.
I don’t want anyone associated with the PSU situation named the new head coach at UGA. It may not be fair to Samantha and I don’t know her full story at PSU, but if you were on that staff, I don’t want you as head coach at Georgia.
That’s pretty unfair, given she was basically shown the door for calling out poor coaching practices and raising major red flags about athlete care. In other words, exactly what you’d hope a coach arriving in that situation would do.
I have zero skin in the UGA game, but based solely on how she acted when faced with the PSU situation, that to me is a tick in the ‘Pro’ column.
What does qualified senior E/f etc mean?
It’s just the age division gymnasts are in. Normally E-F are heading off to college unless they’re a little younger, so Senior D is possible.
That’s exactly what I hoped someone would reply to about the PSU situation based on the negative comment, and I’m glad the original poster recanted. There is ONE positive that came of that fiasco, the rest of the team, prayerfully, will get to finish out their college careers under another coach that will hopefully care for them as individuals. Definitely a “tic” in the “PRO” column for Sam Brown. She’s a FireCracker, I tell ya, she’s not going to put up with injustice. She was raised right. I knew her parents back in the day. We can’t do any better than Sam. That Brevet (FIG level) judging definition cinches it for me, IMO. She knows what they are looking for, and she competed at the highest level in the sport, and she’s coached. There are no negatives. If you are, or are not, affiliated with the UGA, please help support a great person, awesome role model for girls, and exactly what we need to get this train rolling again. Thanks to all. God Bless!!!
I’m Anon on May 2 and 4:16 pm , not the original Anon who said PSU shouldn’t hire Sam ( so I don’t think the person recanted) but I definitely agree with you and Renee that Sam called the Thompsons on their horrible behaviors and knew they had crossed the line…and what does Sandy Barbour do? She gets rid of Sam! How is that a negative to her “association with PSU” …she tried to tell them how awful the Thompsons were and SHE got canned, not them…hiring her at UGA is a total upside for me.
I feel like LSU will surprise and not fall as behind as some people think. Yes, a super group of seniors are gone, but with Sarah Finnegan in an anchor spot or 2…Kennedi Edney and Myia Hambrick in the all-around…more contributions from (healthy) Lexie Priessman, McKenna Kelley, Erin Macadaeg…they could surprise to challenge!!
I also agree that Florida will be a force to be reckoned with next year. UCLA should be…if everything (vault…) comes together!!