Oklahoma has dominated the 2015 season, maintaining the No. 1 ranking all year and not losing a single meet. It would make sense that they take the 2015 NCAA title at this weekend’s championships, however, as all gym fans know, anything can happen and nothing is guaranteed. 

 

Every single team will be seeking perfection this weekend in hopes of capturing the elusive NCAA title. With the level of gymnastics and the talent on all of the teams competing at NCAAs, there is potential for each of them, but they will need to be perfect.

 

Below are four teams who could beat OU and what they would need to do to make this happen. Obviously, if OU has a terrible meet it would help these other teams, but these teams need to focus only on what they can control. This is by no means and exhaustive list and if you don’t see your favorite team on here, don’t fret! These are just a few of the teams we think have a legitimate shot.

 

 

Florida 

Rank: 2

Season high: 198.225

 

Coming in as the reigning NCAA Co-Champions, Florida obviously knows what it takes to win the title. They have loads of talent on their team as well as the leadership to make it happen. However, they’ve faced some obstacles this year and have had some ups and downs. 

 

One of their biggest challenges came early in the season when junior star Bridget Sloan suffered an ankle injury. She was sidelined for weeks and, without a definitive timeline for a return, the Gators had to rely on each other to step up and fill gaps. They came together nicely and we got to see just how deep their team is. Sloan returned to competition in top form and scored a 39.8 at regionals. She also earned a 10.0 on bars at SEC Championships, becoming one of only a few gymnasts ever who’ve earned a 10.0 on every single event.

 

Senior Kyra Hunter has been a rock for the team all season, competing all-around every meet and consistently putting up 9.9s and higher for the team. Freshmen Kennedy Baker and Alex McMurtry have proved great additions to the team, Baker contributing on every event and one point or another and McMurtry a solid three-event contributor. McMurtry also scored a perfect 10 on vault early in the year. Clearly, Florida has what it takes but they will need to put it all together if they want a shot at the title- they can’t afford to have a fall and especially can’t afford to count a fall. They will be relying on every single team member and not just their all-arounders to pull together as a team.

 

LSU

Rank: 4

Season high: 198.375

 

LSU has the second highest score of the season with a 198.375, so they have the potential to score that high and possibly higher. The Tigers have a remarkable team lead by a stellar senior class. Head Coach D-D Breaux said that the 2015 season has been very rewarding and, “the backbone of our team is very obvious - it’s our senior class.” Rheagan Courville, Jessie Jordan, and Lloimincia Hall have served as leaders on the LSU team even before their senior year. This will be their last outing and they will definitely want to make it a big one. These seniors have the ability to contribute huge scores for the team but they can’t do it by themselves.

 

Other LSU standouts include junior Jessica Savona, sophomore Ashleigh Gnat, and freshman Myia Hambrick. Savona contributes an impressive level of difficulty as well as style and sass. She’s been a staple on bars and floor and has also contributed on vault. Gnat has been a consistent all-around competitor who brings exciting gymnastics including a double twisting Yurchenko (which we hope to see this weekend!) Hambrick has competed on every event but is consistently on vault and beam. She’s put up great scores but what she lacks is experience under pressure. 

 

LSU and Oklahoma will also both have the advantage of already competing in the Fort Worth Convention Center at the Metroplex Challenge earlier this season. 

 

Alabama

Rank: 3

Season high: 197.8

The Crimson Tide has gone through an enormous change this year after legendary Bama coach Sarah Patterson retired unexpectedly along with David Patterson stepping down from his coaching role. Dana Duckworth was named the new head coach but many were unsure of whether or not she could seamlessly continue Alabama’s tradition of excellence. Alabama has proved their resiliency and we’ve seen some impressive performances from them this year. Coach Duckworth lead them to defend the SEC title and go on to win their Regionals. They have a season high of a 197.8 but are likely going to need higher if they want to take the NCAA title. They will need to perfect the tiny details, stick every landing, and hit every handstand. All-around competitors Lauren Beers and Kaitlyn Clark will serve as leaders on the team this weekend.

 

Utah 

Rank: 7

Season high: 198.25

Utah was on a roll this season and remained undefeated until their final regular season meet at Georgia where they lost by less than two tenths. The Utes won the Pac-12 Championships but also suffered a devastating blow when senior and leader Tory Wilson tore her Achilles on floor. Without Wilson, they had a rough competition at regionals and scored a 196.575, dropping a few spots in the rankings. This uncharacteristic performance could prove beneficial and fuel their desire to get back on the floor with a vengeance. They have an extremely talented team and senior captains Georgia Dabritz and Corrie Lothrop have been crucial in Utah’s success this season. Look for great performances from these two as well as the entire team this weekend. 

 

 

UCLA and Michigan are not to be counted out either. Although neither team boasts a score over a 198, they are experienced under pressure and have displayed impressive performances as a team. With strong leadership and talented teams, both squads will put up a good fight this weekend.


The competition will begin on Friday, April 17 in Fort Worth, Texas with the preliminary qualifications round. Super Six will take place on Saturday, April 18 and Event Finals will take place on Sunday, April 19.