2014 NCAA Womens Gymnastics Championships

Semi Final 2 Event Finalists and All Americans

Semi Final 2 Event Finalists and All Americans

Apr 18, 2014 by Elizabeth Stranahan
Semi Final 2 Event Finalists and All Americans
As the second semifinal closes and Florida, Alabama, and Nebraska join Oklahoma, Georgia, and LSU for the Super Six, so too do more event finalists and All Americans join the ranks. These athletes will return to the arena Sunday, April 20 to fight for bragging rights as individual event champions.

For vault, Katherine Grable of Arkansas and Olivia Courtney of UCLA tie for first in qualifying for the vault final with 9.95s. Grable demonstrates high risk with a yurchenko half on front pike half off and Courtney astounds with her yurchenko full in tonight's comeptition. Joining Grable and Courtney in the vault event final are:

Bridget Sloan - Florida (9.925)
Georgia Dabritz - Utah (9.925)

Kaitlyn Clark (Alabama), Lauren Beers (Alabama), Alaina Johnson (Florida), and Sam Peszek (UCLA) also earn Second Team All American honors, but will not participate in Sunday's event final.

Reigning vault champion Diandra Milliner of Alabama unfortunately will not make an appearance in the vault event final after missing her yurchenko 1 1/2 in the team semifinal. Also missing out on the final are Tory Wilson of Utah, Emily Wong of Nebraska, and Kaitlyn Clark of Alabama despite finishing eighth, tenth, and eleventh respectively in the 2013 NCAA Championships.

In the bars competition, Bridget Sloan lands seated in the top spot with a 9.95. Sloan shows her poise on the bars with a toe of tkachev that flies for miles and double layout that floats back to the ground. Sloan brings high competition to the bars event final and will be joined by:

Kim Jacob - Alabama (9.925)
Mackenzie Caquatto - Florida (9.925)
Alaina Johnson - Florida (9.925)
Sam Peszek - UCLA (9.925)

Not participating in the event final, but earning Second Team All American recognition is Katie Bailey (Alabama), Sarah DeMeo (Alabama), Bridgette Caquatto (Florida), and Georgia DaBritz (Utah) with scores of 9.90 on the uneven bars.

Also missing from the bars event final are Georgia Dabritz and Nansy Damianova of Utah. Dabritz tied for second at the 2013 NCAA Championships and Damianova placed ninth.

Taking the lead on the balance beam is Alabama's Kim Jacob. Jacob presented a routine laden to dynamic skills and technical excellence. Her brani stands as just one of many highlights in this routine. Jacob will be joined by:

Sarah DeMeo - Alabama (9.90)
Alaina Johnson - Florida (9.90)
Mackenzie Caquatto - Florida (9.90)
Hollie Blanske - Nebraska (9.90)
Jamie Schleppenbach - Nebraska (9.90)
Jessie DeZiel - Nebraska (9.90)
Emily Wong - Nebraska (9.90)

Unfortunately not advancing is reigning Beam Event Finalist Bridget Sloan. Sloan suffered a fall during the team competition. Danusia Francis of UCLA will also miss the beam event final. Francis placed eighth at the 2013 NCAA Championships. There are no Second Team All Americans on the balance beam this year.

On the floor, Katherine Grable (Arkansas), Kim Jacob (Alabama), and Emily Wong (Nebraska) all posted huge scores of 9.95. Each of these bring highly unique and exciting routines that dazzled the judges tonight. Grable's arabian entry half-in, half-out, Wong's explosive triple twist, and Jacob's high-flying piked full-in all demonstrate the range of athleticism in the NCAA. Joining Grable, Jacob, and Wong in the floor event final are:

Lauren Beers - Alabama (9.925)
Diandra Milliner - Alabama (9.925)
Becky Tutka - Utah (9.925)
Nansy Damianova - Utah (9.925)

Not advancing to the event final, but qualifying at Second Team All Americans are Ciera Perkins (Boise State), Lora Leigh Frost (Alabama), Claire Boyce (Florida), Bridget Sloan (Florida), Kytra Hunter (Florida), Samantha Peszek (UCLA), Sydney Sawa (UCLA), and Lia Del Priore (Utah) each with 9.9s.

Olivia Courtney will not return to the floor event final. Courtney placed eleventh at the 2013 NCAA Event Final.

The 2014 NCAA Event Finals will kick off at 2PM on Sunday, April 20th. 

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