NCAA Throwback: The Top 5 Best First Meet Scores of the 2016 Season

NCAA Throwback: The Top 5 Best First Meet Scores of the 2016 Season

As we get ready for the upcoming 2017 NCAA gymnastics season, we thought it would be fun to look back at the first meets of the year for the major teams last season.

Dec 25, 2016 by Justine Kelly
NCAA Throwback: The Top 5 Best First Meet Scores of the 2016 Season
As we get ready for the upcoming 2017 NCAA gymnastics season, we thought it would be fun to look back at some of the top performances by major teams in their first meets this past season. The season-opening meet is always one of the most exciting -- it's the first time we see some of the gymnasts compete collegiately, we get a taste for what lineups might look like, and we get to see new routines and skills.

Many teams will build their strength slowly as the season goes on in order to peak at the right time, but many still put up impressive showings in their first competition of the year. As a throwback, we've taken a glance at which NCAA teams had the best first meets of the season in 2016.

Check out the top five below:

1. Michigan - 196.975


Michigan's first meet of 2016 was the Cancun Classic, which took place right at the start of the year. Michigan won the competition against Arkansas and Iowa with a 196.975, a huge score for the start of the season.

Key performers for the Wolverines were freshman Olivia Karas, who notched the highest scores on vault (9.925) and beam (9.9), and junior Nicole Artz, who tallied the highest scores on bars (9.9) and floor (9.95). As a team, they performed best on floor with a 49.400.

Check out the highest scoring routine of the meet from Artz, who also won the all-around:




2. LSU - 196.950


LSU's first meet of 2016 was a tough matchup against Oklahoma. LSU ended up coming out on top, just inching out Oklahoma with a 196.950. The team's best scoring event of the competition was floor, where they totaled a 49.475. LSU also took the top two spots in the all-around, with Myia Hambrick taking first place with a 39.45, followed closely by Ashleigh Gnat.

Key competitors for the Tigers were senior Randii Wyrick, juniors Shae Zamardi ​and Gnat, and freshman Sarah Finnegan. Wyrick and Gnat tied for the highest score on vault -- a 9.9. Finnegan had an impressive debut and tied with Zamardi for the highest score on bars (9.85) and also notched the highest score on beam, a 9.925. Gnat then set the stage for how she would perform on floor all season and scored a 9.95, tied for the highest score of the meet. Relive her huge floor routine from that night below:

Video via NCAA Gymnastics


​3. Florida - 196.825


Florida opened up its 2016 season with a win against Texas Women's, totaling a 196.825. The Gators' best event of the competition was beam, where they put up a 49.425. In fact, the low score that they ended up dropping on beam was a 9.85. Bridget Sloan and Kennedy Baker also took the top two spots in the all-around, respectively, with Sloan notching a 39.500 and Baker just behind her with a 39.400.

Top competitors on each event for Florida in its first meet included Sloan, who took the highest bar score with a 9.875 and tied Baker for the top score on floor with a 9.9. Freshman Alicia Boren made her debut with a stunning beam routine, tying Ericha Fassbender for the highest score on the event with a 9.9. Finally, Alex McMurtry continued to impress on vault where she competed her huge Yurchenko full to score a 9.925, the highest score of the meet. Check out her huge vault below:




4. Oklahoma - 196.725


Although Oklahoma lost to LSU in its first meet of the season, OU still put up one of the highest scores in the country for that first week of competition with a 196.725. And the team only got stronger from there -- the Sooners did not score below the 197.000 mark for the rest of the season.

Star performers for Oklahoma included seniors Keeley Kmieciak and Haley Scaman, who took the top scores for the team on vault and floor, respectively. Natalie Brown and Nicole Lehrmann tied for the OU's highest score on beam with a 9.875. Oklahoma's top bar worker, McKenzie Wofford, tied for the highest score of the competition with her 9.95 on uneven bars. Relive her routine below:

Video via NCAA Gymnastics


​5. UCLA - 196.550


UCLA started its 2016 season with a bang and beat Alabama at home. The host Bruins totaled a 196.550, and their highest scoring event of the night was floor, where they scored an impressive 49.475.

Four UCLA gymnasts tied for the highest score of the competition. Danusia Francis and Peng Peng Lee both notched a 9.95 on beam. Sadiqua Bynum and Hallie Mossett also put up 9.95 on floor, which helped to secure UCLA's win. We're hoping to see both Lee and Mossett back in the lineups this upcoming season. Check out Mossett's beautiful routine below:

Video via NCAA Gymnastics


​Related:
2017 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Complete Schedule