When Friday's semifinal sessions at the NCAA Championships kick off, Angel Metcalf will be one of 20 gymnasts competing as an individual. The Hawkeyes were edged by just 0.1 of a point at regionals after a huge beam rotation that saw four scores of 9.900 or better. Metcalf anchored that rotation with a season-high 9.950 to earn a share of the regional title on beam with teammate Clair Kaji.

Clair Kaji and Angel Metcalf shared the beam title! Both will advance to the NCAA Championships, Kaji on beam and Metcalf in the all-around! pic.twitter.com/IaHDKKAlJQ

— Iowa Gymnastics (@IowaGymnastics) April 2, 2017

Metcalf earned one of the two NCAA automatic bids after finishing as one of the top two all-around performers on a team that didn't qualify to St. Louis. The senior posted one of her best all-around totals of the season with a 39.300.

Metcalf will compete in the first semifinal session in Friday's competition and rotates with Denver. The all-around champion and all event champions will be determined after the conclusion of both semifinal sessions.

FloGymnastics: What is your favorite event to perform on and why?
Angel Metcalf: My favorite event to perform on is beam. And that's also my favorite event in general. I think it's super cool that the beam is only 4 inches wide, and I think it's the most challenging event, in my opinion, and I love challenges. I'm up for any challenge.

What is your favorite skill to perform on any event?
My favorite skill is probably my triple flight on beam. It's probably the skill that came easiest to me, and it's not one that I have to think about. It's the easiest for me so it's my favorite to compete.

What is the most challenging skill that you've learned and what made it challenging for you?
Probably my jaeger was the most challenging skill for me to learn. I learned it going into my senior year of high school. I'd never had a single bar release before. Just learning how to get that timing was really difficult for me, but after so many repetitions it just becomes like second nature.

What the biggest thing that you took away from regionals that you'll use heading into nationals?
This is coming from a team aspect but is that the meet isn't over until it's over. I think the meet wasn't going how our team wanted it and how we expected to perform. But then we ended on beam, and we knocked out that 49.6 on beam and we were a tenth away from qualifying. I would say heading into nationals, it's not over until you land your very last skill of your very last routine.

You guys absolutely killed it on beam at regionals. What was that rotation like?
It was honestly the most exciting time of my career. I usually do not watch the beam routines and this time I did. All season long we've been talking about how our beam team is clutch and how we work so hard. I usually don't like to watch the people who go before me, because this time I did. I thought to myself 'This could be my last meet, and I want to see just how good this beam team is in competition.' It was really exciting to watch that.

How does the adversity that your team faces in the regular season help prepare you for the postseason?
It's just that experience really. I think we have the confidence during the regular season. I think it only made us more confident and made us believe in ourselves more and made us stronger heading into postseason. There was an injury so someone was out of vault lineup [or] people are a little bit sore so we have to switch people in and out. It makes me personally confident in my teammates and my whole team and my coaching staff knowing anybody that they throw in there, it's not a problem. We can switch people in and out, and we'll still be that same Iowa team that it was before.

How different is it to go in competing as an individual instead of with your teammates?
I've never experienced going to NCAA nationals by myself yet; my teammate Molle (Drenth) did last year. But my freshman year I can kind of say I had a similar experience, because I competed as an individual at regionals. So if I take my experience from regionals my freshman year, I am ecstatic and completely honored to be going to NCAA nationals as an individual, but I know that it would be nothing compared to what it could be if my team was there. I'm a team player so I'm all about the team and the success of my team.

I think it'll be hard, because my team's not there. But I'm super excited and super thankful that I'm rotating with Denver. They've already expressed to me how excited they are that I'm rotating with them, and they can't wait to experience this with me. I think it will be a little bit different. I know some of my teammates are planning on coming, which makes my heart so happy. Anything I can do out there to make them proud, this performance isn't about me, it's about my team. Iowa's been put on the map these last couple of years. We've really been trying to make a name for ourselves, so anything I can do in my performance to help further that is all I would ever want.

One of my teammates lives in St. Louis, so over the weekend everyone is going stay at her house. They're going to be there for the meet. We always tell each other we've got each other's backs, and even though they can't be with me on the floor they'll be as close as they possibly can. I'm sure if you're there, you will hear them. They are not quiet people.

How would you describe yourself in three words?
I like to say that I'm outgoing, energetic, and positive.

What are you most looking forward to about competing at nationals?
It's my senior year, so it's my very last competition. I honestly am just looking forward to having the time of my life out there. Whether it turns out to be good or whether it turns out to be bad, I just know that no matter what I think it'll be an amazing experience. I'm really excited to see what that kind of atmosphere is like.

Has it hit you yet that it's going to be your final meet?
Honestly, I try not to think about it, because then I'll cry. It hasn't hit me quite yet. I think when I get there it'll hit me, and I'll realize 'Wow, this really is my last meet.' I don't think I could have gone out a better way.