©Jack Lewis



The NCAA season end is near and we are all on the edge of our seats waiting for the main event, the 2014 NCAA Championships in Birmingham, Alabama. The level of talent is off the charts so expect a fierce battle for that top spot on the podium. While the focus in Alabama is on the team event, there will be a ferocious fight for that coveted all around title.

Let’s take a look at some of the top all around contenders in this year’s competition:


#1 Bridget Sloan (Florida)
AA RQS: 39.720
University Park Regional: 9th AA (39.050)
2013 NCAA Finish: 1st AA

Ranked #1 for most of the season, Gator sophomore Bridget Sloan is the defending NCAA All Around Champion and a heavy favorite to repeat. The all around crown in 2013 put Sloan in the record books as the only gymnast to ever win  U.S. (2009), World (2009) and NCAA all around titles. Sloan is one of two athletes ranked in the top 25 in all five categories (VT,UB,BB,FX,AA); the other is Rheagan Courville of LSU.

Sloan has dominated the all around competition all year, claiming nine titles and shares the nation’s top score of 39.825 with teammate Alaina Johnson. However, Sloan is coming off of a disappointing performance at the University Park Regional where she suffered an uncharacteristic fall on beam. In spite of the Regional struggles, it is definitely worth noting that Sloan won her second consecutive SEC Title in the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, the site of this year’s National Championships. Sloan is the one to beat in Birmingham.


#2 Rheagan Courville (LSU)
AA RQS: 36.62
Baton Rouge Regional: 1st AA (39.725 )
2013 NCAA Finish: 2nd AA

LSU junior Rheagan Courville opened the season ranked #1 after finishing second to Bridget Sloan at the 2013 NCAA Championships by a mere .025.  Courville’s success carried into 2014 with eight all around victories this season. The 2013 SEC Gymnast of the Year enters Birmingham on a high note following her all around victory at the Baton Rouge Regional where she scored a 39.725. The regional victory was highlighted by a career high 9.975 on beam.

Don’t miss Courville’s signature skill, a massive arabian on beam with some serious air time. The LSU junior averaged about a tenth of point lower this season than the number one ranked Sloan, but her season high all around score of 39.75 proves that Courville is more than capable of standing alone on top of the podium in Birmingham.


#3 Katherine Grable (Arkansas)
AA RQS: 39.610
Fayetteville Regional: 2nd AA (39.675)
2013 NCAA AA Finish: 7th AA

Senior All American Katherine Grable returns to the NCAA Championships this year but will do so without her Razorback teammates. Arkansas failed to qualify to this year’s championships with a third place finish at the Fayetteville Regional. The 2014 SEC Gymnast of the Year placed second in the all around at the regional meet with a 39.675 behind Samantha Peszek of UCLA.

Grable is on fire this season racking up nine all around titles in the regular season and continues to set records in her final year of eligibility with a career total of 18 all around wins and 26 event titles.  Grable’s routines are thrilling to watch with the high degree of difficulty combined with unique skills and combinations. Grable performs a Podkopayeva vault and a double arabian half-out on floor. Katherine Grable is capable of ending her career as the NCAA All Around Champion, if she is at her absolute best. 
 
#4 Emily Wong (Nebraska)
AA RQS: 39.585
Seattle Regional: 1st AA (39.625)
2013 NCAA All Around finish: 3rd AA Tie with Michigan’s Joanna Sampson

Nebraska senior Emily Wong earned her 10th all-around crown of the season at the 2014 Seattle Regional with a 39.625 picking up the floor and bar titles along the way. Wong owns 32 event titles and was named Big Ten Gymnast of the week five times this season. Wong was undefeated in the all around during the regular season and a finalist for the prestigious AAI Award. Wong also tied for third at the 2013 NCAA Championships with a 39.525 and will battle for a spot on the podium in Birmingham.


#5 T Joanna Sampson (Michigan)
AA RQS: 39.565
Athens Regional: 11th AA(38.625)
2013 NCAA Finish: 3rd AA Tie with Emily Wong of Nebraska

Michigan’s senior star Joanna Sampson continues to put her name in the record books in her final season. Recently, Sampson became the first gymnast in Big Ten Championships history to record a perfect 10.0 on FX. Sampson, an AAI Award finalist, tied for 3rd in the all around at the 2013 NCAA Championships with Emily Wong of Nebraska.  Expect Sampson to bounce back from an uncharacteristic performance at the 2014 Athens Regional where she slipped off the bars on her tkatchev.


#5 T Lindsey Mable (Minnesota)
AA RQS: 39.565
2013 NCAA Finish: 28th AA
Minnesota Regional: 1st AA (39.400)

Last year, the Minnesota Gophers qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2002. This year, a third place finish at regionals failed to qualify the team to NCAA’s.  However, Minnesota’s sophomore star Lindsey Mable will make the trip to Birmingham. Mable won the all around at the Minnesota Regional with a  39.400 and was named the NACGC/W North Central Region Gymnast of the Year. The talented sophomore had a sfantastic season with 25 event wins and 10 all around titles.


#7 Kytra Hunter (Florida)
RQS: 39.55
University Park Regional: 7th AA 39.475 with fall on bars
2013 NCAA AA Finish: 2nd (39.575)

Kytra Hunter won Florida’s first ever NCAA All Around title in 2012 as a freshman. . The 2012 Honda Award winner earned an unbelievable six perfect scores this season, two on vault and four on floor exercise. Hunter’s high degree of difficulty makes the perfect marks that much more impressive. Hunter’s skills include a 1.5 twisting yurchenko, double tuck beam dismount, and a sky high double layout on floor. However, the Florida junior is coming off of a less than perfect performance at the University Park Regional where she suffered a shocking fall, sitting down her full twisting double back bar dismount.  Hopefully, Hunter can bounce back in Birmingham.


#8 Alaina Johnson (Florida)
RQS: 39.515
University Park Regional:1st AA (39.55)
2013 NCAA Championships: Did not compete AA

The 2014 NCAA uneven bar champion tied with Bridget Sloan for the top all around score of the season posting an incredible 39.825 on March 7th against West Virginia. Johnson has gorgeous lines and flexibility that are displayed throughout her routines and is a beautiful gymnast to watch. Last year, Johnson clinched the National Title for the Gators with her performance on bars capped off with a stuck double layout dismount.  An AAI finalist, Johnson is coming off of her all-around victory at the  University Park Regional, the second regional title of her career. She won the 2011 region all-around as a freshman. Injuries have kept Johnson from consistently competing in the all around throughout her collegiate career but she will be one of the best on the floor in Birmingham. .

Wild Cards


Samantha Peszek (UCLA)
RQS: N/A/Season Ave: 39.638/ Season High: 39.7
2013 NCAA: Missed 2013 season with an achilles injury

Samantha  Peszek is finally back in the all around for the UCLA Bruins but has not competed in enough meets to have an all around RQS. A torn achilles forced Pesek to miss the entire 2013 and kept her out of the all around for the majority of this season. However, Pesek is back on all four events and averaged a 39.683 in her four all around performances. Pesek’s stellar performance at the 2014 Fayettville Regional tied her career high with a 39.7, earning the all around title. A healthy Peszek can challenge anyone in the field, including her 2008 Olympic teammate Bridget Sloan.


Mackenzie Caquatto (Florida)
RQS: N/A

Florida senior Mackenzie Caquatto competed in the all around this season for the first time since the 2011 NCAA Championships. Caquatto’s five all around appearances were not enough to earn an RQS but she is still a threat if she competes on all four events in  Birmingham. The former U.S. National Team Member set a new career high against West Virginia with a 39.625. Caquatto has gorgeous lines and is absolutely stunning on bars and beam.  Caquatto’s performances are even more impressive because she had double ankle surgery in 2011.


Other top all arounders in Birmingham include Tory Wilson of Utah, Kim Jacob of Alabama along with Jessie Jordon and Kaleigh Dickson of LSU. 



All Around Rankings
31 March 2014 - by Regional Qualifying Average via Troester

Rank	First Name	Last Name	AA RQS	Team	Ave	High
1	Bridget	Sloan	39.720	Florida	39.618	39.825
2	Rheagan	Courville	39.620	L.S.U.	39.502	39.750
3	Katherine	Grable	39.610	Arkansas	39.580	39.725
4	Emily	Wong	39.585	Nebraska	39.507	39.650
5	JOANNA	SAMPSON	39.565	Michigan	39.490	39.650
-	Lindsay	Mable	39.565	Minnesota	39.290	39.650
7	Kytra	Hunter	39.550	Florida	39.472	39.700
8	Alaina	Johnson	39.515	Florida	39.525	39.825
9	Jessie	Jordan	39.510	L.S.U.	39.382	39.600
10	Caitlin	Atkinson	39.500	Auburn	39.370	39.550
11	Brittany	Rogers	39.490	Georgia	39.261	39.600
12	Tory	WILSON	39.455	Utah	39.336	39.600
13	Marie	Case	39.445	Kent State	39.275	39.600
14	Kim	Jacob	39.415	Alabama	39.389	39.625
15	Kaleigh	Dickson	39.405	L.S.U.	39.364	39.500
16	Brittni	Watkins	39.380	North Carolina State	39.044	39.425
17	Moriah	Martin	39.375	Denver	39.308	39.450
18	Kassidy	Stauder	39.365	Penn State	39.310	39.475
19	Jessie	DeZiel	39.360	Nebraska	39.250	39.575
20	Katie	Bailey	39.350	Alabama	39.203	39.425
21	Chelsea	Tang	39.335	Oregon State	39.240	39.500
-	Kristina	Vaculik	39.335	Stanford	39.222	39.600
-	Melanie	Shaffer	39.335	Ohio State	39.118	39.425
24	Nina	McGee	39.330	Denver	39.221	39.475
25	Kelsey	MORRIS	39.325	Boise State	39.141	39.500