Sierra Brooks, Naomi Morrison and Natalie Wojcik led the charge on Saturday for a No. 3 Michigan women’s gymnastics team that was ready to rebound. With the support of 8,515 fans, the Wolverines (3-1 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) fed off the energy of the second-largest home crowd in history, ending the Buckeyes’ (7-1, 1-1) undefeated season and securing its first Big Ten win of the year, 197.975-196.350.
Michigan started strong on the vault, earning a 49.575 and four scores of 9.900 or better. Junior Reyna Guggino began the night with a 9.850, replacing junior Jenna Mulligan compared to last week’s lineup. Graduate student Natalie Wojcik followed with an uncharacteristic 9.800 after stepping out of bounds on the dismount, but senior Gabby Wilson re-centered the team with a 9.900. However, it was junior Naomi Morrison who took home the event title with a score of 9.975 after a clean, high-amplitude rotation and a stuck landing. Senior Sierra Brooks scored a 9.950 after sticking the landing as well, and graduate student Abby Heiskell anchored the event with a solid 9.900.
After a dominant vault performance, it was clear that last week’s loss would serve as a learning experience for Michigan, not a setback.
“Last week just wasn’t our day,” Michigan coach Bev Plocki said. “We could make a lot of excuses for why we didn’t have the energy but the reality is it’s our job to manufacture the energy. If it doesn’t come naturally, then we have to get it together.
“…I think sometimes that’s the best thing that can happen to you when you’re a team that has aspirations to win a national championship, because you learn that lesson that you have to be very intentional and not take anything for granted.”
Michigan proved it had learned from its mistakes on uneven bars. Heiskell and Morrison led off with a 9.875 and 9.850 respectively, setting the stage for junior Carly Bauman to tie a career-best 9.900. Brooks followed with an additional 9.900 after a blind to piked jaeger and a stuck landing. Wojcik collected another event title, earning a 9.950 after finishing her routine with a double layout and flawless dismount. Michigan scored a 49.475 on the uneven bars, leading the Buckeyes 99.050-98.500 going into the third rotation.
The Wolverines’ struggles continued on the beam, but some much-needed improvements by Brooks allowed the team to stay on pace. In doing so, she bounced back from recent struggles in her back handspring layout
“My coaches were very transparent,” Brooks said. “They said, ‘We have so much confidence in you doing this routine, regardless of your one layout or two layouts, but we want you to raise your confidence and get a good beam hit under your belt because we know you can hit it.’ So I did that.”
Brooks’ confidence remained steady, earning a 9.950 in the fourth slot, improving her score from the previous meet by over half a point. Bauman began the rotation with a 9.850, showcasing a new pike gainer dismount. Wilson wobbled a bit during her routine, but compensated with a perfectly stuck double tuck dismount, earning a 9.800. Heiskell notched a 9.125 after falling off the beam, receiving her third-lowest career score that would be scratched. 2019 beam national champion Wojcik anchored the event with a near-flawless routine, earning a season-high 9.975 and the event title. The Wolverines held a solid 148.40-147.65 lead over the Buckeyes after three events.
Michigan was composed heading into the final rotation. Backed by a meet-best 9.950 by Morrison, the Wolverines proved why they are first in the nation in the floor exercise.
Senior Nicoletta Koulos led the event with a dance-inspired routine, earning a 9.875. Heiskell performed her fan-favorite ABBA mashup that scored a 9.925. Morrison received her second event title of the night after a solid performance in the third slot, followed by Brooks who secured the all-around title with a 9.925 after sticking the landing on a full-twisting double back. Wilson earned the fourth score of 9.900 on floor, capping off a successful night for the Wolverines.
Through the support of Morrison and Brooks, Michigan found the rebound it needed. Not only did it correct the issues that led to prior losses, but it also used that success to pace a convincing win.