The Michigan women’s gymnastics team got the job done at the NCAA Columbus Regional on Saturday.
Though the sixth-ranked Wolverines (18-0 Big Ten, 25-3 overall) finished runner-up to No. 7 UCLA, 197.500-197.000, they accomplished their primary objective of qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
Besting No. 18 Arizona, No. 21 Central Michigan, Kentucky and Ohio State at St. John Arena, Michigan earned the region’s second golden ticket to Fort Worth, Texas on April 17.
For Texas natives senior Sachi Sugiyama, junior Briley Casanova and junior Austin Sheppard, the NCAA Championships will be a homecoming of sorts.
“I’m sure a bunch of my old teammates, friends and family will be there,” Casanova said. “It’ll just be a really great experience to be home and have that kind of hometown crowd.
“I’ve actually competed in the arena that we’re going to, so it’ll feel like home.”
While Michigan has proven throughout the season that it belongs in the NCAA Championships with its consistent top-10 ranking, it had to overcome adversity at the NCAA Regionals to get there.
UCLA dominated from the very beginning of the meet, placing Michigan in a race for the second coveted spot to secure a place at nationals.
Freshman Brianna Brown led the Wolverines on the uneven bars, finishing third overall with a score of 9.875. Her performance was especially important in that it helped the team avoid counting a 9.375 routine in the five-up, six-count format.
Following the first rotation, Central Michigan outscored Michigan, 49.250-49.150.
On the beam, the Wolverines delivered a strong performance with minimal balance checks and clean landings.
Casanova set the bar in the leadoff position, sticking her dismount and scoring a 9.825.
“Leading off is actually something pretty new for me this year,” Casanova said. “But I have really learned to embrace it.”
The rest of the lineup also performed well, with sophomores Nicole Artz and Talia Chiarelli highlighting the rotation in the anchor spots. The two posted matching scores of 9.900. Additionally, they performed wobble-free routines that were capped with difficult dismounts. Artz stuck her running punch 3/2 twist, whereas Chiarelli landed her roundoff to double tuck cold.
At the halfway mark, Michigan overtook the Chippewas, 98.400-98.325.
Michigan was able to widen the neck-and-neck gap and never looked back with a powerful floor exercise rotation that earned a score of 49.425, the highest of the night on the event.
As she did on the beam, Casanova led off with a strong floor performance, while Chiarelli and Artz anchored with two of the team’s best floor routines of the night. The sophomores scored 9.900 for the second event in a row and tied for a second-place finish on the event. Senior Brooke Parker also scored a 9.900, tying her career best on floor.
The bye rotation prior to floor played a contributing factor to Michigan’s exceptional performance. In the locker room, the team zoned out the competition and everything outside of its control. The gymnasts relaxed and blasted upbeat music to keep the energy up heading into the two power events.
“We were a little nervous in the beginning, but I think we brought it back well and the bye really helped us,” Sugiyama said.
The Wolverines finished off on vault. Sugiyama competed the best vault of the night, sticking her difficult Yurchenko 3/2 and tying UCLA redshirt sophomore Peng Peng Lee for first place with a score of 9.925.
And the vault could not have come at a more opportune time. Not only was it Sugiyama’s first NCAA Regional title, but it also lived up to her expectations. After a season of coming close to sticking her vault, she had predicted it would come soon at the Big Ten Championships.
“It’s been a frustrating process,” Sugiyama said. “I just felt like I wasn’t living up to my own expectations and finally today, I think it was a reminder that I can do this.”
Sugiyama also finished second in the all-around with a score of 39.350. Brown scored a 39.275 for third place, whereas UCLA senior Samantha Peszek finished first with a score of 39.675.
Artz earned the NCAA Northeast Regional Gymnast of the Year award, while Michigan’s Scott Sherman and Dave Kuzara shared the NCAA Northeast Regional Assistant Coach of the Year accolade.
“I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without them, and I think the rest of the team can say the same,” Casanova said.
Though Michigan completed what it set out to accomplish Saturday, it will have to reverse the results and overtake UCLA as it faces the Bruins in the first semifinal session at the NCAA Championships.
“We knew UCLA was going to be very formidable competition, and they had the benefit of following us in the rotation order,” said Michigan coach Bev Plocki. “We also know that we didn’t end as strong as we should have on vaulting, and that we have to be a little sharper when we get to the national championship, but I’m very confident that we can do that.”
No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Utah, No. 10 Georgia and No. 11 Stanford will join Michigan and UCLA as the six teams vie for a top-three finish to qualify for the Super Six competition, the women’s gymnastics version of the Final Four.