by site editor Rick McCharles
Who will be the new Collegiate Gymnastics Champions, replacing Georgia?
Gymnastics Examiner:
UCLA takes the Super Six, followed by Florida and Alabama.
Why?
UCLA is the best team on floor and they have a huge advantage in that they end the meet on floor. The hit routines mount, the scores mount, the excitement mounts and the crowd gets into it. Alabama, meanwhile, is in the dreadful position of ending on beam. Championships are extremely hard to clinch on beam. …
read more – Predictions: NCAA Super Six, event finals
My prediction:
1. UCLA
2. Alabama
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida
5. Stanford
6. Utah
UCLA is in great position to win.
They had a shaky meet in prelims. Psychologically the Bruins will be wanting to prove that was a fluke.
Alabama and Oklahoma are consistent. They’ll be about the same in Team Finals. Neither is as strong as UCLA.
Florida could easily win it all. But I don’t have faith they can hit. Ashanee Dickerson fell on bars, first competitor, first rotation in prelims. I feel Florida has too much difficulty in their routines to win.
Stanford is the diametric opposite of Florida. If you are looking to win BIG betting on a long shot, pick the Cardinal. They do the smartest, cleanest routines that still start from 10.
In podium training Stanford did not vault. On Bars they did not do any dismounts. Several of the girls do not do hard landings even in competition warm-up. This is a strategy. Stanford has brilliant, gutsy coaching.
Utah should not have made the Super 6. They were over-scored on Bars big time. Can Utah hit Beam like that two days in a row? … If the universe was fair, it would be Nebraska in the Super 6. (If Nebraska had hit Beam, it would be Nebraska in the Super 6, I know.)
Super 6 commentary on Gymnastike.
Aunt Joyce, for the first time, has lost faith: … My gut feeling is that UCLA won’t pull it out. …
Gymnastics Coaching.com 