College gymnastics Week 3 preview: Simone at Georgia, Florida at LSU, Rocky Mountain Open sold out

By Patricia Duffy | January 17, 2025
Isabella Magnelli (Kentucky) and Tate Costa (Illinois)
© Filippo Tomasi and © Amy Sanderson/Gymnastics Now

College gymnastics season is in full swing, and this weekend has an exciting slate of matchups on both the men’s and women’s sides.

Note: The latest rankings are not necessarily accurate/reflective of the men’s landscape right now, as four teams didn’t compete in Week 1.

Florida at LSU: Top 10 matchup headlines women’s weekend slate

SEC rivals Florida and LSU will face off in Baton Rouge on Friday night. The early season top 10 matchup sees the past two SEC champions go head-to-head, with LSU, the reigning national champion, ranked No. 2 and Florida ranked No. 7. LSU has two meets under its belt while Florida has only one.

Right out of the gate, the Tigers went 197+ despite being without star Haleigh Bryant. They improved on that 197.300 against Iowa State during opening weekend and went 197.650 at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad last weekend, beating California and Utah but falling to Oklahoma by three-tenths. Bryant was back on beam last weekend and is expected to add floor Friday. Freshman Kailin Chio and senior Aleah Finnegan have been the team’s all-arounders the past two meets, putting on outstanding performances.

Florida didn’t go 197 out the gate, but it was still a good debut for the Gators last weekend. They earned a 196.675 to edge Michigan State by 0.025 and top Nebraska and Northern Illinois as well. Gator gymnasts won all of the individual titles, with Leanne Wong winning bars, beam, floor – all with 9.95s – and the all-around. Skye Blakely went 9.725 on bars in her college debut – 199 days after rupturing her Achilles during podium training at Olympic Trials. Other Gators to watch for in the matchup against the Tigers: freshman Ly Bui, transfer Selena Harris-Miranda, and Riley McCusker, who didn’t compete last season due to injury.

Friday, January 17
8:30  pmFlorida @ LSU – Live Stats | Video (ESPN2)

Best of the Rest

What other meets should you watch this weekend? Well, while there is no shortage of options (see the full schedule and how to watch here), here are our recommendations.

Michigan vs. Michigan State gets a new venue

For the first time ever, Michigan State gymnastics will compete in the Campus’ Breslin Center – a major upgrade for the No. 6 Spartans. And it comes just in time as rival, No. 20 Michigan, comes to town.

Friday, January 17
6:00  pmMichigan @ Michigan State – Live Stats | Video (BIG+)

Simone Biles to make appearance at Georgia’s home opener

It took no time at all for Georgia’s new co-head coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi to convince her elite star, Simone Biles, to make an appearance at a GymDogs meet. Biles and her husband, Jonathan Owens, will be in attendance at Georgia’s home opener against Boise State, which also happens to be Olympic Night. Georgia was third in its season opener at Denver last weekend, finishing with a 195.975 and falling to Denver and Missouri. The GymDogs beat LIU, who was fourth.

Friday, January 17
7:00  pmBoise State @ Georgia – Video (SECN+)

Two more top 10 SEC matchups

Friday Night Heights really gets going this week, with two more top 10 matchups in the SEC. No. 3 Alabama travels to No. 8 Kentucky, and No. 10 Missouri travels to No. 1 Oklahoma. Missouri and Kentucky are both looking for their first 197s of the season.

Friday, January 17
7:00  pmAlabama @ Kentucky – Live Stats | Video (SECN+)
8:15 pmMissouri @ Oklahoma – Live Stats | Video (SEC)

NC State travels 2,824 miles to face new ACC member Stanford

The cross-country trips are just beginning for the newly-expanded ACC. No. 21 NC State will travel approximately 2,824 miles to face No. 18 Stanford on Saturday – nearly as long as Alaska’s journey to Sacramento State/UC Davis.

Saturday, January 18
5:00  pmNorth Carolina State @ Stanford – Live Stats | Video (ACCN)

Rocky Mountain Open, Windy City next up in Winter Cup qualifying

Two of this Saturday’s five men’s meets will serve as Winter Cup qualifiers, including Windy City (Illinois vs. Michigan) and the Rocky Mountain Open (Nebraska, Oklahoma, Simpson, Stanford, and Air Force), which is sold out.

The top two (2) non-qualified all-around athletes from each of the four (4) designated qualifier events will qualify to the USA Gymnastics meet. After all qualifying meets, the next three (3) all-around athletes from the combined rank order all-around results from all four Winter Cup qualifier events who are not already qualified will earn spots. In addition, there are other ways athletes can qualify for the meet. See below for the pre-qualified athletes and other qualification and entry procedures.

Last week, at the West Point Open – the first qualifier meet of the season – Ohio State’s Drake Andrews and Kameron Nelson earned the first two spots.

This weekend, we’ll also get a first look at Illinois and Nebraska. The rest of the teams competing already have a meet under their belt.

The Illini have a loaded roster this season, including Nebraska transfer Sam Phillips, five talented freshmen, and returning standouts Tate Costa, Brandon Dang, Garrett Schooley, and Preston Ngai.

Nebraska has an experienced team with only two freshmen. Caden Clinton is one of those rookies. The son of Husker alumni, Clinton trained at Cypress Academy and has numerous junior and Men’s Development Program national titles to his name. Other names to watch: graduate student Taylor Christopulos, senior Chris Hiser, sophomore Chase Mondi, and graduate student Zac Tiderman.