NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Week 4 Recap: Arkansas upsets LSU, Florida goes 198

By Patricia Duffy | January 29, 2025
Arkansas' Joscelyn Roberson on beam at the 2025 Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad.
© Filippo Tomasi/Gymnastics Now

There may not have been in perfect 10s in Week 4 of NCAA women’s gymnastics (to some gymnasts’ apparent discontent), but there were upsets and big scores.

Keep reading for a high-level recap of the weekend, including the top scores and other key storylines.

See the latest rankings here. For the master schedule and latest score updates, click here.

Top Scores of the Week

Team

Maybe the tides are shifting, because for the second week in a row, the top score in the country didn’t belong to the Oklahoma Sooners, but the Florida Gators.

Despite being the most consistent, highest scored team in the country for years, the Sooners just can’t seem to nab the first 198 of the season. Last year, Ball State got the honor at the now-infamous Ten-essee Collegiate Classic, and this year, Florida took it when the Gators put up a 198.125 at home against rival Georgia.

Just like last year, there’s room for debate whether this 198 was an actual 198, but potential home cooking aside, the Gators did have a good meet. They want at least a share of every event title, and Selena Harris-Miranda had a standout night with her new quad, winning vault (9.95) and the all-around (39.625).

READ MORE: A dream realized: Selena Harris-Miranda’s journey to Florida and competing in the SEC

Upset alert: It wasn’t a top score of the weekend, per se, but then-No. 17 Arkansas did put up a 196.875 at home (where they notoriously have tight scoring) to beat then-No. 2 LSU, who was 0.275 back with a 196.600. The Tigers had an off night, especially on floor where they didn’t break 49 (48.85) and the highest score was a 9.875 from Amari Drayton. Meanwhile, the Razorbacks continue to impress, especially with their floor squad. Frankie Price earned a 9.95, and Joscelyn Roberson and Leah Smith both went 9.925.

Individual Leaders

These are the top individual gymnasts based on average after Week 4.

  • All-Around: Jade Carey (Oregon) – 39.694
  • Vault: Anna Flynn Cashion (Kentucky) – 9.950
  • Uneven Bars: Audrey Davis (Oklahoma) – 9.950
  • Balance Beam: Jade Carey (Oregon) – 9.956
  • Floor Exercise: Lauren Homecillo (Nebraska) – 9.950

Michigan State’s vault squad impresses in win over Ohio State

Michigan State was lights-out on vault against Ohio State, with all five counting scores being 9.85 or higher. The lineup was led by Nikki Smith, who earned a 9.95 for her Yurchenko 1.5. Three gymnasts had what we would consider sticks (Smith went up on tiptoes, so you decide if it was a fourth), and all together, the lineup put up the nation’s second highest vault score this season (49.45).

A lineup with six 10.0-start value vaults is coveted in the NCAA and can be a huge differentiator, especially in the postseason. Currently sitting at No. 5 in the rankings, the Spartans are off to a solid start this season and could be favorites to advance to nationals as the season progresses.

Morgan Price continues to make history for Fisk

The first HBCU gymnastics team continues to see success as Morgan Price broke the program all-around record she previously set when she put up a 39.45 in a quad meet against George Washington, Pennsylvania, and Yale last weekend. She also broke the program record on vault with a 9.925. Price, a junior at the Nashville-based school, made history in April as the first gymnast from an HBCU to win a national title when she won the all-around at the 2024 USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships.

Nebraska leo makes waves

Nebraska introduced a new leo for its meet against Maryland called “Making Waves.” The leo feels retro with its wavy stripes, but also modern with the high neckline. Like many leos, the frock received mixed reviews from the gymternet. What do you think? Yay or nay?