Michigan started with a strong 49.3 on VT and overcame troubles on BB to close strong on FX. Katie Zurales led the way for Michigan, winning the BB and the AA with a 39.3. Teammate Joanna Sampson won the VT, while fellow Wolverine Brittnee Martinez won UB. Natalie Beilstein completed the sweep on FX.
Link: Ohio State Release and Michigan Release
Ball State picked up their first win of the year, using a strong FX rotation to power to the win. Teammates Kayla Kmiecek and Aftyn Siemer led Ball State with winning marks. Teammate Nicole Allen tied with Illinois State's Tori Sarantakis for the VT title. Illinois State's Kim Genereux won UB, while Melissa Mann won BB.
Link: Ball State Release
UW Eau Claire claimed the quad meet invitational. UW Eau Claire's Danielle Schulzetenberg won BB and teammate Rachel Behmer on UB as Eau Claire rolled to victory. For Hamline, Courtney Benson won the FX and the AA. Jena Jondahl claimed vault for Winona St.
Link: Winona St Release
SEMO's Taryn Vanderpool won the UB and the AA, but it wasn't enough as the NIU Huskies used a team effort to defeat SEMO. SEMO's Megan Fosnow won the vault while teammate Taylor Westrick won BB and Emma Garrett won FX.
Link: SEMO Release
The FIG has named individual qualifiers to the 2012 London Olympics. Earlier this week, additional men's and women's teams qualified to the Games by placing in the top four. Spots on the teams already qualified plus the one qualifer each from teams placing five to eight will be determined by those countries at a later date.
Simona Castro Lazo (DU) of Chile was named as a qualifier outright. In addition, Sasa Golub (ex Towson) of Slovenia and Jessica Lopez (ex DU) of Venezuela were named as one of two candidates to represent their countries.
Link: FIG List
Bama has announced that Hunter Dennis has graduated early and will join the Tide for this season. Her last name may be familiar, as her older sister Morgan was a superstar for Bama.
Link: Bama Release
BYU has added Margo Linstrom to its roster and she will reportedly travel with the team to its opening meet this weekend. Lindstrom trained at Brown's Las Vegas
Michigan has added Lindsay Williams to their 2012-2013 incoming class. Williams, a L10 at Splitz Gymnastics, won the NIT in 2011. She was 20th AA at the 2010 Region V L10 Regionals.
Link: Michigan Release and Video
Paige Zaziski, L10 at Hunt's Gymnastics in Michigan, has accepted a scholarship offer to Arkansas according to her club's website. Last season she finished 6th AA at the NIT. So far this season, she has finished 1st AA (1st V/UB) at the Jingle Bell Rock and 2nd AA at the Twistars Royal Bash.
Video of FX from Hunt's
Several current or future NCAAers helped Canada qualify as a team to the Olympics. The Canucks were led by UCLA signee Christine "Peng Peng" Lee, Stanford's Kristina Vaculik and UGA signee Brittany Rogers. Vaculik is on leave from Stanford this year while she works toward her goal of making the Canadian Olympic Team. She recently competed at the test event and helped her team secure a spot in the Olympics. Lee and Vaculik secured spots in the UB final.
Former DU star Jessica Lopez, current DU star Simona Castro and former Towson athlete Sasa Golub also competed and placed well. Individual qualifications are also at stake, and a formal announcement has not yet been made.
Stanford Announcement and FIG and Results
Video: FIG Channel
Melissa Doucette of UAA posted a 37.975 to lead the Seawolves to a Tuesday night win.
Link: UAA Release
A number of former NCAAers were in action at the London Test Event, a team qualification event for the London Olympics. The top four teams qualified to join the eight previous Olympic qualifiers. Among those ex NCAAers competing were Casey Sandy (PSU) and Tommy Ramos (PSU).
Representing the US as an individual, in order to gain international exposure, was former OU star Steven Legendre. He advanced to the vault finals.
Link: Results and USA Gymnastics
Rachel Haines, L10 at Geddart's, has committed to Minnesota according to her club's website. Last season she finished 2nd AA at the Michigan state meet, 2nd AA (1st UB/FX) at regionals and 4th AA at JOs.
Ashleigh Gnat has reportedly committed to LSU. The 2013 grad is a L10 from Ace Gymnastics in Florida. At the 2011 L10 JO Nationals, she placed 7th(t) on VT, 6th(t) on BB and 15th AA. In 2010, she was 7th AA and 2nd on VT with a powerful Yurchenko double full.
Link: YouTube.com VT and FX
April Baker, L10 at Brestyans, has committed to Rutgers. Last season she finished 2nd AA (1st UB) at states, 5th AA (1st V) at regionals and 11th AA at JOs.