NCAA women's gymnastics national semifinal preview

April 12, 2023
The semifinals of the women’s gymnastics national tourney start tomorrow, and eight teams are ready to show out for one of four spots in Saturday’s national championship final.
CollegeGymnastics
NCAA women's gymnastics national semifinal previewNCAA women's gymnastics national semifinal preview
SOURCE: OU_WGYMNASTICS

The GIST: The semifinals of the women’s gymnastics national tourney start tomorrow, and eight teams are ready to show out for one of four spots in Saturday’s national championship final. Let’s flippin’ go.

  • With powerhouse Michigan suffering an upset in the regional round and reigning all-around champ and No. 3 Florida Gator Trinity Thomas day-to-day with a leg injury, there’s already chaos in the air.

The matchups: The 3 p.m. ET semifinal will likely be the most competitive: Florida will try to hold off a surging No. 4 Cal, No. 6 LSU, and giant-slayer No. 8 Denver, but the Gators may have a tough go if Thomas isn’t healed up in time.

  • Reigning national champ No. 1 Oklahoma lurks in the 9 p.m. ET semi, where they’ll compete against No. 2 Utah, No. 5 UCLA, and No. 7 Kentucky. Oklahoma has already bested all three this season…but maybe second time’s the charm?

The individual qualifiers: Four all-arounders and 16 event specialists from non-qualifying schools will also compete as individuals alongside the above eight teams, hoping to snag solo national titles. Of these contenders, Michigan’s Abby Heiskell is looking particularly dangerous in the all-around competition.

  • Notably, Oregon State’s Jade Carey did not qualify for the all-around, but the former and future Olympian will represent her Beavers as a beam specialist. Catch both her and Heiskell hustling in tomorrow’s second semi.