Michigan
NCAA Regional Final
Michigan Qualifies for 24th NCAA Championship
4/6/2019 10:21:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
» Michigan finished second to advance to the NCAA Championship for the 24th time.
» U-M is one of eight teams remaining in the nation that will compete in Fort Worth, Texas.
» The Wolverines scored a 49.450 on floor and 49.425 on beam.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Event: NCAA Regional Final
Scores: #2 UCLA 198.075; #7 Michigan 197.275; #10 Alabama 197.225; #14 Nebraska 196.650
Records: U-M (27-7-1), UCLA (25-1), Alabama (14-7-0), Nebraska (12-8)
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., April 19-20 -- at NCAA Championship (Fort Worth, Texas)
• Complete Results (PDF) | Photo Gallery
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's gymnastics team erupted with emotion upon seeing Alabama's final score pop up on the scoreboard as the Wolverines found out that they advanced from Saturday's (April 6) NCAA Regional Final to the NCAA Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 19-20.
Michigan had a .275-point lead heading into the final rotation. The Wolverines finished on vault and were done before the other three teams (No. 2 UCLA, No. 10 Alabama and No. 14 Nebraska), so the waiting game began. After U-M posted a 49.200 on vault they had to see how the Crimson Tide finished on balance beam.
Alabama bounced back fast from an early fall on beam and finished strong with a 9.900, 9.925 and 9.950. However, they needed a perfect 10 on the final routine to tie the Wolverines.
As soon as the final score popped up the team jumped up and down, screamed, cried, hugged and danced knowing that a season full of trials and tribulations and hard work had paid off. The team's slogan "Can't break steel" came to fruition.
After a celebration in the vault corral, Michigan took a lap around the Crisler Center thanking fans and cheering loudly.
The team had a lot to cheer about from the meet itself as well, as it posted big rotation scores on balance beam and floor exercise.
After starting on bars with a 49.200, U-M was in third place. Needing to finish top two to advance, the Wolverines kicked it into gear.
Sophomore Lauren Farley came up big, anchoring the uneven bars with a 9.875 and then leading off beam with a 9.850. Senior Olivia Karas continued her best season on beam with a 9.900, making it six of the last seven meets in which she scored at least a 9.900. Then as she has done all season, freshman Natalie Wojcik was magical. She scored a 9.950 with a 10 from one of the judges.
The team next headed to floor. Five of the six performers would score at least a 9.875 as the Wolverines hit 49.450 for the second time in three meets. Freshman Abby Brenner recorded her first career 9.900 and was matched by both Karas and senior Emma McLean to help the Wolverines extend their lead over Alabama. Junior Maddy Osman and Wojcik each had 9.875 scores to aid in the big rotation score.
Michigan did not record its best vault rotation of the season as the highest score was a 9.850 by three of the six gymnasts, but it was good enough to earn them the victory.
The team's 197.275 was its seventh score of 197.000 or better on the season. In the first year of the new postseason format, U-M is excited to advance to nationals but as Karas said after the meet, "We aren't done yet."
The Wolverines will compete in the first of two NCAA semifinal sessions on Friday, April 19 at the Fort Worth Convention Center Arena. The meet is scheduled to begin at noon CDT.
Players Mentioned
