Michigan
NCAA Semifinal
Stellar Semifinal Performance Launches Michigan into NCAA Team Finals
4/16/2021 4:25:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
» Michigan used its best NCAA Championships score in program history to advance to the NCAA team finals.
» The Wolverines also scored NCAA program bests on balance beam and floor exercise.
» Sierra Brooks had the session's top scores on beam, floor and all-around.
Site: Fort Worth, Texas (Dickies Arena)
Event: NCAA Championships (Semifinal Session I)
Scores: #2 Michigan 197.8625, #3 Florida 197.4375, #6 Cal 197.3625, #8 Minnesota 197.1875
Record: U-M (26-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 17 -- at NCAA Team Finals (Fort Worth, Texas), 2:30 p.m. CDT
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team is advancing to the NCAA team finals after winning the first NCAA Championships semifinal session with a 197.8625 Friday afternoon (April 16) at Dickies Arena.
Michigan led the four-team field with its best NCAA score in program history, while Florida also advanced with a 197.4375. Cal finished in third with a 197.3625, and Minnesota rounded out the semifinal session with a 197.1875.
The Wolverines used the best NCAA scores in Michigan history on the balance beam (49.4750) and floor exercise (49.6500) to propel them to Saturday's team finals. U-M will compete for its first national championship in program history Saturday (April 17) at 2:30 p.m. CDT. Michigan will be joined by Florida and the top two teams from the second semifinal session.
Sophomore Sierra Brooks had the highest scores in the first session on the beam (9.9500), floor (9.9500, tied with Minnesota's Mya Hooten) and all-around (39.650) and gave her a shot at three individual national championships. However, after the second session was complete, Brooks' scores fell short of individual titles.
The Wolverines came out firing on all cylinders on the beam behind a 9.9500 from Brooks in the four spot, while Abby Heiskell anchored the event with a 9.9000 for the Maize and Blue, putting Michigan in the lead with a 49.4750 after the first rotation at Dickies Arena.
The Maize and Blue continued to impress in the second rotation as it posted the best floor score in program history at the NCAA Championships with a 49.6500 as all five scorers notched scores of 9.9000 or better. In the second spot, Nicoletta Koulos tied a career-best 9.9000, while Natalie Wojcik scored a 9.9250. Heiskell and Gabby Wilson earned matching 9.9375s, and Brooks took the lead on the event with a 9.9500.
Heiskell started off the vault rotation with a team-best 9.9000 to finish second in the first session, while Wojcik, Wilson and freshman Naomi Morrison all scored 9.8750s to finish in fifth in the first session of the vault. After three complete rotations, the Wolverines maintained a lead over the entire field with a running score of 148.4750.
In the final rotation, Brooks earned a 9.9250 on uneven bars to tie for second with former teammate Maggie O'Hara, a 2020 U-M graduate who is now a graduate student at Arkansas. Wilson earned a 9.9000 to help lock up the session victory and send Michigan to the national championship.
The Wolverines had three of the session's top four finishers in the all-around. In addition to Brooks' session-leading score, Wilson placed third (39.6000) and Heiskell took fourth (39.5875).
Michigan totaled 14 All-America performances, with Brooks leading the way with four first-team honors and Heiskell picking up three. Wilson had two first-team honors among her four total awards. First-team honors go to places 1-4 (including ties) in the session and second-team recognition to places 5-8 (and ties).
All-America First Team (9)
Vault: Heiskell (T2)
Uneven Bars: Brooks (T2)
Balance Beam: Brooks (1)
Floor Exercise: Brooks (T1), Heiskell (T3), Wilson (T3)
All-Around: Brooks (1), Wilson (3), Heiskell (4)
All-America Second Team (5)
Vault: Wojcik (T5), Wilson (T5), Morrison (T5)
Uneven Bars: Wilson (T5)
Floor Exercise: Wojcik (T6)
Players Mentioned
