The University of Arizona gymnastics program celebrated a milestone this season, marking 50 years of competition. Saturday afternoon was a special occasion as the GymCats not only honored alumnae from the past five decades but also secured a victory over West Virginia with a score of 196.625 to 194.650 at McKale Center.
The meet featured standout all-around performances by Abigayle Martin and Sophie Derr, with the team excelling particularly on the floor exercise. Arizona's floor routines were on fire, with all five scores hitting 9.825 or better, capped by impressive 9.900s from Derr and Emma Strom.
For Derr, her floor exercise score was a career high, and she shone in her first collegiate all-around competition with a 39.275, earning her the Gymnast of the Meet accolade from the coaching staff.
The event was a reunion of sorts, as former GymCats were celebrated after the first rotation. The program highlighted its 20 Ring of Honor inductees and showcased the names of those in the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.
The festivities continued with tributes to Arizona’s two NCAA individual champions and the 1996 Super Six team. More than 100 alumnae joined the weekend's celebrations.
Arizona head coach John Court expressed his delight at the turnout, saying, “The response was incredible. This is what Arizona gymnastics is all about - family and sisterhood.”
A poignant moment came during the intermission when the program honored the late Heidi Hornbeek. Her jersey hangs in the rafters, a tribute to her winning the AAI American Award as the nation’s top senior gymnast. After her gymnastics career, she became a surgeon but sadly passed away at 36 in 2013.
On the competition floor, the current GymCats were determined to make a statement. They scored over 49 on three events and narrowly missed on vault with a 48.950. This marked a significant improvement from their previous week's performance, where they struggled on the road at Denver, scoring 195.350.
Reflecting on the progress, Court noted, “We weren’t sharp last week. We didn’t stick anything. This time of year, you have to execute from start to finish, and we did that today.”
The meet didn't start perfectly, with some vaults having slight hops on landings. However, Jessa Janicke turned things around with a stuck vault that scored 9.875, a significant achievement given the 9.950 start value.
Arizona gained momentum in the second rotation on bars, with all five scores 9.800 or better, led by Martin’s 9.900. This effort gave the GymCats a 98.175 to 97.550 lead halfway through.
Gianna Lenczner kicked off the beam with a career-high 9.900, setting the stage for what could have been a standout rotation. Despite some balance issues from teammates like Strom and Derr, the team finished strong with a 49.125 on beam, extending their lead to 147.300 to 145.900.
The final rotation was electrifying. The lowest score was 9.725, and the team closed with two 9.900s from Strom and Derr, sealing the meet in style.
Court praised Strom, saying, “[Strom is] No. 1 in the Big 12 for a reason on floor. Another 9.9.
This routine was good. Did a good job.
Closed it out.”
Looking ahead, Arizona was set to face Iowa State next week, but the Cyclones canceled their season due to internal conflicts. This cancellation posed a challenge for Arizona, as the NCAA's new NQS rules emphasize away meets, and missing this meet could impact their postseason hopes.
Fortunately, Arizona received a waiver from the NCAA and will compete in a neutral-site podium meet in New Orleans against LSU, North Carolina, and Alabama. This opportunity not only provides another road score but also valuable experience on a podium, which is used in major competitions like the Big 12 Championships.
The GymCats have struggled on the road, with their best score being 195.825 at the Metroplex Challenge. This upcoming meet is a crucial chance for Arizona to improve their road performance and solidify their postseason prospects.