All New! Della's Inside the MatchUp For February 7!

07 Feb All New! Della’s Inside the MatchUp For February 7!

Posted at 15:26h in 2025 NCAA Headquarters, News & Features by Della Fowler 0 Comments

By Della Fowler

Editorial Contributor

Introducing Della Fowler’s Inside the Matchup

Each week, Della will size up the competition and key matchups dominating Women’s NCAA Gymnastics in this all-new feature. Look for it each week on InsideGym.com and in a weekly video on YouTube! Here’s who we’re watching during Week 6!

Inside The Matchup, brought to you by Della Fowler & Inside Gymnastics Magazine

eMjae Frazier - University of California - Berkeley

Meet of the Week: #13 Stanford at #7 California | Friday Feb 7 | 10 PM EST | ACC Network Extra

A Stateside and in-conference battle headlines the Golden State as the Stanford Cardinal visits the California Golden Bears! Both teams are working to rise above exceptional performances from last year. Cal finished the 2024 season as National Runner Ups, just shy of first place. Meanwhile, Stanford had one of their best seasons in program history, upsetting team after team on the road to the Championships where they ultimately went home with a 5th place trophy.

So it’s clear both teams have unfinished business and the push to the postseason starts now. Cal enters the matchup led by senior Mya Lauzon, who recorded the top all-around score of the season in the ACC with a 39.650 last week. They also have heavy hitters like eMjae Frazier and Maddie Williams, but don’t think we forgot about the specialists! Particularly senior Abbey Scanlon, who has battled injuries and obstacles her entire career, stepped up to the beam to compete for the first time and earned a 9.95!

Stanford is a team full of drive and energy – energy that can particularly be felt when junior Anna Roberts takes the mat. She posted a 9.95 on vault and bars and took home her 3rd consecutive all-around title this past week. The thing about Stanford that’s really incredible is they play what I call “small gymnastics”- if you’re a baseball fan this is a play on the term small ball. Stanford is really talented at showing up to competition to just do gymnastics and stack scores. They have more strong performers like Sienna Robinson or freshman Ui Soma who anchored the bars rotation with a collegiate-best 9.925. They highly focus on hitting 49 and minimal deductions rather than sticks and 10s.

This matchup is absolutely going to be pure entertainment!!

Must-Watch Meets:

# 2 Florida at #15 Arkansas 7:00 p.m. ET | SECN
#3 LSU at #14 Alabama 8:00 p.m. ET | ESPN2
#11 Georgia at #12 Auburn 8:00 p.m. ET | SECN+
#8 Kentucky at #1 Oklahoma 8:30 p.m. ET | SECN
#16 Minnesota at #5 Michigan State 7:00 p.m. ET | B1G+

#2 Florida at #15 Arkansas | Friday, Feb. 7th | 7:00 p.m. ET | SECN

I mean- YEAH! With #2 Florida being one of only two teams to hit the 198 mark (LSU being the other), all eyes will continue to be on the scoring — a hot topic as always across the gymternet. And the Gators’ match up with Arkansas will be watched just as much for the gymnastics as it will be for the judging.

Anyways with that being said, let’s get into what you came here for which is the nitty gritty! I feel like I don’t have to tell you how stacked Florida’s big names are, so let’s look at some key lineup pieces that set them up for success. Selena Harris-Miranda and Sloane Blakely are absolutely annihilating each apparatus. However, there’s other reasons why this team is so strong. 6x U.S. National Team Member Riley McCusker scored a season high 9.900 on bars this past week. And Ly Bui who scored a 9.925 on vault for the Gators. Performances from gymnasts like McCusker and Bui, who are capable and confident to get solid scores every time, are what championship teams are made of. After all, the Stephen Nedoroscik theory states that sometimes a specialist can get great results! And of course, with CEO Leanne Wong on the roster, the Gators have the opportunity each week to be unstoppable.

#13 Arkansas is coming off of a tough loss visiting #1 Oklahoma and scoring 195.975. Some could see this performance as frustrating, especially when you have a program as strong as the Gymbacks. However, if anyone can make you want to get back up again, you can count on Olympic Gold Medalist and head coach Jordyn Wieber. They have fantastic gymnastics in freshman Joscelyn Roberson, who has made a butter-like smooth transition from elite to NCAA. They also have Frankie Price, who radiates with big score energy the second she takes the floor. Don’t forget, the week before they lost to the #1 team in the country, they upset the #2 team.

Haleigh Bryant - Lousiana State University

#3 LSU at #14 Alabama | Friday, Feb. 7 | 8:00 p.m. ET | ESPN2

Move over because LSU just became the second team in the nation to hit the 198 mark this season, and they’re bringing that momentum straight into Tuscaloosa. With season highs on vault (49.550) and beam (49.550), plus a career-best 39.650 all-around win from freshman Kailin Chio, the Tigers are looking dangerous. Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan continue to be key players, and LSU’s vault squad just put up the highest team total on the event in the country this year. With the exception of the upset to Arkansas, they are looking like contenders to keep the National Championship in Baton Rouge.

Meanwhile, Alabama is hungry for a big win. The Tide led at the halfway mark last week but fell just short to Georgia. Gabby Gladieux is proving to be a force of nature, securing her fourth consecutive floor tile with a 9.900, while Lilly Hudson remains a steady all-around competitor. Bama’s vault squad has been strong, and they’ll need to bring their best if they want to keep up with LSU’s powerhouse lineup. The thing about Alabama is that they came out swinging in week 1, but things haven’t been the same since. However, if they can work on performing just like they do in the gym they could secure a huge win.

This one is all about execution—can Alabama put together four complete rotations to challenge LSU’s firepower? Will LSU keep their momentum rolling? You don’t want to miss this SEC clash!

#12 Georgia at #11 Auburn | Friday, Feb. 7 | 8:00 p.m. ET | SECN+

Who’s that coming down the trail? The Georgia Gymdawgs roll into Auburn with confidence after securing a season-high 196.975 in their win over Alabama. Georgia dominated on beam, with Kara Eaker making her GymDawg debut and delivering a meet-high 9.925. Their consistency has been key, improving their scores week after week. If they can keep that trend going, they’ll be a serious threat.

Auburn, on the other hand, is looking for redemption after a tough road loss at Kentucky. The Tigers showed resilience, especially on beam, where Katelyn Jong earned a career-high 9.950 and Marissa Neal scored fourth 9.9+ score on the season. The Tigers are also armed with Paige Zancan, who has one of the best vaults in collegiate gymnastics right now. They unfortunately lost fifth year Olivia Hollingsworth to injury, so they are turning to their underclassmen. With a young lineup stepping up, they’ll need big performances at home to hold off a surging Georgia team.

Both teams are hungry for a statement win—and that is exactly what makes a good meet! Expect a high-energy showdown!

Isabella Magnelli - University of Kentucky

#7 Kentucky at #1 Oklahoma | Friday, Feb. 7 | 8:30 p.m. ET | SECN

Kentucky is heading to Norman for a showdown with the #1 ranked team in the country and this one is going to be electric! The Wildcats are coming off a strong 197.050 performance at home, showcasing their depth across all four events. Skylar Killough-Wilhelm is on fire, winning her second consecutive all-around title, and Makenzie Wilson continues to deliver on vault, ranking among the nation’s best (tied for 4th to be exact). With a solid beam lineup and consistency on floor, Kentucky has all of the pieces to challenge the top-ranked Sooners.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma is coming off a gorgeous 197.825 win over Arkansas and remains the team to beat. Jordan Bowers and Faith Torrez proved that there can be two pretty ( and crazy talented) best friends, tying for the all-around title with 39.725s, the highest scores in the SEC this season. The Sooners did Sooner things-dominating bars, led by Audrey Davis and Torrez’s 9.95s last week. If Oklahoma brings the same level of execution (and maybe even hit 198!!), it will take near-perfection from Kentucky to keep pace.

#16 Minnesota at #5 Michigan State | Saturday, Feb. 8 | 7:00 p.m. ET | B1G+

Are you gymmed out yet because I’m sure not! Cap off your weekend with some B1G energy. If you watched Michigan State at UCLA last week, please be sure to take care of your fingernails because mine are surely chewed off. Michigan State is coming off the heartbreaker with UCLA with some of the best gymnastics of the season. Despite the narrow loss, the Spartans made history with a jaw-dropping 49.600 on vault, setting a new program record. With Nikki Smith taking home her third all-around title of the season, MSU has no reason to worry about the fate of their season. In fact it’s my personal opinion that Michigan State will be fired up to defend their home floor and shake off last week’s meet.

Minnesota is also on a roll, fresh off a commanding 196.325 victory over Penn State. With stars like Mya Hooten lighting up the floor and vault, Ava Stewart crushing vault, and Jordyn Lyden owning bars, the Gophers are primed for another big performance. To keep pace with MSU’s high-flying vault squad, Minnesota will need to bring their A-game on their best event, beam. If they can put together some sticks and stay on the beam, this could send B1G waves through the gymnastics world.

Team Rankings Week 5

Look for Nate’s NCAA Notes each week and stay tuned to InsideGym.com and Inside Gymnastics magazine for spotlight features and interviews throughout the 2025 season!

Nate Salsman, Della Fowler, Megan Roth and Christy Sandmaier provide NCAA coverage for Inside Gymnastics.

Photos by Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics magazine.