Sarahy’s Scoop: Regionals Preview

It All Comes Down To This!

Whether you’re a die-hard NCAA gymnastics fan or just tuning in, this is a weekend you won’t want to miss. There’s a lot happening, and a lot on the line. We’re breaking down each meet so you know exactly what to watch for.

Round 1

Round 1 is always where the Cinderella stories start. You have teams trying to punch their ticket to Round 2 and face the seeded programs, so there’s a lot on the line right away.

Baton-Rouge Regional

Starting off in Baton Rouge, we have Air Force vs. Nebraska.

Air Force has had a really strong year. Athletes like Maggie Slife have been making history, setting both program and Mountain West Conference records, including a 9.975 on bars against Utah State. They’re definitely a team that could put up a fight here.

Nebraska, on the other hand, hasn’t broken into the 196s since Week 5 against Iowa, but you can never count them out. Team standout Whitney Jencks is injured, leaving a gap in Nebraska’s lineup that could be tough to recover from as they move forward.

Tempe Regional

It’s the battle of the Arizonas, and this one is going to be a nail biter. 

Looking at NQS, these two are basically identical, with Arizona State at a 195.590 and Arizona right behind at a 195.583, so it really doesn’t get much closer than that. This one could go either way, but with ASU hosting, that home advantage could be what gives them the slight edge.

Lexington Regional

In the Lexington Regional, Round 1 will be Central Michigan versus Rutgers. Rutgers had a pretty slow start to the season, but they’ve shown they’re getting stronger now. They’ve got big performances from someone like Emily Leese on floor, and strong All-Arounders like Gabrielle Dildy, who won the AA in the first session at Big Tens. 

As for Central Michigan, they just won the MAC conference title, so they’re coming off their championship feeling confident and strong. Athletes like Luciana Alvarado-Reid and Lia Kmieciak, who were just named First Team All-MAC, will be key here. That momentum could be what pushes them past Rutgers in this matchup.

Corvallis Regional

In the Corvallis Regional, it’s San José State versus Washington. San José State has been consistently hitting those 196s all year, so they’re sitting in a pretty solid spot. But you never want to count out Washington—anything can happen in gymnastics!

Round 2

Baton Rouge Regional – Session 1

In Round 2, Baton Rouge Regional: Session 1 will feature Stanford, Michigan, North Carolina, and Utah State. Stanford has had an outstanding season, with athletes like Anna Roberts delivering impressive All-Around performances. They did have a rough vault rotation at the ACC Championships, so they’re wanting redemption. Michigan has been solid but faced some tough losses this year—they’re hungry and ready to fight. North Carolina had a strong ACC Championship session against Pitt, but ultimately, this is likely going to come down to the two ranked teams—Stanford at No. 7 and Michigan at No. 10. Utah State is coming in fired up, but this might be a tough field to break through.

Tempe Regional – Session 1

In the Tempe Regional, Session 1, we’ve got Georgia, Michigan State, BYU, and Southern Utah. Georgia took a hit with Lily Smith’s injury—she was their top floor scorer and also strong on bars and beam—but the lineup still isn’t lacking, especially with freshmen like Camarah Williams stepping up on floor. If Georgia does what they’ve been doing all season, they can feel pretty good about their odds. Michigan State is a strong contender here too, ranked No. 7 nationally and No. 2 on vault, and they’ve had some big wins this season. We could also see some strong individual performances from BYU and Southern Utah, both teams that always bring solid routines and can sneak into the conversation.

Baton Rouge Regional – Session 2

In the Baton Rouge Regional, Session 2, we’ve got LSU, Clemson, Auburn, and whoever advances from Air Force versus Nebraska. LSU already faced Auburn at home earlier this season and took the win, so they’ll be feeling confident. Clemson is coming in with great momentum after their ACC Championship victory, so expect them to bring positive energy. For LSU, as always, watch Kailin Chio—she’s chasing the gym slam and just needs one more perfect 10 on bars to achieve it. Overall, LSU will aim to perform cleanly, and we’ll see whether Air Force or Nebraska advances into Round 2.

Tempe Regional – Session 2

In the Tempe Regional, Session 2, you’ll have Florida, California, Penn State, and the winner between Arizona and Arizona State. Florida is coming off a huge SEC Championship win, where they took down No. 1 Oklahoma along with LSU and Alabama, so they’ll be coming in with a lot of confidence. Florida’s also stacked with big names like Kayla DiCello, Skye Blakely, and Riley McCusker. Selena Harris-Miranda also showed up and showed out at SECs, so as long as this Florida team does what they’ve been doing all season, advancing should be pretty straightforward. California will be strong too, with Tonya Paulsson, the recent ACC All-Around champ, who’s been super consistent and could be a standout here.

Lexington Regional – Session 1

In Round 2 of the Lexington Regional, Session 1, we’ve got Missouri, Arkansas, NC State, and Maryland. Arkansas’s Jocelyn Roberson is a force and brings that next-level difficulty, along with Morgan Price, who scored the program’s first 10.0 on vault. She didn’t have her best SECs, so she’ll be looking to bounce back. Missouri, though, has a really strong lineup overall. Vault is powerful with Kimarra Echols and Hannah Horton, and on floor, Kennedy

Griffin shines. They’ve proven they’re ready to compete, with big wins like beating Florida. I’m excited for this one!

Corvallis Regional – Session 1

In the Corvallis Regional, Session 2, we’ve got Alabama, Utah, Oregon State, and Denver. Alabama feels like the team to beat here—they’ve been one of the most consistent teams all season and just really solid across the board. Their bars are clean, their floor is strong, and overall they just feel like a complete team, so I’d expect them to deliver again. Utah is right there too and will definitely be pushing for a qualifying spot. Avery Neff has been a standout this season, consistently delivering big routines and even putting up 10s, so I’d expect her to keep that momentum going. With only the top two teams advancing, Oregon State and Denver have their work cut out for them in this one.

Lexington Regional – Session 2

In the Lexington Regional, Session 2, we’ve got Oklahoma, Kentucky, Ohio State, and the winner between Central Michigan and Rutgers. Oklahoma, as the No. 1 team, is probably coming in completely locked in. After not winning SECs, I’d imagine they’ve zeroed in on what they need to do, and I don’t think they’ll leave any doubt. Kentucky has had a strong season, climbing steadily from a lower preseason ranking and improving meet after meet, so if they do their job, they’ve got a great shot to move on. But Ohio State could definitely shake things up!

Corvallis Regional – Session 2

For this one, there’s not much to say—as always, Jordan Chiles will be the one to watch, and it’s going to be fun. The entire UCLA team is just so entertaining, so I think they’ll bring that same energy to this session. This group includes UCLA, Minnesota, Iowa, and the winner of San José State and Washington. Beyond UCLA, it could come down to Minnesota and Iowa—Minnesota has really put in the work this season and proven themselves as one of the top teams in the Big Ten, and Iowa has also had a solid year. Iowa has indeed broken 197 a few times, and that’s right in the range they’d need if they want to challenge Minnesota. So if Iowa brings their A-game, this could be a tight battle. All eyes will be on those scores!

Road to Fort Worth!

Our NCAA bracket is live! Regionals will kick off on April 1 and we are so ready!

For the schedule and bracket, click here.

Regionals Schedule!

So many meets to watch and you won’t want to miss it!

See our Photo Gallery from the Spouts Collegiate Quad Here!

See the 2026 NCAA Women’s Schedule Here!

See the 2026 NCAA Men’s Schedule Here!

Follow the CGA Here!

Follow @InsideGym for all of the action all season long!

Sarahy Mora Rincon is a Communications and Media Arts & Design double major at James Madison University. The Richmond, Virginia native serves as president of JMU Club Gymnastics, where she helps lead the team and support its events, outreach, and involvement in the collegiate club gymnastics community.

Photos by Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics

ROAD TO NATIONALS RANKINGS

GYMNAST OF THE WEEK TRACKER!

Women’s:

• Week 1: Ella Zirbes, Utah
• Week 2: Kailin Chio, LSU
• Week 3: Anna Roberts, Stanford
• Week 4: Jordan Chiles, UCLA
• Week 5: Skye Blakely, Florida
• Week 6: Delaynee Rodriguez, Kentucky
• Week 7: Avery Neff, Utah
• Week 8: Morgan Price, Arkansas
• Week 9: Arianna Ostrum, Minnesota
• Week 10: Selena Miranda-Harris
• Week 11: Maggie Slife, Air Force
• Week 12: Tonya Paulsson, California

Men’s:

• Week 1: Solen Chiodi, Michigan
• Week 2: David Shamah, Stanford
• Week 3: Asher Hong, Stanford
• Week 4: Fuzzy Benas, Oklahoma
• Week 5: Fred Richard, Michigan
• Week 6: Asher Cohen, Nebraska
• Week 7: N/A, Winter Cup Week
• Week 8: Parker Thackston, Ohio State
• Week 9: Joseph Soltz, Navy
• Week 10: Nathan York, Nebraska
• Week 11: Matthew Underhill, Penn State

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