Sarahy’s Scoop: NCAA Week 5 and 6

Update: Click here for the WCGA’s Statement of Support For Iowa State Gymnastics

Midseason Check-In!

The women’s season reached its midpoint this week, and if anything, the story is just getting better. Tight margins, confident performances, and defining moments set the tone across the NCAA, with the men continuing to carve out their own narrative.

5. No. 10 Greenville upsets No. 8 California 

Greenville edged California by just .050 this weekend in a tri-meet that also featured Simpson College. The razor-thin margin reflected how tight the competition remained from start to finish, but it was enough to secure a Greenville victory and a win the program can feel proud of. Jaxon Clapper delivered when it counted, taking first on floor and parallel bars, while Sergey Popov and Kyler Hinsmon added important scores on parallel bars to help solidify a strong rotation. California never let the meet drift far out of reach, led by Jasper Smith Gordon’s pommel horse win and a steady rings rotation from Troy Nuesca, Jaxon Mitchell, and Theodor Roald Gadderud that kept the Bears within striking distance all night.

Simpson College was not part of the team battle, but some of the biggest routines of the meet still came from its lineup. Paul Tiedemann  posted a 14.45 on high bar, a score that held through the final rotation, and Braxton Jones added a 13.40 on rings to round out solid individual performances from Simpson.

4. No. 5 Florida vs No. 7  Mizzou

Florida looked nearly untouchable heading into this matchup, carrying an undefeated record and the kind of momentum that made the Gators feel inevitable. But gymnastics is unpredictable, and sometimes even the strongest programs have an off day. For Florida, it showed up on bars, where three scores fell below 9.5, a rarity for a lineup known for its precision and filled with competitors who bring Elitel experience to the event. At this level in the NCAA, one event is all it takes.

Missouri did exactly what great teams do when opportunity shows up. They took it. After their Week 5 loss to LSU, the Tigers could have drifted out of the spotlight. Instead, they leaned in. Breaking 49 on every event is not just impressive, it is a statement. With the confidence built throughout the meet, Missouri was able to head into its final rotation on floor relaxed, perform freely, and soak in the moment in front of a home crowd.  Missouri is not sneaking up on anyone anymore. This is a group competing with the confidence and urgency of a program that expects to be a factor deep into the postseason.

3. Michigan’s Fred Richard at Illinois

It seems that the Michigan Wolverines men’s gymnastics have been taking their time with lineups, testing what works best and what gives the team the strongest competitive edge. The lineups from Week 1 have completely shifted for the Wolverines, and we’ve had the opportunity to see a wide range of names step in across each meet — a sign of both depth and strategic experimentation early in the season.

However, it’s hard not to keep an eye on Fred Richard. Competing in his second meet of the season at Illinois, there was plenty of curiosity surrounding how he would perform — and he did not disappoint. Fred posted a 14.050 on pommel horse, 13.800 on rings, 13.900 on parallel bars, and 13.100 on high bar, claiming multiple event titles and reminding everyone exactly why he has always been such an exciting athlete to watch. With the Winter Cup,  the first Elite meet of the year,  quickly creeping up, performances like this make it even more exciting to see how his collegiate momentum could translate onto the Elite stage. If this meet was any indication, Fred is building toward something strong, and all eyes will be on how he shows up when that moment arrives.

2.  Joscelyn Roberson All Around Debut

With the Elite season on the horizon, the conversation is not limited to the men’s side. Olympic alternate Joscelyn Roberson has been steadily putting together a strong collegiate season, but vault remained the one event we had yet to see from her. That changed this weekend when Joscelyn  made her vault debut, posting a 9.775 and officially stepping into the All-Around.

That number should continue to climb, but her 39.550 All-Around finish reinforced that she is settling into her role and building momentum at exactly the right time. Even more impressive is that six weeks into the season, Joscelyn has already risen to the No. 2 national ranking in the All-Around despite only recently adding vault, while many of the athletes around her have been competing four events since opening weekend. Trailing only Olympic champion Jordan Chiles, her rapid climb speaks to the scoring power she brings the moment she steps into a lineup.

1. No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No.3 Alabama

This had to be my favorite dual meet of the season so far. Every week, we talk about Oklahoma’s consistency and near-perfection, and honestly, it’s deserved. But seeing them go head-to-head with the Crimson Tide really put into perspective just how good the Sooners actually are. Between Addison Fatta’s confidence and Mackenzie Estep’s control, which is even more impressive considering she’s only a freshman,  the Sooners looked composed and locked in across the board.

That said, the Crimson Tide deserve their flowers. Not only did they put up a serious fight, but they brought the kind of energy that makes a meet feel electric. I have to say, Alabama has my favorite choreography and floor rotation in the NCAA — and yes, that’s a bold claim — but have you seen them? It’s a party, routine after routine. A shaky beam rotation from Alabama ultimately opened the door for the Sooners to take the win yet again this season, but this meet proved that the Crimson Tide are right there and absolutely capable of challenging anyone on any given night.

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; University of Michigan

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

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

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