Field Announced For 2018 NCAA Regionals
Field Announced For 2018 NCAA Regionals
The 2018 NCAA Regionals field was announced on today at 4:00 PM ET.
The NCAA was live today at 4 PM ET to announce the field and locations of the six regional competitions of the 2018 NCAA postseason.
Thirty-six teams will advance to regionals. The top 18 teams are seeded and are placed in the bracket, then the remaining teams are assigned to their regional meets based on geographic location.
The top two teams, along with the top two all-around competitors from teams that don't advance, will move to the national championships in St. Louis. Individual event winners (who aren't part of an advancing team or an all-around qualifier) at each regional meet will qualify for the national championships to compete in that event.
Each regional meet will be held Saturday, April 7. Check out the rotation schedule here.
Minneapolis Regional
Oklahoma (1) -198.120
Kentucky (12) -196.8
Denver (13) -196.785
Minnesota (host) 196.25
Iowa ST. 196.045
Iowa 195.775
Oklahoma has been dominant all season as they look for their third consecutive NCAA national title. The Sooners won the last two titles totaling three wins in four years, which is the largest win margin in 10 years. This past weekend, they took home nine All-Big 12 honors shared by four individual gymnasts. The Sooners will be tough to beat on their run at a three-peat.
Kentucky housed three All-SEC gymnasts this year, and the Cats are poised for a record year as they look for their first-ever trip to the finals.
Denver is on top of their game this year. The Pioneers counted their third-highest team score in program history, tied their bar record on the road, and sophomore Maddie Karr posted the second-highest all-around score in program history in February.
All-Around Competitors
1. Lisa O’Donnell, Wis.-Whitewater
2. Tori Erickson, Wis.-Eau Claire
3. Brooke Terry, Wis.-Stout
4. Samantha Wiekamp, Wis.-La Crosse
Alt. – Sierra Beaver, Wis.-Stout
Individual Event Specialists
Vault – Mikaela Meyer, Utah St.
Vault – Madison Ward, Utah St.
Alt. – Faith Leary, Utah St.
Uneven Bars – Anna Salamone, Air Force
Uneven Bars – Brittany Jeppesen, Utah St.
Alt. – Jazmyn Estrella, Utah St.
Balance Beam – Autumn DeHarde, Utah St.
Balance Beam – Emily Briones, Utah St.
Alt. – Taylor Dittmar, Utah St.
Floor Exercise – Madison Ward, Utah St.
Floor Exercise – Autumn DeHarde, Utah St.
Alt. – Faith Leary, Utah St.
Penn State, University Park Regional
Florida (5) -197.390
Washington (8) -196.96
Arizona State (17) -196.545
West Virginia 196.070
Penn State (host) 195.985
New Hampshire 195.940
After sweeping the NCAA titles from 2013-2015, the Gators will look to get back on top this year with their strength in veteran numbers. Senior, Alex McMurtry was the 2017 NCAA all-around champion. If they can move past a few falls and missteps from throughout the season, Florida could be on their way toward upsetting the Sooner’s streak.
The Washington Huskies will hope to see the Super Six for the first time in program history. The team heads to regionals this year after their highest-ever regular season finish and a fourth-place finish in the Pac-12 Championship.
ASU was the sixth finisher at Pac-12s this past weekend; freshman Cairo Leonard-Baker was named Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year and coach Jay Santos earned Coach of the Year honors. After this finishing this weekend with their best score at conference championships since 2012, The Sun Devils look to advance in the bracket.
All-Around Competitors
1. Jacey Baldovino, Yale
2. Jade Buford, Yale
3. Kelsey Campbell, Bridgeport
4. Libby Groden, Rutgers
Alt. – Belle Huang, Rutgers
Individual Event Specialists
Vault – Sahara Gipson, Temple
Vault – Jaylene Everett, Temple
Alt. – Toni Williams, Rutgers
Uneven Bars – Jessica Wang, Yale
Uneven Bars – Kelli Tereshko, Bridgeport
Alt. – Kyra Levi, Penn
Balance Beam – Makenzey Shank, Rutgers
Balance Beam – Kathryn Doran, Bridgeport
Alt. – Belle Huang, Rutgers
Floor Exercise – Maya Reimers, Bridgeport
Floor Exercise – Alex Hartke, Penn
Alt. – Tori Edwards, Temple
Utah, Salt Lake City Regional
Utah (4) 197.540
California (9) 196.890
Auburn (16) 196. 595
BYU 196.430
Stanford 196.080
Southern Utah 195.915
No. 4-seeded Utah will look for an impressive performance from sophomore MyKayla Skinner, who is the second-highest all-arounder this season and the 2017 NCAA all-around silver medalist. (Also, no biggie, but Skinner has officially hit 98 out of 98 career routines. As one does.) A win this year for the Utes would be their 10th NCAA title in program history.
The second-seeded team in the Utah regional is the California Bears, who just posted their highest score ever in a Pac-12 championship this weekend to finish third in their conference. The Bears will look to make the final 12 for the second time in three seasons.
Auburn looks to return to finals this year after three Tigers took home All-SEC honors this past weekend. The Tigers finished sixth in the SEC Conference Championships.
All-Around Competitors
1. Kelley Hebert, UC Davis
2. Alexis Brown, UC Davis
3. Annie Juarez, Sacramento St.
4. Caitlin Soliwoda, Sacramento St.
Alt. – Kaitlin Won, San Jose St.
Individual Event Specialists
Vault – Ellie Pascoe-Long, San Jose St.
Vault – Taylor Chan, San Jose St.
Alt. – Kaprece Nadonza, San Jose St.
Uneven Bars – Kaitlin Won, San Jose St.
Uneven Bars – Gabby Landess, UC Davis
Alt. – Courtney Soliwoda, Sacramento St.
Balance Beam – Courtney Soliwoda, Sacramento St.
Balance Beam – Stephanie Relova, San Jose St.
Alt. – Chelsey Andrada, San Jose St.
Floor Exercise – Taylor Chan, San Jose St.
Floor Exercise – Ellie Pascoe-Long, San Jose St.
Alt. – Jennifer Brenner, Sacramento St.
NC State, Raleigh Regional
LSU (2) 197.890
Nebraska (11) 196.815
Oregon State (14) 196.780
George Washington 196.460
NC State 196.440
Maryland 195.930
The LSU Tigers posted the second-highest regional qualifying score (RQS) going into this postseason. After two consecutive second-place finishes behind Oklahoma in the NCAA finals, LSU will hope to turn the page with a win coming off of their win at SEC’s this past weekend.
Nebraska, seeded 11, came in second at Big Tens with junior Megan Schweihofer placing first in the all-around and conference championships. Schweihofer posted her career-high all-around score of 39.525 for the win. The Huskies will make a run for a spot in the finals for the fifth year in a row.
Just behind Nebraska in RQS is the Oregon State Beavers for their 44th consecutive regional appearance. The Beavers went 24 for 24 at last weekend’s conference championship.
All-Around Competitors
1. Morgan Lane, North Carolina
2. Katie Waldman, William & Mary
3. Mary Elle Arduino, Towson
4. Taylor White, William & Mary
Alt. – Caroline Caponi, William & Mary
Individual Event Specialists
Vault – Khazia Hislop, North Carolina
Vault – Madison Nettles, North Carolina
Alt. – Cortni Baker, Towson
Uneven Bars – Tyra McKellar, Towson
Uneven Bars – Kaitlynn Hedelund, North Carolina
Alt. – Tess Zientek, Towson
Balance Beam – Khazia Hislop, North Carolina
Balance Beam – Gabriella Yarussi, Towson
Alt. – Alexis Allen, North Carolina
Floor Exercise – Khazia Hislop, North Carolina
Floor Exercise – Mikayla Robinson, North Carolina
Alt. – Madison Nettles, North Carolina
Alabama, Tuscaloosa Regionals
Alabama (6) 197.165
Michigan (7) 197.160
Georgia (18) 196.515
Missouri 196.390
Illinois 196.265
Central Michigan 195.750
The Crimson Tide were the runners-up for the SEC title this past weekend will compete for their seventh-ever national title. Alabama will look to their top competitor, junior Kiana Winston, who was third in the all-around in 2017 as they head to regionals in April.
Michigan will battle their closest rival Alabama for a spot at nationals with their RQS only five-thousandths of a tenth behind the Tide. The Wolverines are fresh off their fifth consecutive Big Ten title for a total of 23 conference wins—tying the Big Ten record in any sport. They will count on three big-name seniors in Brianna Brown, Lauren Marinez, and Paige Zaziski to drive the team’s national appearance.
Georgia comes to the table with the most NCAA bling as the team with the most titles ever but would have to have a breakthrough regional meet to move toward an 11th national victory.
All-Around Competitors
1. Ashley Potts, Northern Ill.
2. Madison Cindric, Arizona
3. Katherine Prentice, Northern Ill.
4. Mikailla Northern, Ill.-Chicago
Alt. – Schyler Jones, Texas Woman's
Individual Event Specialists
Vault – Kierstin Sokolowski, Lindenwood (MO)
Vault – Schyler Jones, Texas Woman’s
Alt. – Alexis Brawner, Southeast Mo. St.
Uneven Bars – Christina Berg, Arizona
Uneven Bars – Serena Baker, Ill.-Chicago
Alt. – Ryan Henry, Lindenwood (MO)
Balance Beam – Kierstin Sokolowski, Lindenwood (MO)
Balance Beam – Mallory Moredock, Texas Woman’s
Alt. – Schyler Jones, Texas Woman’s
Floor Exercise – Anna Martucci, Northern Ill.
Floor Exercise – Alexis Brawner, Southeast Mo. St.
Alt. – Gabrielle Cooke, Illinois St.
Columbus, Ohio Regionals
UCLA (3) 197.840
Arkansas (10) 196.820
Boise State (15) 196.745
Ohio State 196.215
Pittsburgh 195.870
Kent State 195. 855
Third-seed UCLA’s star-studded team qualifies in the top of the Ohio Regionals. The Bruins were golden at this past weekend’s Pac-12 championship over their season-long rival, Utah. The team includes headliners Peng Peng Lee and Katelyn Ohashi with a slew of perfect 10s and All-American honors between the two seniors.
Boise State and Arkansas will expect to battle it out for a spot in the National bracket with qualifying scores within less than a tenth of one another.
All-Around Competitors
1. Jovannah East, Bowling Green
2. Lea Mitchell, Michigan St.
3. Emili Dobronics, Eastern Mich.
4. Morgan Spence, Western Mich.
Alt. – Rachael Underwood, Western Mich.
Individual Event Specialists
Vault – Rachael Underwood, Western Mich.
Vault – Lauren DeMeno, Bowling Green
Alt. – Bri Slonim, Ball St.
Uneven Bars – Hailee Westney, Michigan St.
Uneven Bars – Kendall Valentin, Eastern Mich.
Alt. – Lacey Rubin, Eastern Mich.
Balance Beam – Laura Mitchell, Bowling Green
Balance Beam – India McPeak, Bowling Green
Alt. – Kendall Valentin, Eastern Mich.
Floor Exercise – Rachael Underwood, Western Mich.
Floor Exercise – Tia Kiaku, Ball St.
Alt. – Kayla Rose, Bowling Green