Most Difficulty In The 2018 NCAA Super Six: Vault Edition
Most Difficulty In The 2018 NCAA Super Six: Vault Edition
Check out FloGymnastics' fourth installment on the most difficulty in the 2018 NCAA Super Six.
In our fourth and final installment on the most difficulty in the 2018 NCAA Super Six, we are taking a look at vault. Specifically, we're analyzing which teams had the most 10.0 start value vaults. In 2016, the Yurchenko full was devalued to a 9.95 start value, and many teams since then have reacted by upping the difficulty of the vaults their gymnasts compete. We have seen more Yurchenko 1.5s and even Yurchenko doubles.
Some teams have gymnasts training more unique vaults, such as a front handspring pike-front half or Omelianchik (round-off, half turn to front pike). It's likely that, as the years goes on, we'll see fewer and fewer Yurchenko fulls, as statistics show that upping the difficulty pays off in the scoring.
Check out our analysis below which ranks the difficulty on vault of the six teams that competed at the NCAA championship finals.
1T. Oklahoma
Four 10.0 SV Vaults
Oklahoma, the No. 1-ranked team on vault during the regular season, is tied for first for the most 10.0 start value vaults. They had a total of four in their lineup, all Yurchenko 1.5s from Maggie Nichols, Brenna Dowell, AJ Jackson, and Jade Degouveia. These gymnasts performed their vaults to near perfection, as well. Nichols was ranked No. 1 in the country during the season, and Dowell was ranked No. 3. Dowell also tied for the national championship title. The remaining two gymnasts in the lineup — Bre Showers and and Nicole Lehrmann — competed Yurchenko fulls.
Relive one of Dowell’s vaults from earlier this season, on which she scored a 10.0:
#ThrowbackThursday to our first 10.0 of the 2018 season - this incredible Yurchenko 1.5 from @brennadowell! #stuckit pic.twitter.com/NWzasXY7hI
— Oklahoma Women's Gym (@OU_WGymnastics) May 3, 2018
1T. LSU
Four 10.0 SV Vaults
LSU defends their No.1 spot from last year with four 10.0 start value vaults as well. Myia Hambrick, Ruby Harrold, Kennedi Edney, and Sarah Edwards all competed Yurchenko 1.5.s. Hambrick was the highest-ranked gymnast on the apparatus during the season in the No. 13 spot, followed by Edney in the No. 15 spot. Sarah Finnegan and Julianna Cannamela round out the lineup with their Yurchenko fulls.
3T. Florida
Three 10.0 SV Vaults
Florida was the No. 2-ranked team in the country last season on vault, and tied for third in our ranking by difficulty. They had three gymnasts in their lineup competing 10.0 start value vaults, including Alex McMurtry who competed an incredible Yurchenko double.
The other two 10.0 vaults in the lineup were different vaults — Alicia Boren competed a Yurchenko 1.5, and Rachel Slocum competed a front handspring, front pike half off. Both McMurtry and Slocum were ranked in the top 10 in the country this season, with McMurtry in the No. 2 spot and Slocum in the No. 10 spot. McMurtry also tied for the national championship this year. Completing their lineup was Jazmyn Foberg, Amelia Hundley, and Megan Skaggs who competed Yurchenko fulls.
Check out one of McMurtry’s 10.0 vaults from this year:
Video via Florida Gators
3T. Utah
Three 10.0 SV Vaults
Utah is also in the No. 3 spot with three 10.0 start value vaults. Like Florida, they also have a Yurchenko double in the bunch, from MyKayla Skinner, who was ranked No. 5 in the country this year. MaKenna Merrell-Giles was also ranked in the top 10, tied for No. 6 for competing her Yurchenko 1.5. Merrell-Giles was also the only Ute to score a 10.0 on vault this year. Kim Tessen is the third gymnast competing a 10.0 vault, also a Yurchenko 1.5. Missy Reinstadtler, Tiffani Lewis, and Kari Lee completed the lineup with their Yurchenko fulls.
5T. UCLA
Two 10.0 SV Vaults
UCLA is tied for last place, with two 10.0 start value vaults. Even with only two in their lineup, they still managed a No. 4 ranking in the national rankings this season, in addition to also winning the national championship title. Pua Hall and Felicia Hano both competed Yurchenko 1.5s this season. Interestingly, during Super Six Finals, it was Anna Glenn who captured the top vault score for the team — a 9.8875 for her Yurchenko full. The remainder of the lineup also compete fulls: Kyla Ross, Pauline Tratz, and Nia Dennis.
5T. Nebraska
Two 10.0 SV Vaults
Nebraska ties UCLA, also with two 10.0 start value vaults. Their vaults came from Sienna Crouse and Taylor Houchin, who competed Yurchenko 1.5s. Crouse was ranked in the top 10 on vault this season, in the No. 9 spot, and she notched one of her highest scores of the season during Super Six Finals with a 9.9625. Megan Schweihofer actually got the next highest score during the competition — a 9.9125 for her Yurchenko full. The remainder of the lineup — Abbie Epperson, Kynsee Roby, and Grace Williams — all competed fulls as well.
Related:
Most Difficulty In The NCAA Super Six: Floor Edition