TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – For the first time since 1992 and just the second time in school history, California women's gymnastics is heading to the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships. The Golden Bears used clutch performances on their final event of the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional to take second with a 195.925 behind regional champion Alabama's 197.125. As the top two teams at the regional, both advance to the 12-team NCAA Championships.
Cal finished ahead of Boise State (195.750), Kentucky (195.725), West Virginia (194.250) and Bowling Green (193.850).
“These past three years, we heard stories about how we've been building so much year after year,” said junior Zoe Draghi. “It's hard to see sometimes because we get caught up in things like our scores getting better. It's really just a testament to how much this program and the teams before us have been building to get us where we are today.”
It took last-minute heroics from multiple Golden Bear gymnasts on the uneven bars to help Cal punch its ticket to Fort Worth, Texas for just the second team championship appearance in school history. A bye for Cal's fifth rotation left the Bears needing a 49.0 or better on bars, a score they failed to reach in their first three events, in order to match Boise State's meet-leading 195.75. While Cal ranked in the top 20 on all four events entering Saturday's meet, bars was Cal's worst event with a No. 19 ranking and 48.936 average score. Cal would need a 49.025 to top Boise State for a chance at finishing within the top two to move on to Texas.
“I knew about what we needed, and I knew that we were capable. We're a consistent bars team,” said head coach Justin Howell.” In an environment like this, even though we're not checking the scores, I would guess the team knew what we needed. We had nervous energy. The energy out of the corral was ridiculous. All of that energy lifted everyone on bars and kept them in the moment and kept those feet glued when they needed to stick it.”
Junior Emily Richardson started Cal off on bars with a 9.775, and teammate Amber Takara continued with a much-needed 9.85 to put the Bears in prime position to reach the 49.0 threshold. Freshman Sofie Seilnacht, who was rock solid to start Cal on beam in the first rotation, fell off the high bar for the first time all season to earn an 8.950, forcing the next three gymnasts to hit their routines or risk missing the championships again. Another fall would cause Cal to count the sub-9.0 score.
“Falls happen in gymnastics, but we talk about it every single day in practice that 'I've got you and I've got your back.' You fall or make a big mistake, the next one up has you covered,” Howell said. “I had no question that everybody else was going to hit.”
Instead of crumbling at the pressure, the Bears embraced their opportunity. After Seilnacht, junior Jessica Howe put up a 9.875 in a showing that would eventually result in second place on the event. Next up, sophomore Toni-Ann Williams hit with a 9.85. The result hung in the balance with sophomore Yuleen Sternberg. Though Sternberg had been consistent on the event as of late, she fell in two different meets earlier in the season.
“We were back there holding hands shaking and crying,” Williams said. “It didn't matter as long as she hit, and we knew that she'd have a good result.”
There were no signs of pressure for Sternberg, who stepped up and hit a 9.825 to propel Cal to its fourth-highest bars score of the season, a 49.175.
“I felt the energy and I wasn't thinking that I needed to hit,” Sternberg said. “I was thinking that I needed to do what I normally do. That was what got me to that point, and it just feels amazing now.”
The gritty finish rounded out a meet that saw the Bears fight through small mistakes to get back to the national championship for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century.
“Our program is built around this idea that we can get One Day Better,” Howell said. “Having the struggles that we had throughout the competition and to finish on bars like that. That's what One Day Better is all about.”
Cal drew what is widely considered the toughest event to start on, the balance beam. But unlike years' past when beam was the program's worst event, the Bears settled in early to put the program in position to focus on the three events ahead of them. Unfazed by the atmosphere of Coleman Coliseum and her first NCAA competition, Seilnacht started the Bears off with a 9.825 on beam and Cal went 6-for-6 on the event, with five scores of 9.725 or better. Draghi matched Seilnacht's 9.825 to lead Cal on the event, setting up a 48.900.
The Bears led the meet after the first rotation with their 48.900, followed by Boise State's 48.95, who, at the No. 3 seed, was Cal's biggest threat to take the second championship berth.
Following a bye after beam for the second rotation, the Bears headed to floor. Though Cal ranked 11th in the nation on the event heading into Saturday's meet, the Bears couldn't crack the 49.0 mark, finishing just shy with a 48.975. Draghi once again led her teammates with a 9.875 in the anchor spot, while Williams, ranked seventh in the country on the event, earned a 9.85.
At the halfway point through three rotations, Cal held on to the second championship berth with a 97.875 behind leader Alabama's 98.425. Kentucky's 97.775 and Boise State's 97.575 kept things tight at the top as the Bears headed to vault.
Sophomore Arianna Robinson's 9.85 paced Cal's 48.875 vault rotation. Richardson also added a 9.825 for Cal's second score above a 9.80 as five of six in the lineup scored above 9.70.
Along with Howe's second-place bars finish, two other Bears placed in the top five: Robinson, who was fifth on vault with a 9.85, and Draghi was fifth on floor with a 9.875.
Following the meet, Cal picked up three NACGC/W West Regional yearly honors. Howell took home his fourth consecutive Coach of the Year honor. For the second year in a row, both associate head coach Liz Crandall-Howell was voted Assistant Coach of the Year and Williams won Gymnast of the Year.
“We did all the work beforehand. Our job was to show up and do what we do every day in training,” Howe said “Even though we didn't have our absolute best meet, that shows that we've it this far and that's what has us hungry to come back for more. I'm so excited to see what we can do.”
NEXT UP
Cal advances to the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship in Fort Worth, Texas. The championship event begins with two semifinal sessions on April 15. The top three teams from each of the semifinals will advance to the prestigious Super Six event on Saturday, April 16. The winner of the Super Six will be crowned national champion. Cal will compete in the second semifinal. Additionally, each individual event winner in the semifinal rounds will be crowned the individual event national champion.
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