UCLA switched its lineup on balance beam, substituting Nia Dennis for Samantha Sakti after the latter had a fall on beam the day before. The Bruins were battling with Cal for second place at the NCAA Regional Finals and a trip to the NCAA Championships, and their most challenging event of the season could make the difference.
Dennis celebrated hard after a smooth routine, but the endorphins lingered only a little longer. The Bruins recorded their highest meet score of the year on Saturday in Morgantown, West Virginia, but were unable to score high enough in the event to advance to the championships.
It’s the first time since 2006 that the Bruins have missed an NCAA Championship.
“Given where we started back in October, and everything we’ve been through, I just can’t say enough about how proud I am of the whole team,” coach Chris Waller said. “They didn’t lose, we just didn’t win the meet. But they left here champions because of what they did in their heart and for the team.”
Michigan claimed first place with a 198.100 team score. Cal scored a 197.750 to beat UCLA’s 197.275. Ohio State rounded out the competitors with a 195.625.
Bruins freshman Chae Campbell had top-five finishes in vault, floor and beam, which tied her for third in all-around (39.575). Margzetta Frazier was top-five in uneven bars and floor.
Any time UCLA competes in floor, it becomes a “floor party,” as dubbed by the team. The party continued on Saturday, with three gymnasts scoring a 9.900 or above in the event. Dennis tied for third (9.925), and Campbell and Frazier ended up in a seven-way tie for fifth (9.900).
Cal and UCLA were tied at the conclusion of the first rotation, enhancing a Pac-12 rivalry and showing the strength of the conference.
“The better the conference is, the better each team in the conference will get. I love the fact that they’re doing better and Utah is doing great,” Waller said. “The more teams that do good, the better. Let’s get all Pac-12 schools to be NCAA one year, that’d be a great feat.”
Campbell followed up her floor performance with a 9.925 score in vault to finish in third place. Dennis wasn’t far behind, tying for fourth with a 9.900 as the Bruins logged a 49.350 team score.
On bars, Frazier hit a 9.950 mark to tie her career-high in the event and end up in a five-way tie for second place. A team score of 49.725 was a season-high.
Concluding the evening with beam, Norah Flatley came off Friday’s first-place performance in the event to score a 9.900 to tie for fourth, along with Campbell.
Although the team fell short of the championships, Waller emphasized that this season showed that the Bruins gymnasts are more than their sport. The team has purpose, and including a Black Excellence Meet and Pride Meet on the schedule were just two examples of that.
“We showed the world that you could be stuck really down in a pretty deep hole and climb yourself out,” he said, “and through the process, build really important relationships and grow stronger and grow your character. And grow through it. This team grew through it. Through every single challenge, they grew through it.”
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UCLA gymnastics post season-high, fall short of NCAA Championship trip - OCRegister
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