Michigan advances to NCAA regional finals with sixth 198-plus performance of season

The No. 3 Michigan women’s gymnastics team, chasing its second National Championship in just three years, showed why it is back in the conversation for a national title Friday. 

The Wolverines (26-2 overall) advanced to the Denver Regional Finals with a score of 198.025, the second-highest regional score in team history, moving forward alongside No. 13 Denver (7-5) and beating out Minnesota (10-6-1) and Arizona (4-11). Backed by strong performances from senior Sierra Brooks and graduate student Abby Heiskell, Michigan advanced to continue its chase for its second-ever national title. 

The Wolverines started out the night on beam and showed some struggles reminiscent of early season woes. Junior Carly Bauman led off by falling off the beam, an uncharacteristic mistake that placed added pressure on the rest of the rotation.

Senior Gabby Wilson followed, showing no signs of discouragement. Wilson stuck a flic layout and followed it with a standing switch. Finishing her routine with a high-amplitude double tuck, Wilson’s team leading 9.950 steadied the Wolverines. Brooks, senior Nicoletta Koulos and Heiskell earned a 9.875, 9.800 and 9.850, respectively. Graduate student Natalie Wojcik’s 9.900 in the anchor spot helped Michigan recover from lower scoring earlier.

Heading into floor, their best event throughout the season, the Wolverines looked to make up for the .225 deficit they had accumulated. The rotation started strong with three consecutive scores of 9.900 or higher from Koulos, Heiskell and Wojcik.

“Look at the result. 49.700,” Michigan coach Bev Plocki told The Daily. “Obviously the judges liked the quality routines. The tumbling was good, it was great.”

But it was Brooks who stole the show on floor. Sticking the landings on a tour jete ½ to split full, Brooks gained confidence throughout her routine. After a perfectly stuck front tuck through to a double tuck, Brooks was met with roaring applause from her team. Earning a perfect 10.00, the first of her career on floor and the first perfect score in a regional event since 1995, Brooks’ performance was the catalyst that the Wolverines needed for the rest of the meet. 

After the .600 swing bolstered by Brooks, Michigan pulled ahead of Denver going into the vault. Wojcik began the rotation with a 9.825, a below average performance, followed by Wilson with a 9.925. Junior Naomi Morrison went third with an event-title winning routine, sticking the landing on a high-amplitude yurchenko 1 ½ and earning a 9.950. Brooks and Heiskell added a pair of 9.900s, pushing the Wolverines into a comfortable .650 lead. 

Despite the large advantage, Michigan refused to be complacent. 

“There’s a lot more pressure and anxiousness riding on (the postseason),” Brooks said. “That’s just what makes the postseason a little bit different. We have to be very intentional. We know that every meet matters. … We’ve done a really good job all season if we have a hiccup, just locking in and understanding that it’s not the end of the world, we can bounce back and I think today was a great example of that.”

In the final rotation, veteran performances at the bookends were the difference for the Wolverines, as they were led off with a 9.950 by Heiskell and anchored with a 9.975 from Wojcik. In the five spot, Brooks earned a season-low 9.475 after losing her grip on a jaeger and nearly falling off the bars. This forced the team to keep a sub-par 9.825 and score below its season average in the event. Michigan finished the meet with an impressive 198.025, .575 ahead of the second place Pioneers, despite not performing to its full potential.

With a lineup consisting of five starters from the 2021 National Championship winning team, the Wolverines’ experience will be crucial in the postseason. 

“Each season has its own life,” Plocki said. “This is just a really special year and I’m blessed to be a part of it with this group of young women who are amazing.”

Even when it’s not at its best, Michigan continues to prove why it is a National Championship contender. And if the Wolverines can get all four events to click at the same time, they may just bring home that second national title they have been chasing.