By Jess Westendorf
The No. 17 Iowa women’s gymnastics team went into the NCAA Regional on April 1 in Champaign, Illinois, with the intention of making it memorable, and the squad certainly did.The GymHawks walked out of the State Farm Center on the evening of April 1 with a third-place finish of 196.050 and a whirlwind of emotions.
“I’m heartbroken for our seniors but thrilled for the future of the program,” head coach Larissa Libby said. “We saw a lot of our young kids on the podium tonight and got a firsthand look of what it takes to get there.”
Only 0.10 of a point got in the way of Iowa advancing as a team to the NCAA Championships.
UCLA stole the show and first place with a final score of 196. 800, while Oregon State tallied a 196.150 score to come in second.
The regional included Illinois, Ohio State, Eastern Michigan, UCLA, Oregon State, and individual competitors from Michigan State, Bowling Green, and Western Michigan.
Iowa started the night with a bye rotation before starting on floor. The GymHawks tallied a 49.050, with senior Angel Metcalf scoring the highest with a 9.850. Metcalf and freshman Clair Kaji represented Iowa on the podium by taking fourth and fifth, respectively.
Next on the rotation for Iowa was vault. Sophomore Maria Ortiz led the event with a 9.750, while sophomore Misty-Jade Carlson, junior Melissa Zurawski, and senior Mollie Drenth all tied with a 9.700.
The GymHawks then had their last bye round of the night to rest up for uneven bars. Iowa registered a total score of 48.850. Drenth led the way for Iowa, registering a 9.850 to give her fifth place.
Iowa ended the night on fire — there is simply no other way to say it. The GymHawks put up a 49.600 on beam to come back and secure third place.
“To close out our season with a 49.600 on beam is incredible,” Metcalf said. “Coach Jennifer Green just looked at us and told us to breathe in and breathe out and attack the beam. We just went out there an got after it.”
Four gymnasts secured a top-five finish on beam, with Metcalf and Kaji tying for first place. Junior Nikki Youd (9.925) and freshman Charlotte Sullivan (9.900) placed third and sixth.
In the all-around, Iowa had one GymHawk on the podium; Metcalf placed third with a 39.200.
Though the season is now over for Iowa, it will send two women to represent the GymHawks as individual competitors.
Metcalf and Kaji will travel to St. Louis to compete at the NCAA Championships on April 14 and 15. Kaji will represent Iowa on the beam, and Metcalf will compete in the all-around.
“I am excited to be going to nationals with Angel,” Kaji said. “She is one of the best seniors out there, and it’s great to be able to go with her. Overall, to know that I am going to nationals, well, it hasn’t sunk in yet. But I am just so thrilled and excited to see where it takes us.”