We sprouted roots in the couch this week with all the gymnastics for the College Quads. Week 2 saw more Region 5 Alums deput including a senior we have been waiting to see compete for four years. Kim calls 9 1 1 on a score robbery and gives Audrey Davis a fruit basket. We witnessed a true full out on floor, Tory Vetter there’s no better with 1992 living forever in our minds. D3 Athlete of the Week, MVP’s and the R5 Line-up scores for Week 2 in the NCAA…. Let’s GO!
Show Notes:
FAB 5
The Olympian Child to Be
The Sounds of Bars, Beam and Landings
It’s a 1992 Forever feeling and Floor Priorities
DEBUTS
The Senior Year Debut we all have been waiting for
Many new freshman routines this week
9 Freshman Debuted in the opening weekend
D3 Athlete of the Week
They DID THAT!
Kaitlin Ciao is the Star
3 in new colors but killing it still
Call the Cops! 9 1 1
Beam Rolls, Huge Front Tucks, Standing Layout Layouts and a Floor Full OUT
Week 2 is in the books and Region 5 Alums had a good week on the competition floor. We had 10 alums debut routines this week. Four of those routines are included in this week’s ALUMonday on Wednesday.
Make sure you check out our R5 College Salute Youtube Channel and subscribe for more videos and podcast segments all season long. We talk everything R5 Alums on the R5 College Salute Podcast every Wednesday during the NCAA season. Check it out and subscribe to never miss an episode. Now…. Press Play on these 10 routines.
Haley Tyson, Iowa 9.825 Beam
Check out Haley’s triple flight and locked in dismount. She has waited a long time for this moment and she took full advantage of it in her Senior year.
Genae Daniel, EMU 9.825 Vault
Genae always goes big on vault and with a very nice Yurchenko Full! Could we see a 1 1/2 in the future???
Savannah Miller, Oregon State 9.85 Floor
Savannah is the lead off you want on your team and she continues to put up big scores for the Beavers in that first position. I am always hoping she will surprise us with her full in first pass but it’s not about me!
Madison Gustitus, San Jose State 9.85 Beam (Debut)
Madison kicks off her NCAA career with this very nice beam routine. They are easing her into her college career and looking forward to her in the all around later this season and adding back in her huge front tuck into this routine.
Emerson Smith, West Virginia 9.85 Floor (Debuted Week 1 on floor)
Emerson has always been one to watch on floor. She is very aggressive when she tumbles and to do a full in from a round off as easily as she does you know it’s something special. This routine is going to be huge for the Mountaineers this season.
Jo Jo Valahovic, UNC 9.85 Beam (Debut)
WHAT A PLACE TO DEBUT…. Coleman Coliseum
Jo Jo has great presentation and extension on beam. She always takes her movements to the ultimate and it makes her fun to watch. She is going to be a huge contributor for the Wolf Pack in her freshman season.
Elaina McGovern, Boise State 9.825 Floor
Elaina has been one of Broncos strongest floor performers and that continues in her senior year. She has power throughout the routine and finishes with a big double back.
Alyssa Guns, Kent State 9.85 Beam
Alyssa has contributor many big scores on beam and floor during her college career. She kicked off her senior in fine fashion with this very solid beam routine and named the MAC Specialist of the Week for performances in week 2 (beam and floor).
Lauren O’Brochta, Iowa State 9.825 Beam
Lauren is continuing where she left off in her freshman year…. nailing beam sets for the Cyclones. Her layout layout flight series really is second to none in the NCAA.
Dani Fuertez, Kent State 9.85 Floor
Dani is one to definitely watch in the MAC conference and this floor routine is one of the reasons why. She has a fun routine that get the crowd into it while powering her way to 3 yes 3 (I know not the norm in 2025) tumbling passes ending with a huge double back.
8 Freshman debut routines in week 1 and one debuted in the AA. Helen Hu made front aerials look as easy as forward rolls, Missouri is going to be what we thought they would be, THEY DID THAT yes WMU Alum with a beam routine and an Towson athlete with a bar combo that needs attention. Our R5 University Line-up started a bit slow, Alien and Chain things with CMU and Kim it’s week 1 and of course we have camera angle issues.
2025 NCAA Gymnastics season kicked off this past weekend and we have already seen some awesome routines from the Region 5 alums. The scores from many of the competitions around the country were tight with many in the current top 10 scoring at 195+ opening weekend. We saw quite a few freshman alums make their debuts and make sure you check out this weeks podcast as we break down most of those routines.
ALUMonday gets its season debut with Week 1 being a bars and beam week for our Region 5 Alums. Check out these 10 routines that were clutch for their teams in the opening weekend.
Make sure you check out our R5 College Salute Youtube Channel and subscribe for more videos and podcast segments all season long. We talk everything R5 Alums on the R5 College Salute Podcast every Wednesday during the NCAA season. Check it out and subscribe to never miss an episode. Now…. Press Play on these 10 routines.
Emily Krzciok, WMU Beam 9.9 vs MSU
Competing in the line-up and exhibition only a couple times in 2024, Emily took full advantage of her opportunity in her first meet of her sophomore year with this awesome routine featuring a very solid aerial layout step out.
Check out our College Salute Live on our Youtube Channel where we watched the meet with our special guest WMU alum Amanda Gruber and discussed the meet in real time along with other stories and bits of information.
Lia Kmieciak, CMU Bars 9.825 vs Minnesota
Lia has returned this season from a knee injury in 2024 and rocked her first landing on beautiful double layout.
Halle Faulker, WMU Vault 9.825 vs MSU
The MAC Vault Co-Champion her freshman year, Halle continues to put out big vaults for the Broncos. She performs a very well executed Yurchenko Full.
Cady Duplissis, MSU Beam 9.85 vs WMU (Freshman Debut)
Cady debuted on vault and beam this past weekend. Cady is a strong all around gymnast with big skills on each event. Her triple flight is very well performed and her teammate wanted her to own it …. I think she did that!
Cassi Barbanente, PSU Bars 9.825 vs Penn and New Hampshire (5th year transfer from ASU)
Cassi was a regular in the bar line-up at ASU with her strong swing and huge double layout dismount. She is continuing where she left off as she rocks her dismount in her first routine as a Nittany Lion.
Katie Harper, NCState Bars 9.9 vs Towson
Katie has always been strong on bars and she has continued that in her college career. As the anchor for the Wolfpack, Katie gets the job done.
Reese Samuelson, WMU Bars 9.8 vs MSU
Reese competed in one meet last season as a freshman but has returned this season stronger and with a new bar routine that features a very nice piked Jaeger.
Grace Sumner, Ball State Bars 9.85 vs Missouri Quad
Grace has been a mainstay in the Cardinal line-up on bars and beam the last few seasons and has kicked off her senior year in fine fashion
Ava Jordan, Michigan Bars 9.825 vs Denver
AJ had to pick the Wolverines back up competing after two missed routines before her. She nailed her handstands and popped a very nice straddle Jaeger into the air for the second highest score for Michigan.
Sage Kellerman, MSU Vault 9.925 vs WMU
Sage knows how to kick off the 2025 season by rocking her handspring front pike 1/2 which by the way is one of the best in the NCAA and it continues to get better every year.
Our collection of highlights from the 2024 gymnastics season in Region 5. The Cheers our region is known for, the Celebrations, the stuck landings, awesome skills and more! We salute our Region 5 athletes with our Best of 2024 Region 5 Highlights.
