Cal's best season ends with 2nd at NCAA Championships
The Cal women's gymnastics team capped the best season in program history with a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.
Second-ranked LSU edged the No. 3 Bears 198.225-197.8500. Topranked and two-time defending champion Oklahoma was eliminated in the semifinals on Thursday.
Utah was third with a 197.800 and Florida was fourth at 197.4375.
“Our expectation now is to certainly compete with the very best on the final night of the national championships,” Cal co-head coach Justin Howell said. “This experience will be invaluable to everyone returning on the team. They know what it takes and what it feels like. I think as a program we have learned a lot. This is the expectation moving forward.”
Sophomore eMjae Frazier helped lead the Bears by scoring at least 9.9 on each of the four rotations. Cal junior Mya Lauzon tied for first in the vault with a 9.95.
The Bears began the meet with a strong balance beam score of 49.4750, led by Frazier's 9.95. After a 49.3750 on the floor exercise dropped them to third, the Bears began to fight their way back with team scores of 49.500 on the vault and the uneven bars. Frazier (9.9375) and freshman Kyen Mayhew (9.9) led the way on vault while Frazier (9.9125), senior Gabby Perea (9.9125) and junior Maddie Williams (9.90).
Cal moved past Utah and into second place with its final bars scores. LSU, which finished fourth last year, trailed Utah by 0.037 points and led Cal by 0.113 after three rotations but senior Sierra Ballard kicked off the fourth and final rotation with a career-high 9.950 to help the Tigers to a program record on the beam with a with a 49.7625 and seal the title.