LAS VEGAS - Led by an all-around title from senior Chloe Widner, Stanford won its first meet of the season, topping Georgia, Oregon State, and Rutgers at the inaugural Super 16 Presented By Ozone in Las Vegas.
Stanford led all teams with a total of 196.175, followed by Georgia with a score of 195.950, Oregon State with a score of 195.450, and Rutgers with a score of 194.700.
Widner's all-around score of 39.525 was .200 higher than her previous career best (39.325). She did not score less than 9.825 throughout the meet and earned event titles on beam (9.875) and floor (9.950, a career-best).
The Cardinal started off its season with a strong performance on vault. Stanford scored 49.125 on the event, anchored by a 9.90 from freshman Anna Roberts in her Stanford debut. Fellow freshman Taralyn Nguyen also debuted with an impressive effort, going 9.80, while fifth-year Madison Brunette matched her career-high with a 9.85. Senior Chloe Widner earned a 9.825, and the Cardinal's scoring efforts was rounded out by a 9.75 from sophomore Brenna Neault.
Stanford continued with a robust bars rotation, led by scores of 9.875 from both anchor Widner and Neault. In her first collegiate routine, freshman Claire Dean recorded a 9.775 in the leadoff spot while Brunette earned a 9.75. After a fall from Roberts, junior Ira Alexeeva hit a career-best 9.800 in the fifth spot to lead the Cardinal to a 49.025 team score.
Beam was Stanford's lowest event score of the day, counting scores of 9.625 and 9.675 for an event total of 48.725. Widner led the Cardinal, scoring another 9.875 in the anchor spot, while Roberts went 9.800.
The Cardinal saved its best performances for last, finishing its appearance at the first-ever Super 16 with a team score of 49.300 on floor. Widner's career-best 9.95 led all Stanford gymnasts, followed by a career-best matching score from Neault of 9.875, and scores of 9.850, 9.825, and 9.800 from freshman Roberts, Dean, and Nguyen, respectively.
Stanford continues the 2023 campaign Jan. 14, hosting San Jose State for its home opener at Maples Pavilion.
