BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 7 Stanford captured the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional Second Round Session I title by more than half a point Thursday afternoon, defeating No. 10 Michigan, No. 22 North Carolina, and No. 26 Utah State at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center
Stanford led the session with a team score of 197.175, followed by Michigan (196.600), North Carolina (196.250), and Utah State (195.750). The Cardinal’s win in Semifinal Session One is its first regional semifinal victory since the NCAA adopted the three-round regional format in 2019.
Freshman Ana Bărbosu won the session’s all-around title with a career-best 39.575, highlighted by the top scores on both balance beam (9.925) and floor exercise (9.950). Senior Taralyn Nguyen claimed the vault title with a 9.950. Senior Anna Roberts won the uneven bars crown with a 9.900, and sophomore Alana Walker matched Bărbosu’s 9.950 on floor to share the session’s floor title.
The Cardinal opened with a 49.100 on vault, led by Nguyen’s anchor score of 9.950. Bărbosu contributed a 9.825 in the second position, sophomore Ui Soma posted a 9.800 in the fourth spot, Roberts added a 9.775 in the fifth spot, and Levi Jung-Ruivivar led off with a 9.750.
After one rotation, Stanford, Utah State and North Carolina were tied for the lead with 49.100, while Michigan trailed by just 0.025.
Stanford then moved to bars, posting a 49.325 team total. Roberts led the Cardinal with a 9.900 in the fourth spot, while Jung-Ruivivar, senior Ava Sorrento, and junior Sienna Robinson each scored 9.850 in the first three positions. Bărbosu added a 9.875 in the fifth spot.
At the halfway point, Michigan held a 98.475, just ahead of Stanford’s 98.425. Utah State stood at 98.100, with North Carolina at 97.900.
The Cardinal earned a 49.200 on beam, led by Bărbosu’s anchoring 9.925 and a 9.900 from junior Temple Landry. Senior Claire Dean led off the rotation with a 9.850, Robinson scored 9.800, and Roberts added a 9.725.
Stanford regained the lead after three rotations with a cumulative team total of 147.625, followed by Michigan at 147.450, North Carolina at 147.125, and Utah State at 147.025.
Stanford’s final rotation was its strongest, earning a 49.550, over 0.15 higher than any other team on the apparatus. Walker and Bărbosu each posted career-best 9.950s to win the event; Roberts and Nguyen each added 9.900s, their second scores of 9.900 or better of the day. Robinson set the tone for the rotation with a 9.850 as the leadoff and final counting score.
Stanford advances to the NCAA Regional Final on Saturday, April 4, at 3 p.m. PT, along with Michigan and two teams from the NCAA Regional Second Round Session II—No. 2 LSU, No. 15 Clemson, No. 17 Auburn, or No. 34 Nebraska. The top two teams from the regional final will advance to the 2026 NCAA Championships semifinals on Thursday, April 16.