BATON ROUGE, La. – For the second time in three years, No. 7 Stanford clinched a spot at the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship in Fort Worth, Texas with a second-place finish at the NCAA Regional Final in Baton Rouge, La.
Host No. 2 LSU won the meet with a 197.825. Stanford finished second with a team total of 197.225, while No. 15 Clemson finished in third with a score of 197.150 and No. 10 Michigan placed fourth with a team total of 196.750.
It came down to a clutch vault rotation from the Cardinal to secure the second-place finish. Stanford was in fourth place halfway through the meet and tied with No. 15 Clemson heading into the final rotation.
In the final rotation, Stanford and Clemson traded back and forth scores, with the two teams tied after each program’s first four routines. It took a 9.850 from senior Anna Roberts and the second consecutive 9.950 vault from senior Taralyn Nguyen to best the Tigers by .075.
Stanford began its night on bars, posting a 49.400 behind scores of 9.900 from seniors Ava Sorrento and Anna Roberts, as well as from anchor sophomore Ui Soma. Both freshman Ana Bărbosu and redshirt freshman Levi Jung-Ruivivar added totals of 9.850.
After one rotation, LSU led with a team total of 49.450, Stanford just behind with 49.400, Michigan with a 49.375 and Clemson with a 49.175.
The Cardinal struggled on beam, posting a 48.850. Senior Claire Dean led off with a 9.600, but rebounded with scores of 9.900 from both junior Sienna Robinson and Bărbosu. Jung-Ruivivar posted a 9.800 in the fourth spot of the lineup, while Roberts added a 9.750 up fifth.
Halfway through the meet, LSU kept its lead, holding a cumulative total of 98.750. Clemson took second place with a 98.600 followed by Michigan with a 98.475 and Stanford with a 98.350.
Stanford got back into the meet with a 49.550 floor rotation, highlighted by the second-straight 9.950 from Bărbosu in the last three days. Four other Cardinal added scores of 9.900– sophomore Alana Walker, senior Taralyn Nguyen, Jung-Ruivivar, and Roberts.
Heading into the final rotation, Stanford and Clemson were tied with team totals of 147.900. LSU led the meet with a score of 148.175 and Michigan sat in fourth with a 147.575.
The Cardinal’s 49.325 vault team total captured the second-place finish.
Stanford now looks ahead to the 2026 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships in Fort Worth, Texas. The Cardinal will compete in one of the two semifinal sessions on Thursday, April 16, alongside No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Florida and No. 6 Georgia. Broadcast coverage will be announced at the conclusion of all regional final meets.