(Photo Courtesy: Stanford Athletics)
The Stanford Cardinal are entering Pac-12 Championships at No. 13 in the nation with an RQS of a 196.530.
The season has been a success overall for the Cardinal, but that’s not to say that ups and downs haven’t been prevalent. Stanford has proven all season long to field fierce competitors. The Cardinal are currently sitting with a 4-3 record in dual meets this season, putting them in 4th place in the Pac-12. However, they were unable to conquer their competition against other top tier teams such as No. 8 UCLA, No. 4 Utah and No. 19 California, in a meet in which the loss was by just 0.150.
This team has prestige, though. It consists of many former elite gymnasts who bring consistency, experience and professionalism to the team. Junior all-arounder Taylor Rice posted her highest score of the season at Arizona State, finishing with a 39.500. Junior beam and bar specialist Ivana Hong has also executed high scores throughout the season, including a 9.975 on uneven bars at UCLA.
Someone to really keep an eye on is freshman Elizabeth Price. Price has posted exceptional scores on vault, bars and floor this year, including a perfect 10.000 on vault against Oregon State.
The Cardinal is a dominant force that will have the opportunity to show off to the rest of the conference on Saturday.
Biggest Strength
EXECUTION
The Cardinal team has phenomenal form and execution. The team is able to post up such impressive scores because they have impeccable form, while maintaining an extremely high skill level. They don’t lose points on minor things such as handstand extensions or sloppy form, which puts them that much higher above the rest.
Biggest Weakness
COMPETITION
Truth be told, there is not really anything specific that Stanford is particularly weak on; however, other nationally ranked teams such as UCLA and Utah have certain skill sets that allow them to perform at a higher level, giving them that edge over Stanford.
Prediction
This team can perform under pressure. After posting a season-high of 197.525 against Washington, along with a 197.000 against Oregon State, its clear this team has unbelievable talent. If Stanford performs to the best of their ability and makes minimal mistakes, I believe that they will come out of as one of the upper-tier teams in these championships. Even among some intense competition, I believe that the Cardinal will continue their consistency and showcase some impressive routines, walking out earning fifth place after a neck-to-neck competition. While this may be on the bottom half of the conference, bear in mind the incredible talent the Pac-12 brings to the table.
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