INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 26: Nastia Liukin poses with competitors after the Nastia Liukin … [+]
Mackenzie Estep was crowned senior champion of the 16th Nastia Liukin Cup on Sunday afternoon inside the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville.
Nastia Cup Background
The USA Gymnastics meet featured 44 Level 10 women’s artistic gymnasts who qualified for the competition by winning one of 22 qualifying events throughout the country. Liukin designed to event with USA Gymnastics to highlight Level 10 athletes in the Women’s Development Program, giving them the opportunity to compete on the same podium as their elite counterparts.
Meet Results
Estep finished with an all-around score of 38.975 in the senior competition and also took home the vault title with a 9.95 after a stuck Yurchenko 1.5. Her 9.95 was the highest score of the meet. Estep is committed to the University of Oklahoma and trains at Ascend Gymnastics, where six-time world medalist Shilese Jones also trains.
The Nastia Cup junior co-champions are Elizaveta Grebenkova of AIM Athletics Texans and Caylee Cain of Southeastern Gymnastics Center with all-around scores of 38.3.
Jasmine Cawley of Brandy Johnson’s earned a close second place behind Estep with a 38.950 all-around score. Cawley is committed to the University of Alabama. Cameron Tassone of IK Gymnastics rounded out the podium with a 38.850. Tassone is committed to UCLA.
Past Nastia Cup Winners Who Went On To Dominate The NCAA
The Nastia Cup has proven to be an excellent predictor of future success in NCAA gymnastics. The LSU Tigers, reigning National Champions, have the highest number of past winners with seven. These include two current gymnasts: freshman phenom Kailin Chio, who already has a career-high of 39.725, and reigning NCAA all-around champion Haleigh Bryant.
Gymnasts who are committed or went on to compete at the University of Alabama have five combined wins; and the No. 1-ranked Oklahoma Sooners just added their fourth with Estep’s win.
Current Or Past NCAA Gymnasts Who Won The Nastia Cup
- 2024 Senior All-Around Champion – Elle Mueller (Oklahoma)
- 2023: Senior All-Around Champions – Kailin Chio (LSU); Avery Neff (Utah)
- 2022: Senior All-Around Champion – Jamison Sears (Alabama)
- 2021: Senior All-Around Champion – Leah Smith (Arkansas)
- 2020: Senior All-Around Champion – Haleigh Bryant (LSU)
- 2020: Junior All-Around Champion – Kiley Rorich (Denver)
- 2019: Senior All-Around Champion – Makarri Doggette (Alabama)
- 2019: Junior All-Around Champion – Gabrielle Gladieux (Alabama)
- 2018: Senior All-Around Champion – Haleigh Bryant (LSU)
- 2018: Junior All-Around Champion – Tory Vetter (Ohio State)
- 2017: Senior All-Around Champion – Kai Rivers (LSU)
- 2017: Junior All-Around Champion – Carly Bauman (Michigan)
- 2016: Senior All-Around Champion – Rachael Lukacs (UGA)
- 2016: Junior All-Around Champion – Andrea Li (CAL)
- 2015: Senior All-Around Champion – Maddie Karr (Denver)
- 2015: Junior All-Around Champion – Kiya Johnson (LSU)
- 2014: Senior All-Around Champions –Mackenzie Brannan (Alabama); McKenna Kelley (LSU)
- 2014: Junior All-Around Champions – Rachel Flam (Stanford); Lauren Ramirez (Bridgeport)
- 2013: All-Around Champion – Alex McMurtry (Florida)
- 2012: All-Around Champion – Charity Jones (Oklahoma)
- 2011: All-Around Champion –Grace Williams (Nebraska)
- 2010: Around Champion – Lexie Priessman (LSU)
