After a second-place finish in the EAGL Championships two weeks ago, NC State gymnastics had to wait to find out if it did enough to make it to the NCAA Regionals. Despite not qualifying automatically, NC State did squeak into the NCAA Regionals, slotting into the Athens group in Georgia. 

Before it enters the “main” regional bracket, the Wolfpack will enter a preliminary round against Western Michigan on the first day of the regional. Just nine spots separate the No. 26-ranked Wolfpack from the No. 35 Broncos, so the meet may end up being closer than some expect.

The Broncos finished 6-6 this year but ended their regular season on a four-meet win streak. Coming into the regionals hot is Sarah Moravansky, who was recently named the Mid-Atlantic Conference’s All-Tournament team and named the MAC Gymnastics Freshman of the Year. 

That isn’t the only individual honor the Broncos won this year, however, as Payton Murphy was named MAC Gymnast of the Year. Both have competed in the all-around this year and will provide a lift to the Broncos’ scores in all four events.

If the Wolfpack manage to get past Western Michigan, it will immediately be thrown into a gauntlet of superb college teams, entering a meet against No. 1 Florida, No. 16 Illinois and No. 25 Central Michigan. 

While it seems impossible for NC State to top one of the best teams in the country in the Florida Gators, it is possible that NC State makes it into the next round from this group. Only a top-two finish in the second round is required to move onto the regional finals. And while the Fighting Illini and the Chippewas are ranked ahead of the Wolfpack, they are beatable. 

Illinois gymnastics boasts the likes of Mia Takekawa, Mia Townes, Nicole Biondi and Shaylah Scott, who all made the All-Big 10 Second Team. Meanwhile, Central Michigan enjoys the services of Hannah DeMers and Katie Kowalski, who both made the All-MAC First Team. None of that will matter if the Wolfpack’s performance as a team pushes it ahead of both squads.

If the Wolfpack make it this far in this hypothetical miracle run, it’ll face the top two scoring teams in the other meet in the second round. That round features No. 8 Minnesota, No. 9 Denver, No. 18 Georgia and No. 24 Oregon State, as well as the other of the top-two finishers in NC State’s previous group. 

Assuming NC State makes it this far, it’s probable the Wolfpack will face off against Florida, Minnesota and Denver, teams all ranked in the top 10 in the rankings. The Wolfpack will have to face insurmountable odds going up against these schools, but if it has already made it this far, there’s no doubt these NC State gymnasts have it in them to do it again. 

The first meet in the NCAA Athens Regional against Western Michigan is set to start at 3 p.m.  Thursday, April 1.