It all started with a question! One that had been simmering beneath the surface all season. As Ohio State’s gymnastics head coach, Meredith Paulicivic prepared her squad for the 2025 Big Ten Championship finals, she didn’t just focus on routines and scores. Instead, she took a moment to call out a system that had left her team facing more obstacles than they deserved. “Without sounding like a complainer,” she said, setting the stage for what was coming, “I’m pretty sure most people would agree my team had one of the most difficult seasons.” The comment wasn’t just an observation, it was a challenge to the status quo.
Despite the hurdles, there was no lack of excitement as the Buckeyes entered the finals. “The quad meets are always great, they’re exciting for the fans. I love the new double dual format, so it’s always exciting at the Big Ten Championship time and postseason, so it’s easy to get up for that and prepare for that,” she added. For those unfamiliar, the double dual format in NCAA gymnastics is where teams go head-to-head on the same apparatus, alternating performances, instead of competing in different events during the rotation.
However, behind the excitement was a lingering frustration about the system that had caused confusion all season. As of March 22, 2025, Ohio State held an NQS (National Qualifier Score) of 196.395, ranking them 22nd nationally. But the journey to that point wasn’t smooth sailing. Nebraska is currently No. 5 & Ohio State is No.6 in the B1G, but they are competing in the 1st of 3 sessions.
Typically, teams ranked 5th and 6th would compete in Session 2, which features the middle-tier teams. Instead, Nebraska and Ohio State were placed in Session 1, likely due to inconsistencies created by the NQS system, where teams’ rankings were impacted by factors like bye weeks that skewed win-loss records and overall scores.
“As far as the win-loss versus the NQS, this has been difficult because, you know, with having two teams on a bye, that really changes what the win-loss could have looked like,” she explained. Paulicivic pointed this out, noting how having two teams on a bye affected the potential win-loss outcomes, which, in turn, altered how teams were seeded.
Seeding for the Big Ten Championships was done by win-loss record, rather than NQS like other conferences do.
Nebraska is currently No. 5 & Ohio State is No.6 in the B1G, but they are competing in the 1st of 3 sessions.
Here is what Meredith Paulicivic had to say about it. pic.twitter.com/T5OsGuLjMF
— All Things Gymnastics Podcast (@AllThingsGymPod) March 20, 2025
The uneven playing field had caused confusion not just for her but even among new head coaches who were left wondering, “Oh, I thought it was NQS.” The inconsistency in how teams were evaluated sparked conversations about switching to a new system in the future—but that didn’t help the Buckeyes this season. Paulicivic’s concerns about the NQS system show a growing conversation across NCAA gymnastics.
A notable issue recently surfaced in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), where, despite all nine teams being ranked among the top 16 nationally, one team was excluded from the SEC Championships based on NQS rankings. This situation has fueled broader discussions about the fairness and implications of the current system, making Paulicivic’s comments resonate even more deeply within the gymnastics community.
But the coach wasn’t about to let frustration define the Buckeyes’ season. “It is what it is. That’s a saying that I live by, and we’re going to go out there and try to make sure that the judges remember us,” she said. With a young team that had weathered challenges, the Buckeyes were ready to put on a show.
“We know we’re the sixth ranked NQS team in the conference and but with that, we also have a bunch of young kids that we have no idea what they’re gonna do when they get out there this weekend,” she added, embracing the unpredictability with a smile. And what a show they delivered previously.
Buckeyes gymnastics steal the spotlight
On March 7, 2025, Ohio State’s women’s gymnastics team stepped up at the Big Ten Championship meet, clinching the first session with a score of 196.250. The Buckeyes edged out Rutgers (196.225), Nebraska (196.175), and Washington (196.125). Leading the charge was Jojo Warga, who wrapped up her final Big Ten Championship meet with a season-high 9.875 on beam.
Freshman Rylee Guevara dazzled in her first championship meet, scoring a career-best 9.850 on the beam and tying for first with a 9.900 on the floor alongside Colby Vetter. Vetter, who also tied for second on bars with another 9.900, claimed second place in the all-around with a final score of 39.350.
With regionals set for April 2-6, the Buckeyes are ready to take on the next challenge—and perhaps prove once again that they’re more than just a number in the rankings. Now, it’s in the hands of the judges. And as the Buckeyes gymnastics heads into the season, they’re determined to make sure no one forgets their name.
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