Alexa Rothenbuescher looked unlike herself in four straight meets.
After weeks of miscues, uncharacteristic scores and a pair of meets where she only competed in three events, the graduate student finally returned to form on Friday.
The reigning All-Big Ten second team member returned as a staple in all four events in Maryland gymnastics’ win at Washington. Rothenbuescher scored 9.700 or above in all four events for the first time this year en route to a season-high 39.150 all-around score.
“I gave myself a clean slate after these past couple of meets,” Rothenbuescher said. “And [I] just really want to enjoy myself these last few weeks that I have in my career.”
Maryland’s lone graduate student and all-arounder began her year on a solid note at the San Antonio Collegiate Invite. Then her struggles began the following week.
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Lower leg cramping forced Rothenbuescher to end her floor routine early in Maryland’s home opener against then-No. 11 UCLA, leading to a career-low 7.250. She averaged a team-leading 9.904 on the event last season.
Following the injury, Rothenbuescher reasserted herself as the team’s premier performer in its best event with consecutive strong outings.
But struggles in other events plagued Rothenbuescher.
Rothenbuescher fell on bars in consecutive meets, causing full-point deductions and sub-9.000 scores. That prompted coach Brett Nelligan to meet with Rothenbuescher about taking a week off from the event to alleviate pressure and clear her mind.
Nelligan didn’t want to act unilaterally and just bench Rothenbuescher without her input. After conferring, the two decided that resting from the event for a week would be best.
The time off from bars didn’t produce immediate effects. Rothenbuescher didn’t reach 9.800 in any of her three events against then-No. 22 Penn State in the last meet before her bounce back.
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“Alexa had a great week of practice. Looked very strong, confident in her bars,” Nelligan said before the Washington meet. “I think she just needed that little reset … We’re going to put her back in her fifth spot [in the bars lineup].”
In her first meet back in the bars lineup, Rothenbuescher matched her season-best with a 9.775. Along with rebuilding her confidence on bars, her break seemed to solidify her mental toughness.
“Right before my first pass [on floor], I poked myself in the eye,” Rothenbuescher said. “But I just had to trust myself … even if I couldn’t see. But I think that kinda brought laughter into my routine, which I felt like I needed.”
Despite the eye poke, Rothenbuescher still managed to score 9.875, her highest of the meet and tied for her second-best floor mark this season.
Unlike the four weeks prior, Rothenbuescher avoided major deductions and secured her most complete performance of the year.
“I think she knows now she can be a strong four-event, all-around competitor,” Nelligan said. “But she had to prove it to herself first.”
