Dekanoidze Matches Program Record On Bars With 9.975 Vs. NC State

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Lali Dekanoidze was crowned the uneven bars champion with a career-high 9.975 to match her own program record for the fourth time in her career to highlight North Carolina gymnastics' Atlantic Coast Conference opener against NC State on Friday night in Carmichael Arena.

The 23rd-ranked Tar Heels saw their best team score of the year with a 195.925. The 22nd-ranked Wolfpack, who won the ACC Championship a season ago, won the meet in 196.35.

Dekanoidze, the reigning ACC bars champion, took the top spot on her signature event with a career-high 9.975. That score matched her own school record for the fourth time in her career and first time since 2023. It was the senior's 37th career event title and 18th on bars, in addition to her 31st career routine of 9.9+.

Additionally, Dekanoidze is the fifth gymnast in the country with a score of 9.975+ on bars entering Week Four of competition.

Also picking up an individual event title – the first of her career – was freshman JoJo Valahovic. She scored a career-high 9.875 on vault, a full tenth better than her previous personal best. Julia Knower was the all-around champion with a total score of 38.9.

All-Around
Julia Knower won the all-around for the first time this season and the 11th time in her career. The senior had scores of 9.775 on vault, 9.675 on bars, 9.7 on beam and 9.75 on floor for an all-around tally of 38.9. She has now competed in the all-around 40 times.

Rotation One – Vault (48.975)
Elly King scored a 9.75 in the second spot on vault to match her career high from the season opener. Knower followed that with a season-high 9.775 for the second week in a row. Valahovic impressed from the fourth position with a career-high 9.875, blowing past her previous best of 9.775 to mark UNC's highest vault score this year. It was also Valahovic's first career event victory. Kaya Forbes matched her season-best 9.825, and Dekanoidze anchored in 9.725 to tie for third place.

1. Neve King – 9.725
2. Elly King – 9.75
3. Julia Knower – 9.775
4. JoJo Valahovic – 9.875
5. Kaya Forbes – 9.825
6. Lali Dekanoidze – 9.75
Exh. Isabelle Schaefer – 9.725

The Tar Heels totaled 48.975 on its opening rotation for its best vault performance this season. The Wolfpack ended vault with a team score of 49.1.

Rotation Two – Bars (49.3)
N. King went second and set a new career high of 9.8 to better her 9.7 done just one week ago. Forbes matched her career-high 9.775 from Feb. 2, 2024, in the third slot while Gwen Fink tied her season-high 9.85 in the fourth position. Isabelle Schaefer scored a season-high 9.9 going fifth, which marked her 10th career bars routine of 9.9+. Dekanoidze, the anchor, dazzled with a 9.975 to match her own school record for the fourth time in her career. Dekanoidze won the event while Schaefer took second.

1. Julia Knower – 9.675
2. Neve King – 9.8
3. Kaya Forbes – 9.775
4. Gwen Fink – 9.85
5. Isabelle Schaefer – 9.9
6. Lali Dekanoidze – 9.975

North Carolina, which put together its best bars routine of the 2025 campaign in 49.3, has now had back-to-back meets with 49.0+ on the event. That was well ahead of NC State's 49.0 during this rotation.

Rotation Three – Beam (48.7)
Jessica Naranjo got things going on beam with a 9.75 followed by Valahovic's 9.65 right after. Taylor Schulze saw a season-high 9.75 to better her 9.725 from last week against George Washington. Fink had a team-high 9.85 in the fourth position to finish in second place. Knower recorded a 9.7 in the penultimate spot and Regan McBride anchored in 9.575.

1. Jessica Naranjo – 9.75
2. JoJo Valahovic – 9.65
3. Taylor Schulze – 9.75
4. Gwen Fink – 9.85
5. Julia Knower – 9.7
6. Regan McBride – 9.575
Exh. Claire Stippich – 9.625

Not having to count a fall, UNC totaled 48.7 on beam behind NCSU's 48.925.

Rotation Four – Floor (48.95)
Naranjo started floor on a strong note as the sophomore's 9.85 was a new career high, erasing the 9.775 she received during last week's home opener. Valahovic then registered a 9.75 in the second spot with Forbes doing a 9.85 in the fourth position. Knower and Bella Miller both recorded marks of 9.75 in the respective fifth and sixth slots. Naranjo and Forbes tied for third place.

1. Jessica Naranjo – 9.85
2. JoJo Valahovic – 9.75
3. Gwen Fink – 9.7
4. Kaya Forbes – 9.85
5. Julia Knower – 9.75
6. Bella Miller – 9.75
Exh. Claire Stippich – 9.825

The Tar Heels had a cumulative score of 48.95 on its fourth and final rotation. The Wolfpack totaled 49.325 on floor.

Up Next
The 23rd-ranked Tar Heels trek west for another ACC showdown at No. 15 Stanford on Friday, Jan. 31. Action will begin at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on ACCNX inside Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif.

Carolina returns to Chapel Hill on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 3:45 p.m. ET for a nationally-televised meet against Clemson. Tickets are available here.

Stay up to date with Carolina Gymnastics by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Dekanoidze Matches Program Record On Bars With 9.975 Vs. NC State

Players Mentioned

Lali Dekanoidze

Gwen Fink

Kaya Forbes

Elly King

Neve King

Julia Knower

Regan McBride

Bella Miller

Jessica Naranjo

Isabelle Schaefer

Taylor Schulze

Claire Stippich

JoJo Valahovic

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