The NCAA gymnastics season is back with a bang, featuring a mix of Olympic veterans and rising stars. This year's competition promises to be even more exciting with the introduction of NIL deals allowing gymnasts to capitalize on their success, drawing many Olympians to collegiate competition. Don't miss out on the action as these talented athletes showcase their skills and fight for national glory.
The University of Utah is a national title contender once again.Missing the Summer Olympics? At risk of injuring yourself attempting a back handspring in your bedroom while counting down the days until the 2028 Los Angeles Games?season kicks off this month and features an increasing number of Olympians bringing the same combination of artistry and athleticism that draws eyes to gymnastics every four years — but with perfect 10s .
Most competitions during the regular season will feature two teams facing off in a dual meet. The home team starts on vault while the visiting team begins on the uneven bars. The teams then alternate, competing one routine at a time. After all six gymnasts in each lineup perform, the teams swap events (hosts to bars, visitors to vault) for the second rotation. The third rotation sees the host competing on balance beam and the visitor on floor exercise. In the final rotation, the teams switch events, allowing the host to end the meet on floor (often the event that draws the biggest crowd reactions). While a few tri and quad meets pop up throughout the regular season, the postseason is packed with multiteam events. These are typically quad meets split over multiple sessions. During those competitions, four teams will compete on each apparatus simultaneously and then rotate through the events in Olympic order (vault, bars, beam, floor). If you longed for the old-school scoring system while trying to make sense of the results at the 2024 Games, look no further than women’s collegiate gymnastics. This level of the sport still uses the 10.0 system and emphasizes clean execution. When a gymnast salutes the judges to signal the start of her routine, her score begins at a 10. That number decreases as judges spot flaws like bent knees, flexed feet or steps on a landing. The values of the deductions correspond to the severity of the error. A fall off the balance beam is a 0.5-point deduction, whereas a small wobble will only result in a 0.1-point deduction. Last season, judges awarded a perfect score 80 times. In the history of women’s NCAA gymnastics, only one athlete has received a 10 on all four events in the same meet — Georgia star Karin Lichey accomplished the feat in 1996. On each apparatus, teams select a lineup of six gymnasts. All six compete, but only the five highest scores count toward the team total. Because the lowest score gets dropped, this allows a slight margin for error. For example, one gymnast may earn a 9.2 after a routine with a fall. If her five teammates receive scores above that, her 9.2 will be erased. The sixth score only comes into play if teams are tied at the end of all four events. To determine a winner, all six scores on each event would count toward the team total. With college athletes now able to earn money for their name, image and likeness, gymnasts who previously had to choose between cashing in on Olympic fame and competing in college can now do both.Jade Carey, a senior, is a three-time Olympic medalist. She won her first gold at the Tokyo Games, when she placed first on floor, then added another in Paris as a member of the Team USA squad that dubbed itself the “Golden Girls” after its victory. The 24-year-old also picked up an Olympic bronze on vault this summer. While competing for the Beavers last season, she tied for second place in the all-around and on floor at the NCAA championships.Jordan Chiles, now in her junior year, won gold in the team final in Paris and was briefly the bronze medalist on floor before an appeal led to the International Olympic Committee reallocating her medal in a, but in 2023, she won individual NCAA titles on uneven bars and floor and placed second in the all-around at the NCAA championships.McCallum, a member of the 2021 team that took silver in Tokyo, is now a senior. She placed second behind Chiles on bars at the 2023 NCAA championships and is an eight-time All-American.Wong, a senior, was a 2024 and 2021 Olympic alternate. Last season, she tied for first place on uneven bars and tied for second in the all-around and on vault at the NCAA championships.Roberson, a 2024 Olympic alternate, is making her NCAA debut this season, where she will be coached by 2012 Olympian Jordyn Wieber.Lincoln, a non-traveling alternate for the 2024 Olympics, is also making her NCAA debut this year. She’s already off to a strong start:United States' Skye Blakely competes on the uneven bars during the women's team final at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)Blakely was a top contender for the 2024 Olympic team until she ruptured her Achilles tendon during Olympic trials. About six months since her Achilles repair, Blakely is on Florida’s roster and posting training videos on her Instagram. The big question is whether she’s ready to compete, and how the top elite athlete will fare in her first NCAA season.A gymnasts-to-watch list isn’t complete without Haleigh Bryant, who dominated the 2024 season and is back for a final year as a graduate student in 2025. She helped lead LSU to its first national championship in 2024, winning the NCAA individual all-around title and tying for third on beam.Dunne, one of the highest NIL earners in the world, is returning for a fifth season. Dunne was part of the LSU team that won its first program title and posted a career high of 9.9 on floor in 2024.A three-time Big Ten champion on floor exercise, Hooten is a powerhouse who brings sass to her fun choreography and knows how to nail a landing. She’s earned a 10 on the event nine times throughout her career and will likely add more perfect scores in her fifth season.Gymnastics fans rejoiced when Hu announced she was coming out of retirement for one more season with the Tigers because her beam routine is truly one-of-a-kind. Known for her graceful lines, Hu makes difficult skills and impressive displays of flexibility look effortless.Lauzon was a big part of Cal’s record-breaking 2024 season, which ended with a second-place finish at the NCAA championships. She tied for third on beam and fourth in the all-around at the championships and was the first Cal gymnast to get a 10 in the postseason.Schulte is a true all-arounder who has scored 9.925 or higher on all four events at least once in her career. She’ll play a big part in the Spartans’ quest to break into the eight-team field that advances to the national championship semifinals in April.
College Gymnastics NCAA Gymnastics Olympic Gymnasts Perfect 10S NIL Deals Women's Gymnastics
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Olympic coaches sanctioned in international investigation of abuse in Azerbaijan rhythmic gymnasticsA four-year investigation into alleged physical, verbal and psychological abuse of rhythmic gymnasts in Azerbaijan led to the former Olympic team head coach getting an eight-year international ban from the sport. Mariana Vasileva coached the Azerbaijan team from 2008 to 2021 and is now a deputy sports minister in the Azerbaijan government.
Read more »
College Gymnastics Takes Center Stage on National TVThe sport of women's college gymnastics is experiencing a surge in popularity, with a key meet featuring top programs like Utah, Oklahoma, LSU, and Cal broadcasting live on ABC. This early-season exposure marks a significant milestone for the sport, highlighting its growth and attracting a wider audience.
Read more »
DFW colleges use new grants to address shortages in in-demand jobsDallas College, Tarrant County College, Collin College, Hill College and Paris Junior College collectively received over $1.4 million from the Texas Higher...
Read more »
LSU Gymnastics Star Livvy Dunne Gears Up for Another SeasonLivvy Dunne and her LSU gymnastics teammates showcased their skills at the Gym 101 event. Dunne reflected on her renewed passion for the sport and the team's historic win at the NCAA Championship.
Read more »
Livvy Dunne Gets Ready for LSU Gymnastics Final SeasonLivvy Dunne, star gymnast for LSU, prepares for her final season with a glammed-up makeup routine and a supportive boyfriend.
Read more »
Missouri Gymnastics Opens 2025 Season with Victory in 'Beauty and the Beast' Quad MeetThe Missouri gymnastics team kicked off their 2025 season with a win at a quad meet against Southeast Missouri State, Illinois State, and Ball State. Dubbed 'Beauty and the Beast', the event saw the gymnastics and wrestling teams compete simultaneously, creating a thrilling atmosphere. Missouri's gymnasts impressed with strong performances across all events, including a dominant showing on vault and uneven bars. Senior Amari Celestine took first place in the all-around.
Read more »