What’s in store for the NCAA’s top gymnastics teams in 2026? — Kaia Tanskanen of Finland chats with Inside Gymnastics

Well, it’s awfully quiet in here after all the buzz from worlds. While all the elites are resting, let’s check in with college teams — specifically, the four that ended the 2025 season on the floor at nationals: Oklahoma, UCLA, Utah and Missouri. 

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Oklahoma, our defending champion heading into 2026, has lost two of its superstars in Audrey Davis and Jordan Bowers. But big roster changes do not seem to affect the Sooners as much as they do other teams, likely because Oklahoma recruits fewer elites (meaning fewer arrive at college with pre-existing injuries or major burnout). Their new class features the two top recruits of their class, Mackenzie Estep and Kamila Pawlak, and another top star, Ella Murphy. The Sooners return senior and top scorer Faith Torrez as well as Lily Pederson and Elle Mueller looking to parlay strong freshman seasons into sophomore lineups. I’m sensing they are preparing to add another championship ring to their collection. 

UCLA, in contrast, heavily recruits elites, and they have a huge freshman class on paper: Nola Matthews, Tiana Sumanasakera, Ashlee Sullivan and Jordis Eichmann will all debut as Bruins in January. Lauren Little, a junior transfer from Alabama, is also on the roster and could make an impact. UCLA can be wildly inconsistent from season to season, but in 2025 they seemed more cohesive than they have in several years. Can they repeat their fairytale rise back to Four on the Floor without NCAA floor champion (never forget!) Brooklyn Moors, Chae Campbell and Emma Malabuyo? Jordan Chiles will be back from Dancing With the Stars, so let’s hope she saves a little mojo for her senior floor routine. 

Missouri had the most Cinderella season of them all, surprising even themselves by ending up as one of the final four and then finishing third. Still, they have been building momentum steadily for years, and I think they will continue to make Four on the Floor appearances in seasons to come. Even without NCAA beam champion Helen Hu (sob), Amari Celestine, Jocelyn Moore and Mara Titarsolej, the Tigers should be able to stay in the game. They are adding a five-star recruit, Kimarra Echols, to the mix, and have Hannah Horton and Kaia Tanskanen coming back strong (the latter off a great performance at worlds for Finland). 

Utah is another team that may be left reeling after the losses of Grace McCallum, Jaylene Gilstrap and Jaedyn Rucker. Sophomore Avery Neff and her bionic ankles are back, and Makenna Smith’s senior season is nigh. The Utes dominated the Big 12 last year, but can the entrance of Oregon State into the conference chip away at their status? Utah typically has no trouble making it to NCAAs, but does have trouble getting past third or fourth place on the day it matters. 

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Other gym news

College Gym News has some fun features: A look at 2025 storylines that will carry over to 2026 and season-defining matches for top teams.

Harlow Buddendeck committed to Stanford. 

Ashlee Sullivan won the Arthur Gander Memorial competition in Switzerland. 

Olivia Dunne, formerly of LSU, has signed with the global entertainment agency Wasserman. 

Five at The IX: Kaia Tanskanen with Inside Gymnastics

Speaking of Kaia Tanskanen, international elite who competes for Finland while also suiting up as a Missouri Tiger for NCAA season, whom I mentioned above in my NCAA preview — here she is in a great, thorough interview with Inside Gymnastics.