Leotard Rankings: Week 8

It’s NCAA gymnastics season, and the leotards are as sparkly as ever. With new designs come your favorite series: Leotard Rankings! Each week we’re analyzing leotard debuts to find our weekly faves. There will be up to three points for design, up to one point each for fabric and sparkle, school spirit and uniqueness, and up to three points for overall appearance. This week Mary Emma, Talitha and Tavia are joining editor in chief Elizabeth to help judge. Don’t agree with our ranking? Let us know your thoughts on this week’s leos in the comments or on social media!

And don’t forget to vote in the poll at the end of the article each week. We’ll be tabulating all the votes to find the overall fan favorite design at the conclusion of the 2022 season!

Air Force: 9.100

View the full image of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 9.800

Design 2.9/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.9/3

I loooove this. Red, white and blue done right! The American back flag is so creative, and I’m obsessed with the whole ombre body and arms situation. Plus, I think I see subtle stars on the stomach fabric and stripes on the sides under the arms??? If I could give more than one point for school spirit I would. Anyway, the amount of sparkles and placement of the red is also perfect and really creates a pretty cool effect as a whole.

Mary Emma: 9.300

Design 2.7/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3

Love this! I really like that Air Force has been incorporating patriotic colors into its leos because, well, it’s Air Force. I’m a sucker for patterns on leos if they’re done right (which this one is!), and of course the ombre sleeves are a win, but I do have to say I think my favorite part is the American Flag strap on the back. It’s very creative.

Talitha: 8.100

Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3

I wouldn’t normally be a fan of a leotard like this—it’s a bit busy for my taste, and the design is not particularly original. However, full marks for school spirit and patriotism. Plus, I love the flag strappy back! 

Tavia: 9.200

Design 2.8/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3

This was the patriotic leo I never knew I needed. This design is just so flattering and sporty. If I have to critique this leo, I could’ve done without the lightning bolt on the sleeve. All I have left to say is how could you ever go wrong with an American flag strappy back?

Temple: 9.000

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 9.000

Design 2.6/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3

This is fantastic. Temple always kills it with its leos. The front design is not something I’d typically go for, but it looks great in this application with the classic Temple diamond/feather and the shimmery red fabric. I also love the shoulder features and the unique back. Plus, mostly blac and red with white accents—*chef’s kiss.*

Mary Emma: 9.000

Design 2.5/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3

Another great design from Temple! I love the shade of red used, and the feather design on the sleeves is really nice (and the superior feather leo of the week). I don’t love the shoulder cutouts, but they don’t bug me as much as most shoulder cutouts do.

Talitha: 9.400

Design 2.9/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3

Oh, I love this leotard! It looks like a piece of rare jewelry. The chest design is beautiful and so is the unique open back. It’s a full house for me!

Tavia: 8.600

Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3

I don’t know how I feel about the trapezius muscles being exposed, but there’s so much to love about this design. I love the wing pattern on the sleeves, the shade of red chosen and the jewel belt, but something about the jewels on the neck are giving “cyclops,” and I cannot unsee it. It’s a cute cyclops at least?

Penn State: 7.650

View the image of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 7.000

Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

I like this more from afar than close up. The Nittany Lion logos look a little like roses. I like the overall shape of the design and the back especially. I’d call this a good not great leo.

Mary Emma: 7.600

Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3

I really like this! I like the fact that the logo is subtly incorporated into the pattern. The back cutout is a little odd, but overall this is a win for me.

Talitha: 8.500

Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.1/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3

I always like leotards that look like intricate haute couture evening dresses, so this is a winning one for me. The subtle incorporation of the PSU logo is so satisfying. The only thing I don’t like is the crystals on the waistband, which look rather tacky to me.

Tavia: 7.500

Design 2.1/3, Fabric 0.4/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3

I like this leo in theory, but why does the “Nittany Lions” flap cover the bottom of the keyhole border? The more I look at it, I’m not so sure about the neckline either. I do appreciate the way Penn State tried to make school spirit dainty and feminine. I might be about the Lion-esque roses.

Ball State: 7.200

View the images of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 9.600

Design 2.9/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.9/3

WOW. Ball State came to PLAY the past two weeks. This is phenomenal. I love everything from the colored rhinestones to the matte white to the mesh sleeves to the back design. I especially appreciate how the back mesh seam was sort of incorporated into the design. This is an overall fantastic leotard.

Mary Emma: 9.000

Design 2.8/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3

Love this! I normally don’t love all-white leos, but it somehow works here. The texture of the fabric is nice, and I like the cardinal logo on the back for school spirit. 

Talitha: 5.000

Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.2/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3

I’m not sure what to say here. all I could think of when I saw this leotard is that it looked almost exactly like the one Ohio State has. The design is quite good, but the fabric looks way too thin and the cardinal seems to have ended up on the back of the leotard almost by accident.

Tavia: 5.200

Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.2/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.6/3

This leo is a wash for me. There are things to like and things to not like. I highly dislike all white leotards, but I do enjoy the design on the back and the solid stripe down the mesh sleeves. I wish the jewel design on the front wasn’t just three large stripes down the chest. 

Washington: 6.600

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 6.700

Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

This is very LSU. While it’s not my favorite of Washington’s new designs, it is still way better than most of its old ones. I love the use of “real” gold and the thicker neckline and cuffs.

Mary Emma: 7.200

Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

This is nice. It definitely looks like something LSU would have, but props to Washington for doing something a bit different than normal.

Talitha: 5.500

Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3

I really don’t like the golden band, and I feel like if you don’t like that, the whole design is ruined for you. I’m also not sure why there are crystals on the back but not on the front of the leotard. And isn’t the whole design just a tad basic?

Tavia: 7.000

Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3

I want to like this leo so badly, but the gold stripe is just too thick. The way the gold meets the armpit bothers me, and I can’t quite get over it. I also wish there was something other than that block “W” on the chest. I do like the back and the “purple rain” idea, though.

Florida: 6.500

View an image of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 5.200

Design 1.6/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 1.6/3

We got a new designer, they said. They won’t all look the same anymore, they said. Well, I saw this pic from afar and thought, oh, that looks like a leo they already have. So good job with that. I like parts of this design, like the thin-strap back and the front piping, but I don’t care for the light blue band/bra situation on the chest or the boxy nature of the overall front design. The various shade of blue are nice. Also, for some reason Florida stopped putting any school spirit on its leos. No F, no gators, no Florida, no nothing except the Bailey ribbon and SEC logo. I don’t get it.

Mary Emma: 7.000

Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

I will give Florida some points for it looking slightly different than its other leos, but I did have to do a double take to see if it had been worn before. That being said, I really do like the design. I wish there was a bit less of a stark contrast between the light blue chest and the rest of the leo, but the ombre sleeves and the shades of blue are a win for me.

Talitha: 7.700

Design 2.5/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.4/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3

Look, I like this leotard. I agree that it’s not the most original, but it’s quite similar in color and style to some of my all-time favorite Florida leotards. The chest part of the leotard is also gorgeous.

Tavia: 6.100

Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

I mean… It’s another all-blue leotard from Florida. If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen about 20. I do like the contrast the Gators created within this monochromatic look. It’s giving me a structured corset vibe. I like the concept of the strappy back, but I think they needed more than four. There’s a strange gap on the outside of the keyhole that’s throwing me off.

 

UCLA: 6.325

View the image of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 7.700

Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3

I actually like this. The nude does a pretty good job of matching most of the gymnasts’ skin tones and I think they even used more than two shades since to me Chae Campbell’s looked darker than, say, Sekai Wright’s, which was darker than Chloe Lashbrook’s. I like the asymmetrical, diagonal design, and the shades of blue are great too.

Mary Emma: 4.700

Design 0.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.0/3

I don’t like this design at all. I’m usually not a fan of asymmetrical designs, and of course nude mesh faux necklines are almost always a no for me. The blue shade used is pretty though

Talitha: 6.400

Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3

Excuse me, but what’s that asymmetric nude section of the leotard and why exactly is it there? Unfortunately, that’s all I can think about. The rest of the design is actually very nice. It’s a shame it was ruined like that.

Tavia: 6.500

Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

The faux neckline would be a lot more believable if it wasn’t outlined in blue… I honestly almost like this leo, especially if I close one eye and pretend the nude cut out doesn’t exist. I like the jewel patterns and the way this leo sparkled on TV.  

Nebraska: 5.425

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 5.000

Design 1.2/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.3/3

This one is…not for me. I hate how the body is so solid compared to the sleeves, making it look like a tank with sleeves put on as an afterthought. I do think a black bottom would have looked better as well. The back is nice though.

Mary Emma: 6.300

Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3

This could have been really good, but the sleeves not matching the rest of the leo really throws it off. I really like the pattern used though. 

Talitha: 5.500

Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.3/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3

As I said above, flowery patterns are not for me, nor are random crystal patterns on the chest. It also doesn’t look very Nebraska. I quite like the black waistband, though, and the open back.

Tavia: 4.900

Design 1.2/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.2/3

I really don’t want to get labeled the “designated hater,” but I don’t know about this. What do butterflies have to do with Cornhuskers? I kind of like the idea of a patterned sleeve. I wish the bottom was black instead of red and the “Nebraska” lettering wasn’t such a thick font, though.

Oklahoma: 5.375

View the images of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 3.500

Design 0.5/3, Fabric 0.3/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 0.8/3

I’m normally the biggest OU defender because even its weird design choices are bad in a weird but good way. But I hate this. I hate the pink and red combo. I hate the holographic fabric. I hate the collar that looks like it was put on top of the original design as an afterthought. I am curious about why Oklahoma is using pink this season—both new leos have incorporated it. Is there a reason or did KJ just decide she liked the color now?

Mary Emma: 7.100

Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

Pretty sure I’m in the minority, but I actually like this. I do wish they had just committed to the pink rather than try to blend it with the school colors. Maybe it’s just because I love the ombre sleeves so much, but it’s not bad.

Talitha: 5.200

Design 1.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.3/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3

I’m not a fan of the pink and red combination—it doesn’t scream OU to me. It also looks rather similar to other Oklahoma leotards we’ve recently seen. Finally, I really dislike the neckline with the big block letters. Why would you think that’s a good idea?

Tavia: 5.700

Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.4/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3

The pink to white ombre makes me think that the maroon fabric bled in the wash, and I know that’s not the case. I’m not really understanding the fascination OU is having with adding pink to its designs this year. The neckline is just strange, and why are huge block letters necessary on every Sooner design? We know you’re Oklahoma. It’s OK. I will say, I like the use of maroon jewels here. 

Southern Utah: 5.225

View a video of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 7.100

Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

I like the feather concept here, and the way the front rhinestones spread out sort of like a bird fits with the overall theme. Overall a solid, high-school spirit leo.

Mary Emma: 5.500

Design 1.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 1.4/3

This is one of two feather sleeved leos we got this week, and I have to say this is my least favorite of the two. The pattern on the sleeves is cool, but I don’t love the gray color and the cut between the sleeves and the body of the leo is a bit awkwardly placed.

Talitha: 4.700

Design 0.8/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 0.9/3

I don’t like this, sorry. I don’t like most feathery/flowery patterns, so I’m not a fan of the sleeves. And the chest design just looks a bit sad.

Tavia: 3.600

Design 0.7/3, Fabric 0.3/1, Sparkle 0.2/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 0.7/3

Just no. I get what we were going for here, but I cannot get behind the gray and red wings. Maybe black and red would’ve been better? The “SUU” vertically down the middle of the chest is also a hard pass from me. 

BONUS! Texas Woman’s Throwback from 1997: 7.825

View the image of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 8.500

Design 2.5/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3

You know very well by now that I love when teams wear throwback designs, and I love it even more when they wear the actual leos from decades past. This is from 1997! The velvet is obviously amazing, and the design is pretty solid, too. Plus, it just looks SO comfy—something you probably can’t say about a lot of today’s leos.

Mary Emma: 7.300

Design 2.0/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, Theme Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

I’m not usually as big of a fan of throwback leos as my fellow editors, but as older leos go, this one is pretty nice! I do like the shade of red used, and it looks very comfortable.

Talitha: 7.200

Design 2.0/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

Oh, a throwback velvet leotard—how 2000! It really does seem to belong to another decade, but I quite like it.

Tavia: 8.300

Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3

This leo is this nostalgic girl’s dream come true. I love the shade of maroon, the neckline and the key hole back so much. We need more leos like this in the NCAA!

BONUS! Arizona Pride Warmup: 7.500

View more images of this leotard here.

Elizabeth: 7.500

Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3

I love how the wildcat on the front isn’t just in rainbow colors, but you can see the actual flag in it with the triangle design. I also love the little bit of ruchine on the back. If you can’t have a full competition leo for Pride, this is a good second choice.

Mary Emma: 6.900

Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3

This is fine. It’s a bit hard to judge warmup leos because they don’t usually have as much going on as actual competition leos, but my favorite part is definitely the rainbow ruching on the back.

Talitha: 8.100

Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3

The use of the rainbow flag is so smart here, I love it. And that rainbow ruching on the back is so beautiful. I’d love to have a blouse like that at home!

Tavia: 7.500

Design 2.1/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, Theme Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3

I really like the concept of incorporating the pride flag into the wildcat logo. It screams comfy, team spirit and pride all at once, so this leo gets the job done. 

Fan Poll

Congrats to California for winning the week seven fan poll! Vote for your favorite from week eight here.

READ THIS NEXT: Leotard Rankings: Week 7

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Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Mary Emma Burton, Talitha Ilacqua and Tavia Smith

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