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 Carolyn, Katherine and Talitha 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!
Ohio State: 7.600
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 7.800
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
This is close to being so good, but the top cuts off way too drastically. Make the whole thing ombre or make a smoother transition into black. It looks on from afar, but in still images or up close, the cutoff just looks off putting.
Carolyn: 6.600
Design 1.9/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
I’m not the biggest fan of the crossing fabric on the back, but I will admit that the back would look funky if the straps weren’t there. I love the big Ohio State made of sparkles on the chest and the effort to include ombre, but my biggest drawback is how and where the ombre just stops. The leo would have been so much better if the ombre continued down.
Katherine: 8.100
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
This is my favorite design of the week. The logo looks really cool in the sparkles, and I love the shade of ombre used. My one complaint is the black line at the top of the back; it looks a little out of place.
Talitha: 7.900
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
The chest design made out of crystals is lovely, and the use of ombre is very pretty too—I love that shade of gray. The shade of red is a bit too orange-y for my taste, though.
Illinois: 7.600
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.300
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
This is great! I love the front design, and the back is fab. I also like the ombre sleeves. My only thing is I don’t care for the shade of orange used, but that’s more of a me thing than anything else.
Carolyn: 5.400
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.3/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 1.3/3
Oof. This leo looks better in motion than in pictures because boy does that orange color look nasty in photos. Ombre arms and the design by the neck are pluses, which just leaves me with one question: Are the back straps velvet?
Katherine: 7.700
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
The front design is especially nice on this. My one complaint would be the little sparkle ray designs in the front; they’re cute in theory, but I don’t like how they work with the rest of the design.
Talitha: 9.000
Design 2.8/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3
Oh, I really like this one! I’m usually not a fan of metallic colors, but this shade of orange is one of the few good ones and the whole design is so unique and “female warrior” like. I’m here for women’s empowerment and for a fantastic back!
West Virginia: 7.400
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 7.200
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
I was waiting for West Virginia to debut this leo! I think this is my favorite version of a strappy back. Arkansas has a similar design that I also enjoy. I like the sleeve design here, too. The yellow is just enough. The only thing I don’t like is how the rhinestones near the neckline stop, leaving a gap with nothing.
Carolyn: 7.100
Design 2.8/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.4/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
WVU just keeps improving its leo game, and this is a step toward that direction! This leo kinda gives me Illinois vibes, but that could just be the lighting in the video. I like the high neck, the perfect amount of sparkle used, and LOVE these kinds of open/strappy backs because they add to the theme of elegance combined with athleticism.
Katherine: 8.200
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
This is a cool, unique design. I like the yellow and white triangular pattern and can’t recall any leos where I’ve seen that before, especially around the rhinestones like that. WVU always seems to come up with something interesting.
Talitha: 7.400
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I quite like this one. I love the strappy back mimicking the WV letters, it’s a clever choice. The front is fine, too, and the use of crystals is nice. The one thing I really don’t like is the weird yellow pattern on the white sleeves.
Michigan: 7.200
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 7.400
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
The back of this is great, but the front is pretty boring. I would have liked to have seen yellow rhinestones—or yellow in general—incorporated, but the design overall is good. I also like the font used for Michigan on the back.
Carolyn: 7.700
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3
This reminds me of that new Iowa leo that debuted a couple weeks ago. Very symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing leo. Some yellow anywhere would be nice, but other than that I love it!
Katherine: 7.000
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
Some incorporation of yellow would have made this leo pop for me, but it is a nice design overall. I do really like the back with the criss cross ribbons and Michigan font.
Talitha: 6.700
Design 2.1/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
I absolutely LOVE the back. Can I have a dress looking like that, please and thank you. The front is not bad, but it’s hardly unique and the use of large crystals is slightly tacky.
Minnesota: 7.150
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 9.900
Design 3.0/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 3.0/3
This is a top five all-time leo for me. It’s phenomenal. I love everything from the shiny red paired with matte white to the thicker rhinestone detailing at the edge of the two fabrics to the unique strappy back. Absolutely fantastic design.
Carolyn: 3.800
Design 1.0/3, Fabric 0.4/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.3/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 0.8/3
Girl what? Unpopular opinion: I could do without this leo. The white doesn’t look like it’s supposed to be there (looks more like an absence of color in a bad way), the sparkle lines on the front don’t line up with the maroon lines in the design, and this leo just overall makes the gymnasts’ torsos look longer than they really are. Not my fave.
Katherine: 7.400
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I am also not obsessed with this, but it’s a nice design. The design on the front is beautiful; I really like the sparkles in the V toward the bottom. It’s also got a nice strappy back. The one thing that feels weird is the lack of yellow, kind of like how I feel about Michigan’s leotard; I’ve just gotten used to it in most Minnesota designs.
Talitha: 7.500
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.4/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
The more I look at this leotard, the more I see the details and the more I like it. The crystal “belt” is exquisite, the back is SO good and the metallic red is stunning. If you have to use a stock design, this is how you do it. The only thing that makes me lukewarm is that I keep thinking this would make a great Oklahoma leotard.
Kentucky: 7.075
Elizabeth: 7.800
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I like! The front is lovely. The subtle wave and ombre work well together, plus I like the white mesh sleeves. The back reminds me of a BYU leo. While I prefer it to be completely open, I think they did it the non-open way well.
Carolyn: 4.700
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.4/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 0.9/3
I feel like nowadays almost all of Kentucky’s leos look the same, and this one is no exception. Totally random thought here, but the back is giving me BYU vibes. Gosh, that back is just a no-no for me. What is the point of the white?
Katherine: 7.800
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
This is very Kentucky. I love the vine sparkle pattern on the front; it looks beautiful against the ombre. I also love the sparkles toward the top of the front. I would have liked to see a more open back, but that part isn’t bad.
Talitha: 8.000
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
Oh! The front is lovely, the use of ombre is truly exquisite and the amount of sparkle is just about right. I don’t really like the back, I would have preferred it without the mesh white part. If I didn’t know it was a Kentucky leo, I would have also thought it was a BYU one.
Illinois State: 6.325
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 6.200
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I love the back, and if not for it, this would be a pretty boring leo overall. However, for Illinois State being the Redbirds, it works.
Carolyn: 7.300
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
OOOH LOVE. This leo is so timeless and pops really well. I love the simplicity to it and that shiny red color. Well done ISU!
Katherine: 5.500
Design 1.6/3, Fabric 0.4/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 1.6/3
The sparkle-encrusted “Redbirds” looks pretty and spirited, but when that’s the only notable thing about the leo, it makes for a pretty boring design. I also don’t really like the fabric used.
Talitha: 6.300
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
This is good in its simplicity. The back is perhaps so complicated it becomes chaotic.
N.C. State: 5.425
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 6.100
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
The front of this is great, but the back is SUPER boring. I love the ombre, and the colors, but I feel like the back could have been spruced up with something. The wolf logo, colored rhinestones, straps—anything.
Carolyn: 4.700
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.3/1, Uniqueness 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 1.3/3
Meh. Just another stock leo in my opinion. Doesn’t really shout N.C. State to me, but at least they came out with another flattering leo for the collection.
Katherine: 5.800
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.6/3
I feel like the line of mesh down the middle of the red part is weird. The wolf logo is a nice touch, but it could have been moved to the back to make it less boring. Overall, this is just OK to me.
Talitha: 5.100
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.2/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
Meh, this is rather boring to me. It’s a good stock design, but nothing was really done to improve or personalize it. The red part on the chest looks pale and a bit sad.
Bonus! Washington: 8.550
View an image of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 9.100
Design 2.8/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
Yes, Washington! Slap some white to purple ombre sleeves on this baby and it’s an all-timer! I don’t even care that the idea isn’t original.
Carolyn: 7.800
Design 2.7/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
Oh cute! Although the skyline is the center of attention in this leo, I also like the low back cutout and the placement of Geneva’s face in the photo. This practice leo would be STELLAR if made into a long-sleeve competition leo.
Katherine: 8.500
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
If you’re a school in a city, you should incorporate that city into your leotards. Bar none. Good job understanding the assignment, Washington.
Talitha: 8.800
Design 2.8/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
Yes, and I mean, yes! More city-inspired leotards, please, especially if the design is purple and black. It’s so dreamy, so classy, so everything I want to see. Can we make it into a competition leotard soon, please?
Fan Poll
Congrats to UCLA for winning the week nine fan poll! Vote for your favorite from week 10 here.
READ THIS NEXT: Leotard Rankings: Week 9
Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Carolyn Lien, Katherine Weaver and Talitha Ilacqua
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