It’s NCAA gymnastics season and the leotards are as sparkly as ever. And with new designs comes 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, sparkle, school spirit and uniqueness, and up to three points for overall appearance. This week Talitha, Mariah and Mary Emma are joining our editor-in-chief, Elizabeth, to help judge.
Don’t agree with our ranking? Make your opinion heard by voting in the fan poll at the end of the article each week or voicing your thoughts on social media. And, wondering where the new NCGA and USAG team leos are? Check out our ranking of those leotards the week after each respective national championship at the end of the season.
Kentucky: 8.325
View images of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.000
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I love this! It’s very similar to Kent State’s new leo this season, but it’s still good. It reminds me a bit of the ocean, and I love the ombre effect on the criss-cross design on the front.
Talitha: 8.100
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
I have mixed feelings about this one. I love the blue part; the criss-cross design, the shades of blue and the ombre effect are gorgeous. I also really like the back. I wish there was more of it, though. If the entire body was blue, I’d have liked it better.
Mariah: 8.400
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
This is stunning! The shade of blue is so pretty and stands out great against the white. This is also quite different from Kentucky’s other leos. I have nothing else to say—this is fantastic.
Mary Emma: 8.800
Design 2.7/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3
This is gorgeous! I love ombre anyway, but my favorite ombres are the ones with white incorporated, so this is a win. I also LOVE the strappy back.
Arizona State: 8.000
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.200
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I love this. The throwback feel is my jam, and I especially love the back. It’s so hard now to do a back that’s truly unique since all the obvious options have been done so much. This is perfectly Arizona State.
Talitha: 8.300
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
This is a winning (*wink*) leotard for Arizona State! The symmetry between the front and the back is very clever, and the back design is just extraordinary. Classy, unique and 100% on the school spirit. Exceptional job!
Mariah: 7.400
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
This is so cool! I really like how the gold trim connects throughout the entire design, and the open back is truly unique and unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The front on its own isn’t quite as exciting, but as part of the entire design it works really well.
Mary Emma: 8.100
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
When I saw the teaser, I thought it was just going to be basic boring leo, but seeing the whole thing now, I was definitely wrong! I love the shade of red used, and the back is unique and pretty cool. The trident in the front is a nice touch of school spirit.
Missouri: 7.575
View images of the front here and of the back and arms here.
Elizabeth: 7.900
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
This is great! I love the use of pearls instead of white rhinestones, and the yellow rhinestones are great as well. I also of course love the back, and the front design is good too. My only complaint is it’s a rhinestone design that was clearly made with the arms being down in mind. When the gymnasts had them up, it revealed a weird blank space that didn’t look amazing.
Talitha: 8.000
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
I didn’t love this leo as much at first sight as some people did, but it is a good design! The use of crystals on the front vaguely reminds me of a tiger, which is very clever. The back is beautiful, too. Good job, Missouri!
Mariah: 7.700
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
I like this a lot! The other black and gold schools should take notes. The rhinestone design looked fantastic on the broadcast, and the off-shoulder design is very different from anything Missouri has done in the past. My only gripe is that I wish the back was just open and didn’t include the horizontal straps.
Mary Emma: 6.700
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
This is pretty good! Black leos generally aren’t my favorite, but I like the rhinestone pattern and colors used in this one.
Eastern Michigan: 6.950
View images of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 6.500
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
I almost like this. I think what it needs is a bit more pop—like for the green to be brighter because unless you’re up close, it’s pretty dark and almost looks all back. I do like the sweetheart design on the front though.
Talitha: 7.700
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
I have a soft spot for green leotards, and this is no exception. The dark green shiny body is great and looks lovely on the gymnasts. The use of crystals is rather underwhelming, though.
Mariah: 6.800
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
I’m a sucker for a green leo, and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s nothing truly unique, but I like the sweetheart neckline and the green trim. The sparkly E on the sleeve adds a nice touch of school spirit.
Mary Emma: 6.800
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
This is fine. I do wish the green popped a bit more, but I love the sweetheart neckline.
Oklahoma: 6.725
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 6.800
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
I don’t dislike this as much as I should. Honestly, without the top overlay part, it would be really good. I just don’t like how that fabric lies on top of the other, and the holes it creates.
Talitha: 7.000
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
This is just fine. I don’t have strong feelings against it, but I also don’t have anything especially nice to say about it either. I guess I like how sparkly the upper part looks in motion. It certainly looks quite similar to other leos OU has worn before—no wonder many members of the gymternet didn’t recognize it as new. Also, the Sooners’ recent preference for pink-ish leotards still baffles me.
Mariah: 6.000
Design 1.6/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
This is very Oklahoma, but I’m not generally a huge fan of the Sooners’ designs. I don’t like the way the patterned sections seem to overlap each other. It just makes an already busy pattern seem even busier. The chest hole isn’t the worst I’ve seen, but I would prefer it if it wasn’t there.
Mary Emma: 7.100
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
Definitely an unpopular opinion, but I rather like this one. I like a good funky pattern every once in a while, and I do quite like how this one looks.
Utah State: 6.550
View a video of the leotard here and images of the details here.
Elizabeth: 6.600
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
Love a throwback. The velvet is great, and I like how the rhinestones elevate this design to be a bit more modern.
Talitha: 6.500
Design 1.6/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
I love the blue velvet part! The mesh sleeves and the use of crystals look slightly cheap, but overall a great throwback leotard.
Mariah: 6.400
Design 1.9/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
This is very pleasant! It’s nothing too exciting, but there’s nothing I don’t like about it. I really like the velvet, and this is actually a pretty sparkly leo for Utah State. If I could change one thing, I would just make the sweetheart neckline dip down a little less.
Mary Emma: 6.700
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
I do appreciate a good throwback leo, and this is a good one from Utah State! Love the use of crushed velvet and the added sparkle is nice too.
Rutgers: 5.975
View a video of this leotard here and images here.
Elizabeth: 6.300
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
This is OK, but there are a couple weird things about it I don’t love. The front cut sort of looks like a spaghetti strap dress with mesh sleeves. The back lace fabric is weird how it goes over the mesh. The ode to RBG doily is fine—better than when Sac State attempted it. Overall, it’s one of those leos where I don’t care for the individual parts, but as a whole it’s pretty good.
Talitha: 6.200
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
Oh, I love the idea behind this leotard, and it’s a shame that the rendition was not quite up to the job. If the whole body was made of velvet instead of having a solid lace top half, and if the jewel effect of the crystals on the belt and the neck matched, this would have been a glorious leotard. Extra point for the back of the belt.
Mariah: 5.500
Design 1.3/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3
This isn’t bad, but it’s not great either. I like the RBG sentiment, but I don’t like how the rhinestones lie over the seams of the mesh. I’m also not a fan of the lace fabric on the top. I do, however, enjoy the velvet, and I think the rhinestone belt design is really pretty—just not with the other components of this look.
Mary Emma: 5.900
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
This is OK. This is one of those designs where I feel like they were trying to do too many things at once, yet it still is a bit boring. I will say I love the use of velvet though.
Iowa: 5.575
View images of this leotard here and an image of the back and view of what the darker nude mesh looks like here.
Elizabeth: 6.900
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.4/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3
I don’t hate this as much as I know most people will. The design itself, not taking the nude into account, it’s really nice—and I love the back. I also like the rhinestone design on the sleeves. What I would change to make this a really good leo would be making the sleeves black mesh instead of nude. I don’t mind nude mesh in general, but I don’t like it when it’s paired with white.
Talitha: 3.400
Design 0.5/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 0.5/3
I really dislike this leotard. I don’t like nude mesh as a concept, but this rendition is especially ugly. It looks shiny, and it doesn’t even remotely match the gymnasts’ skin tone. The leotard design is also not of my taste at all. It looks like one of those dubious ice skating leotards, which I hope will never become mainstream in gymnastics.
Mariah: 5.900
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
I agree with Elizabeth. This would look so much better with black mesh, and then Iowa would actually be using all of its school colors for what would seem like the first time ever. The design itself is actually quite nice. I like the open back, but I think it would look better without the random gold strap. I also don’t love the side mesh cutouts, but once again, if it was black, I think it would bother me less.
Mary Emma: 6.100
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 1.4/3
Iowa, when we said we wanted you to put more yellow in your leos, we didn’t mean like THAT! I will say I like the gold trim, and I appreciate that the nude mesh matches the gymnasts’ skin tones, but I just don’t like nude mesh as a concept. This would look so much better if they did a yellow ombre or just plain white sleeves instead.
California: 5.000
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 5.300
Design 1.3/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.4/3
Yeah, no. It’s not even the polka dots that are so bad, but the way the center line on the front goes all the way to the neckline is bad and reminds me of the UC Davis tie leo, which I hate. Plus, in the video you can tell there’s already rhinestones missing from some of the polka dots on the back.
Talitha: 5.100
Design 1.3/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
Oh Cal, why… The polka dots are such a strange choice to start with, but it’s the blue upper part of the body that really puts me off. The cut is weird and seems rather random. Frankly, this looks a bit like a pajamas.
Mariah: 4.800
Design 0.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.4/3
So, I hate this. It’s certainly unique, so I’ll give it points for that, but polka dots have no business being incorporated into leotard design in this way. I also don’t like the neckline, and I find the actual design of the leotard, not including the mesh pattern, pretty uninspired.
Mary Emma: 4.800
Design 1.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.2/3
Ooof. I will admit it looked better in motion than it does in pictures, but who thought adding polka dots to a perfectly good leo was a good idea.
Fan Poll
Congrats to BYU for winning the Week 6 fan poll! Vote for your favorite from Week 7 here.
READ THIS NEXT: Leotard Rankings: Week 6
Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Talitha Ilacqua, Mariah Dawson and Mary Emma Brambila
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