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 Allison, Mariah, Mary Emma, Alyssa, Katherine and 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.
Brockport: 7.971
View an image of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.300
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
When I first saw this on Brockport’s social media during the preseason, I fell in love. The mix of yellow and green is utter perfection. I also think the design works well with it. A huge win here for the Golden Eagles! This leo is good good, not just DIII good.
Allison: 8.000
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
The world needs more green leos, and I’m so glad that Brockport leaned right into it and didn’t shy away with the multiple shades of green or even the yellow. The sparkles, the design—I love everything about it.
Mariah: 7.900
Design 2.7/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
I love this! Green and gold is not the easiest color combo to work with, but they hit it out of the park here. I love the geometric design on the front and the way it continues around to the back. I’m glad this is a DIII leo so we know we will get to see a lot more of it instead of it being worn only a couple times and then mysteriously retired like some DI designs.
Mary Emma: 8.400
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
LOVE this! Green and yellow can be a hard combination to pull off, but Brockport does a good job here. I love the green to yellow ombre throughout, and the shade of green on the bottom is lovely.
Alyssa: 7.800
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
I really love this. I am a fan of ombre, and the use of the ombre on top paired with the metallic bottom works really well. I would have loved this leo for a bigger team too, which makes it more impressive coming out of DIII.
Katherine: 7.600
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
The colors on this look so cool and stand out a lot; I think it’s the shiny material that brings them out. I love the sparkles going into the B on the back as well. This is definitely my favorite design of the bunch.
Emma: 7.800
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
This weirdly reminds me of SharkTales but in a good way? What a beautiful way to incorporate the school colors, and the foil just really adds to it all.
Springfield: 7.686
Elizabeth: 7.900
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
This is great! I like how the white is more of a gray-white, and the design on the top is nice and geometric. I also like the shade of red—it really makes the leo pop. A good one for Springfield that does a lot with what i assume is a limited budget.
Allison: 8.600
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.8/3
No notes. Collar? Love it. The strappy corset-style back with the color layers? Oh yes. The sparkles throughout for embellishment? Yes. I think just the shoulder area on the back throws me off. Otherwise, perfection.
Mariah: 7.600
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
This is so pretty! The gray and white contrast the perfect amount, and the design is really elegant. It also has just the right amount of sparkle. The only thing I don’t love is the transition at the shoulder seam. If they kept the sleeves the same fabric as the rest of the leo or maybe if the front was more of a halter-style cut that tapered in toward the neckline, it would be less jarring. It’s a small imperfection though, and I can’t wait to see Springfield in this more next season.
Mary Emma: 7.700
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
This is gorgeous! It’s simple but classy and elegant. I do wish the white on the arms was the same color as the body of the leo, but I really like the back and the colors used.
Alyssa: 7.000
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
Let me start by saying that I love the back. I normally don’t like fabric behind back straps, but the red behind it adds to the look in a way I appreciate. The design on the front is solid too.
Katherine: 7.400
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.3/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
This is super pretty. I like that the white back straps go over red mesh instead of just the gymnast’s skin, and that that red goes into the bottom of the leo as well. The front textures also look cool.
Emma: 7.600
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
This is absolutely stunning! The grayish-white compliments the red so well, and the matte isn’t overshadowed by the rhinestone placements. The shoulders on the back are so classy, and I love the belt and high collar! Springfield knocked it out of the park.
Ursinus: 7.300
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.200
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
Ooo! You go, Ursinus! What an absolute glow up from the other leos in the Bears’ closet. This is fantastic. I like the fact that it’s shimmery without having obvious rhinestones, and the pairing of yellow with the red and black works well without being too McDonalds. And of course I love the back. Far and away Ursinus’ best leo to date.
Allison: 8.500
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
This is the perfect strappy back. It’s strappy without being overdone and it matches beautifully with the other shade of red. I am DELIGHTED that the ombré runs front to back and the glitter design throughout? The design on the front? I love this leo.
Mariah: 6.700
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I think I’m in the minority here, but I don’t love the front and how the yellow design abruptly stops at the shoulder seams. However, the back is beautiful, and the leotard overall is very nice. It looks unique, and the amount of sparkle is great. For some reason, I’m really loving the minimal sparkles on the mesh sleeves. I don’t know why, but it just looks great with this design and not boring at all.
Mary Emma: 8.500
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3
This is great! My two favorite leo trends are ombre and cool patterns, and this one combines both! The back is also gorgeous as is the silvery shimmer.
Alyssa: 6.600
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
I feel like this leo has a lot of potential but was maybe not executed the way I would have liked to see. I love the back and I like how the pattern has an ombre effect, but I think you need to lean into the ombre more for that so it isn’t such a difference up top.
Katherine: 6.500
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
This is really pretty. The front design is beautiful and combines the contrasting colors perfectly. I like how the sparkles on the back are concentrated in the one small portion in the middle; coupled with the crossed bands, it’s a great look.
Emma: 6.100
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
I think the thought was there, but I just don’t like how it all came together on the leo. It feels a bit busy to me, and I wish the ombre didn’t cover the gold design. I wish there was more on the sleeves too so the focus isn’t entirely on the front.
La Crosse: 6.829
View a video of this leotard here and images here.
Elizabeth: 6.500
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
La Crosse always does such a good job taking a stock design and making it look not at all like a leo I’ve seen before. The ombre here is fantastic, especially in the side cutouts, and I like the use of different shades of neutrals with the silver, gray and black. It’s not my favorite La Crosse leo of all time, but it’s far from bad.
Allison: 7.000
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
Black leos—the tuxedo of leos. I love the elegance and the perfection. I love the mesh cutouts on the side and the black to red ombre on the arms, along with the gemstones down the arms and all over the mesh in general. I would have preferred maybe a different design on the front, but honestly, I’m fine with it how it is. This is an excellent way to use a small budget to make a splash.
Mariah: 6.500
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
This definitely seems like a stock design to me, but it’s very well done. I’m normally not a fan of side cutouts, but I don’t mind it in this instance, and I think it adds to the butterfly design of the stoning. I wish the colors used in the ombre were a little richer, but overall this is a hit.
Mary Emma: 6.900
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
Yes, it’s a stock design, but it’s really well done and very La Crosse. Obviously the use of ombre is always a win for me, and I don’t even mind the side cutouts.
Alyssa: 6.900
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I really like this one. I like how it looks on the gymnasts, including the side cut outs that don’t always look great. Even though it is not the most unique, it was executed well.
Katherine: 7.000
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.4/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
This is nice. The front design reminds me of a butterfly, and I like the criss-crossing design of the sparkles. It’s not the most spirited, but it’s a pretty and classy design.
Emma: 7.000
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
This is so pretty and elegant! I love the color depth of the mesh on the side cutouts, and the rhinestones are so classy and complement the side cutouts.
Oshkosh: 6.571
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 6.800
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
This is good overall, however the front chest straps looked a bit weird actually on the gymnasts and in motion. I like the simplicity, though, with the pop of yellow. It’s hard to be a DIII team with a limited budget yet still find ways to have unique leotards. Oshkosh succeeded with that here.
Allison: 6.400
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I am a massive, massive fan of black leos, so loving this one was a total given for me. I love the strappy back and the fact that the same design makes its way to the front. The sparkles on sparkles, and using the sparkles to make designs, absolutely delights me. And sparkles on straps. And the mesh sleeves are black. Love this.
Mariah: 7.200
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
This leo is so sparkly! I’m not that crazy about the chest strappage, but overall I think this is a great design. Despite being on a DIII budget, this leo accomplishes a lot and really isn’t dissimilar from something a DI team might wear.
Mary Emma: 6.500
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
This is nice! When I say I want to see Iowa incorporate more yellow into its leos, this is along the lines of what I mean. The yellow accents are definitely my favorite part of this leo.
Alyssa: 5.900
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3
I really like the back here, and while I appreciate that the same straps are used in the front, I am not a fan of the strappy top. Nevertheless, it is a very solid leotard for Oshkosh.
Katherine: 6.700
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
I am also not the biggest fan of the front chest straps. They’re a unique element, but I just don’t like how they look. But below it, the front design is great; I always love a sparkle bomb. I also like the font of “UWO” on the back. This is overall a really solid effort.
Emma: 6.500
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
This is super cute! I love the pink and purple sparkles to really make the black pop, and the front straps were super cute. However, this leo looked a bit awkward in motion.
Cortland: 6.171
Elizabeth: 6.000
Design 1.6/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3
When I first saw this, I thought it was a near replica of the Utah design the Utes debuted last year. It’s slightly different, but an overall good leo for a DIII team. While I don’t care for the up-close pattern on the white part of the fabric, it does fit the “Red Dragons” theme since it looks a bit scaly, so I won’t judge it too hard. The white under the back straps, though, is a no for me, though.
Allison: 6.600
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I feel like Cortland came this-close to considering the addition of a dragon in gemstones to this leo and I sure wish they had BUT I love the overall design for the Red Dragons. I love that they included the same pattern throughout the leo, so that the sleeves didn’t look plain. Maybe a handful more sparkles for that little something extra but I really enjoy it.
Mariah: 5.600
Design 1.6/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.6/3
This isn’t really my style, but I think it works well and manages to incorporate school spirit without having a mascot or logo on the leo, which is pretty unique. My only major gripe is the white fabric under the back straps. It just seems unnecessary and throws off an otherwise cohesive design. I also wouldn’t complain about more sparkle.
Mary Emma: 5.700
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
This is fine. I appreciate the subtle nod to the dragon mascot, and the shade of red is nice. I think my main gripe with this one is the pattern on the white fabric. I just don’t really like the way it looks.
Alyssa: 6.300
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
This fits the school mascot very well. You can see how Cortland was leaning into the flames look. For a DIII leo this was great, I just would like it if there wasn’t fabric behind the back straps.
Katherine: 7.000
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
I like most of this. The flame motifs are an interesting take on school spirit for the Red Dragons. The front design reminds me a little of the flaming red heart emoji; I also like the flames on the sleeves. The one thing holding me back from a higher score is the back; I wish the straps went all the way to the edge of the rest of the red, because the rest of the white in the middle makes it look disjointed. But that’s a pretty niche complaint.
Emma: 6.000
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
I’m not a huge fan of this overall design, but I think it plays into the “Red Dragons” theme super well! The sleeves almost look…scaly, and I’m completely obsessed with it, as well with the red flames on the sleeves!
Brockport: 5.229
Elizabeth: 5.300
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, Theme Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
This is fine. It’s not my favorite stock design, but I like the shade of pink used. The design reminds me of Eagle wings, though, which works well for Brockprot.
Allison: 4.200
Design 1.1/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, Theme Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 1.4/3
It definitely relies hard on the stock design to get things done here, but I’m forgiving the pop this has since Brockport came out strong with the new leo. I could use some sparkles on the black stripes on the chest, and would’ve loved to see pink gemstones.
Mariah: 5.000
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, Theme Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
I’m not a huge fan of pink in general, so pink leos are not really my thing. However, this isn’t horrible, it’s just plain. It’s very much a stock design with little else going on, but it’s not a bad design by any means. I won’t fault Brockport too much because the other new leo it debuted is stunning, so if that meant it couldn’t spend very much on this pink leo, I’m fine with it.
Mary Emma: 6.500
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, Theme Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I don’t usually love this stock design—and I don’t usually love pink leos—but somehow this actually works for me. I really like that the pink is shimmery, and I think that’s what makes the leo for me.
Alyssa: 5.400
Design 1.4/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.3/1, Theme Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
I am not a fan of pink leos for themed meets in general, but it is not the worst stock design used, and I like the pink used here.
Katherine: 5.200
Design 1.4/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, Theme Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
It’s fine, but I’m bored. I know the budget is limited, but I’d have liked to see some more sparkles on the front. It also feels a little outdated as a stock design, like something you’d have seen at a Nastia Liukin Cup back in 2017.
Emma: 5.000
Design 1.4/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.3/1, Theme Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
This is okay, but it feels like more of a club leotard to me. I wish this had more going on because I really do love pink leotards! It just feels overdone, but this is forgiven because of how stunning Brockport’s other leotard is.
BONUS! Hamline: 6.186
Elizabeth: 7.800
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
My god it’s fantastic. Velvet! Shiny gunmetal grey! Red accents! This “classic” leo is just perfection, and I love everything about it. NCGA nationals is such a fun time to bring out the old leos, especially for teams that only qualified individuals. More of this! Let’s see individuals at NCAA nationals start a tradition of wearing their team’s throwback leos!
Allison: 8.000
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
I know this is a throwback, and I am so in love. The metallic bottom, the velvet up top, that old-school design… Honestly, I wouldn’t be mad if schools resurrected this design. More of this, thank you.
Mariah: 6.000
Design 1.9/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
This is a perfectly decent throwback leotard. The gunmetal fabric isn’t my absolute favorite, but it negates the need for sparkles and looks quite good when it’s toned down by the velvet sleeves. The design is quite classic in a way that makes it clear it’s a throwback leo, but somehow it manages to also not look overly outdated and of its time.
Mary Emma: 6.700
Design 1.9/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
While I don’t necessarily love this, I do love seeing a throwback leo, and this one is pretty good. The gunmetal body is a bit much, but it’s definitely not something you see often. I do love the black velvet though.
Alyssa: 6.600
Design 1.6/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.4/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
Great throwback! This is such a simple design, but what makes it work really well is the gunmetal body that makes it so you don’t need to do much else.
Katherine: 3.600
Design 0.6/3, Fabric 0.4/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.4/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 0.7/3
Ah man, this is a miss for me. Gunmetal elements are cool in isolation, but having the entire body be that makes it seem like the gymnast’s wearing a piece of aluminum foil.
Emma: 4.600
Design 1.2/3, Fabric 0.2/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.4/3
It’s very retro, which I respect, but I just overall do not like it. The foil body is super distracting on it, and I wish it was a different color or incorporated someone else. But the simplicity still overall works well.
Fan Poll
Congrats to Temple for winning the conference championships fan poll! Vote for your favorite NCGA leo here.
READ THIS NEXT: Leotard Rankings: Conference Championships
Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Allison Freeman, Mariah Dawson, Mary Emma Brambila, Alyssa Van Auker, Katherine Weaver and Emma Hammerstrom
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The Brockport Leo would be a good Australia leo