The Paris Games are right around the corner, which means Olympic gymnastics will be here before we know it! We wanted to take the time to sit down and reminisce on our Olympic memories and collegiate Olympians.
What’s your earliest Olympic memory?
Elizabeth: While I was alive for Atlanta and conscious for Sydney, the first Olympics I was really into was Athens. I remember bringing my gymnastics highlights DVD to team camp for us to watch during lunch, trying to get all my teammates as into it as I was.
Emma: I remember watching Gabby Douglas win all-around gold in London, albeit in hazy flashes since it was so long ago. Gymnastics definitely didn’t have me hooked at that point because I was in fourth grade, but Gabby was the talk of the school for weeks.
Aaron: My earliest memory is watching the team final in 2012 and being mesmerized by Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber on vault. At the time, I was too young to appreciate the beauty of Mckayla Maroney’s vault, but I remember being inspired by all five girls on the London team.
Katie: Sydney 2000. I had a poster of Svetlana Khorkina on my bedroom wall from International Gymnast magazine. My mum had set the VHR to record the gymnastics events that were being televised overnight, and I remember being so excited to wake up and watch Khorkina compete!
Tara: The first Olympics I remember watching was 2008. I remember watching with my older sister and family, and I loved Shawn Johnson. The rest of my memory is pretty hazy—I’d say the first Olympics I truly remember details of is 2012, also the Olympics that made me a hardcore gym fan.
Naomi: When I was 10, I found Aly Raisman’s 2012 gold medal floor routine and was hooked! When I was at my grandparents’ house, I took advantage of my extra screen time there to watch 2012 gymnastic videos over and over.
Alyssa: My mom would watch gymnastics at the Olympics when I was growing up, and I remember her watching the Beijing Games. I think I was sleeping or at dance or gymnastics during those competitions, but I remember seeing news clips after Shawn Johnson won beam gold.
Peri: The 2004 Games were the first time I saw gymnastics on TV, thanks to Kyle Shewfelt putting Canada on the rest of the world’s radar.
Julianna: 2008 is my first memory of watching the Olympics; I remember very distinctly there being a storm and my Mom and I sitting on the couch crossing our fingers for the power to stay on. 2008 is my first memory, but I don’t really remember much from that; my first real memory of actually staying up late to watch the team final would be in 2012 a night or two before my 12th birthday and just being so overjoyed that I was able to watch.
Emily L: My earliest Olympic memory was during the London Olympics when my mom was introducing my sister and me to the sport. Neither of us had ever watched vault before, and when we saw it for the first time, we said, “That’s it?!” I have a much bigger appreciation for vault now than I did when I was younger!
Jessica: Nothing lives rent-free in my head more than Carly Patterson winning all-around in 2004. However, what inspired me to get into gymnastics was watching Shawn Johnson on beam in 2008. Leading up to the Olympics that year, I somehow memorized her beam routine and remember standing in the living room doing bits of it with her when she was on TV.
What’s your most memorable Olympic moment?
Elizabeth: It might not necessarily be my favorite, but the one that sticks out most to me is Carly Patterson’s Olympic all-around win (and the men’s all-around final controversy). It was a huge deal then for an American woman to win gold 20 years after Mary Lou Retton accomplished the feat first.
Emma: Recency bias aside, my most memorble moment is definitely Sunisa Lee winning the all-around title. She and Rebeca Andrade made it an exciting competition from start to finish, and that podium was such a great representation of the rising stars of that quad.
Aaron: Watching Simone Biles pull out of the team final in Tokyo was quite memorable. While I don’t remember it for the most positive reasons, I remember the shock I felt and seeing the world’s reaction in real-time. It was very early in the morning for me, and once she vaulted, I immediately felt a burst of adrenaline.
Katie: I was lucky enough to be at the women’s floor final in London, and watching Aly Raisman win the gold medal was so special.
Tara: On a more granular level, the stuck McKayla Maroney Amanar from the 2012 team final will live rent-free in my head forever.
Naomi: I think the 2020 all-around competition was one of the most exciting in a while. It was so hard to predict who was going to win, and Sunisa Lee’s victory was one of the most emotional moments of the Olympics for me.
Alyssa: My first Olympics after becoming more than a four-year fan was in Tokyo, and I am going to echo Emma by saying Sunisa Lee winning the all-around title is my most memorable moment. I was working at my grandma’s house and was begging the universe for Lee to win the title. I cried when I realized she did enough.
Peri: It’s hard to find words for how happy I was seeing Raisman’s floor victory in 2012 with a routine using Hava Nagila since I knew very few other Jewish gymnasts at the time. The emotions piled on even harder for me upon learning she dedicated her routine to the Munich Eleven.
Julianna: The 2016 all-around final has always stuck out to me, watching Simone win for the first time and Aly finally get her Olympic all-around medal after her comeback for a second Olympics. Watching Aly finish her final floor routine and knowing she did everything she could was so emotional and such a core memory for me surrounding the Olympics.
Emily L: I have to agree with Emma and Alyssa and say that Sunisa Lee’s all-around gold was super memorable for me. I remember when Rebeca Andrade went out of bounds on floor, and I knew that Suni had a chance!
Jessica: Echoing all the Suni all-around gold responses as it was truly iconic. I remember watching it at 5 a.m. in my hotel room, as I was on family vacation, and immediately crying when I realized she had done it. I was so proud and happy in that moment. Also, I LOVE Aly’s reaction after the floor final. The love and emotion that she expressed after finishing that routine brought my mom and me to tears.
Who has been your favorite Olympic gymnast from each quad?
Elizabeth: Everyone has a favorite Magnificent Seven member, and mine was Jaycie Phelps. I’m going to skip 2000 because I wasn’t really following gymnastics at that point yet—but I did develop favorites after the fact. Moving on to 2004, that trio on the team that went on to compete in college—the Courtneys and Terrin Humphrey—will always be nostalgic favorites for me, but I also loved Anna Pavlova. In 2008, the first name that immediately jumps into my head is my forever favorite Alexander Artemev. I know he’s a man, but I had to give him a mention. On the women’s side, Daria Joura, Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs, Alicia Sacramone, and Chellsie Memmel are my picks (I did my hair like Chellsie’s for my own competitions). In 2012 and 2016 I was always a big Aly Raisman, Brittany Rogers because of the Georgia connection, and Ellie Black.
Emma: I’ll go back to 2008 here. I have watched Cheng Fei’s team final floor about 30 times, and her picture perfect lines make her my favorite of that quad. For 2012, Aly Raisman. Can you tell I’m a floor girl? I became a real gymnastics fan in 2016, and that is all thanks to Laurie Hernandez and her ability to exude sheer joy in every routine. I’ll go ahead and pick a non-American for 2020, which would be Rebeca Andrade. Who doesn’t love a good comeback story? For this most recent quad, I have become a huge fan of Kaylia Nemour and how she has grown into a solid all-arounder. I am so excited to see her enjoy continued success in Paris!
Tara: My favorite in 2008 was definitely Shawn Johnson. For 2012, it’s harder to choose because that’s when I really got into the sport… I think it’s a toss up between Jordyn Wieber and Aly Raisman. In 2016, at the time it was probably Madison Kocian, but I slowly turned more into a Laurie Hernandez fan due to her infectious personality. I was also following college by that point and loved seeing Brittany Rogers’ journey from Georgia to Rio. For 2020, I was a Sunisa Lee girl with a soft spot for Grace McCallum and Jade Carey. I’d be remiss not to mention Simone Biles, too. I could carry a lot of favorites over from the 2020 quad to the current quad (especially on the U.S. front), but I’ll be different and say Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos.
Naomi: I’ll go back to 2012. Aly Raisman was my favorite and remains one of my favorite gymnasts of all time. I was rooting for Laurie Hernandez throughout 2016, and her floor routine is another one of my absolute favorites; I appreciate how she really broadened the definition of artistry to include non-balletic dance styles. For 2020, I’m going to say Mai Murakami. Watching her medal at her home (and last) Olympics was such a wonderful moment.
Alyssa: Going back to 2008, at the time it was Shawn Johnson, but now having watched more competitions, it’s Nastia Liukin. For 2012, I was a Gabby Douglas fan at the time, but now I would say Larisa Iordache. For 2016 I was a Madison Kocian girl, and 2020 was Sunisa Lee.
Peri: Starting in 2008, I remember obsessing over Anna Pavlova’s beam and floor. 2012 was my Aly year through and through. 2016 was Ellie Black after being able to follow her while I was in high school. For 2020, I was drawn to the entire floor final and how all eight of them left the Olympics with a medal. Going into 2024, I’m still pulling for the Canadians, and now also for Lihie Raz after having competed with her a few years ago.
Julianna: From 2008, I was always, and still am, such a big Shawn Johnson fan, so seeing her compete in the Olympics is something I will always remember. My vote for 2012 would be Jordyn Weiber; I was truly her biggest fan leading up to those Games. In 2016, I would say watching Aly Raisman make her comeback stands out to me; I was always rooting for her, as well as Laurie Hernandez (repping New Jersey, how could I not?!). In these last Olympics, Suni Lee made such an impact on me from the beginning, and watching her win the all-around final was so special.
Emily L: In 2012, I was a huge fan of Gabby Douglas. Her passion and joy made her so fun to watch. In 2016, Laurie Hernandez was hands-down my favorite. It’s impossible not to smile while watching that iconic floor routine! And of course, in 2020 I loved watching Suni Lee shock the world when she won the all-around.
Aaron: From 2012, my favorite gymnast is Aliya Mustafina. I always wonder what could have been had she not torn her ACL in 2011. From 2016 until now, it’s Simone Biles. People are so used to seeing her amazing gymnastics at this point, but it’s insane. There truly has never been another gymnast, male or female, who is as dominant as Simone Biles. I never thought that the skills she is doing would ever be performed in women’s gymnastics, and on top of that, she is a great person and role model to people of any age.
Jessica: From 2004, I have to say Mohini Bhardwaj and Svetlana Khorkina. I could watch their gymnastics all day if it was possible. From 2008, I’m a Shawn Johnson girly through and through, but the entire U.S. team was always so inspiring and fun to watch. From 2012, I’m going to echo Aaron and say Aliya Mustafina. She was one of my favorite gymnasts for years… Unfortunately her knees had other plans. From 2016, Aly, Laurie, and Flávia Saraiva just brought me so much joy to watch; their journeys are also so inspiring. From 2020, anyone who won a medal is just *insert heart eyes emoji here*. Currently, Simone and Suni. To overcome the battles they have and be in their best shape is astonishing and inspiring.
Who is your favorite Olympian who competed in college?
Elizabeth: I loved loved loved Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs as an elite, so when she decided to do college gymnastics, I was so excited. Also, Allyse Ishino (she was an alternate but I’m counting it) as an elite was one of my favorites from that 2004 quad. I also can’t really decide which question to put Bridget Sloan, this one or the following, as I loved her as both an elite and at Florida.
Aaron: Sunisa Lee is definitely one of my favorites. Her gymnastics is honestly special—no one else in the United States has the lines, the toe point, and the execution like her. Her comeback after battling two kidney diseases is so inspiring, and I can’t wait to watch her crush it in Paris.
Tara: Jessica Lopez competed at Denver before I got into college, but I loved watching her continue elite after she graduated. I also loved Bridget Sloan at Florida and Samantha Peszek at UCLA—two gymnasts that got me into NCAA gymnastics. More recently, I have a soft spot for Grace McCallum, Jade Carey, and Sunisa Lee.
Alyssa: Sunisa Lee was the gymnast who converted me to being an all-the-time gymnastics fan, so it would have to be her. I love watching gymnasts who connect out of a Pak salto, and her floor in 2019 was fantastic.
Peri: Jessica Lopez, hands down. Seeing her make the 2016 Olympic bars final in such a stacked field was amazing to watch, nevertheless being 10 years after her college debut.
Julianna: Jordan Chiles competing for UCLA, bringing the energy to the collegiate floor, and matching that at the elite level has always been something I will admire her for. She truly exudes such joy in both environments, and her mentality has undoubtedly rubbed off on so many, which has really been invaluable for the sport across all levels.
Emily L: Jordan Chiles! Her difficulty and consistency makes her so fun to watch, and her passion for the sport is bringing the fun back into elite gymnastics.
Jessica: Bridget Sloan for sure! I loved her in Beijing, and I loved her even more as a Gator. Her spunk and energy made me fall in love with college gymnastics.
What about the opposite, your favorite NCAA gymnast who competed at the Olympics?
Elizabeth: I’ll always have a special love toward the Athens Olympians Courtney Kupets, Courntey McCool, and Terrin Humpfrey. The mid 2000s is when I really got into college gymnastics, and being from Georgia, the Courtneys’ era in particular is so nostalgic. Also shout out to Stella Umeh, Kate Richardson, and Tasha Schwikert.
Emma: I actually liked Madison Kocian more as an NCAA gymnast than an elite one! She has a clean and captivating floor presence that really shone during her time at UCLA. It was awesome to see her compete in a more laid-back environment.
Aaron: Kyla Ross without a doubt. She really found her groove following her freshman year and knocked it out of the park during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The amplitude on her leaps and jumps on beam really stood out from others in the NCAA, and having NCAA titles on all four events is just one of the great things that she accomplished during her NCAA career.
Tara: During her elite career, I always said Kyla Ross would be a star in college. She may not have competed the most difficulty in elite, but her cleanliness and consistency spoke for themselves. It was an absolute pleasure to watch that translate to college and see her establish herself among the best college gymnasts.
Naomi: Definitely Kyla Ross! She made such an impact in the NCAA, and seeing her absolutely thrive in college was a joy. The quality of her execution on all four events was second to none, and she’s absolutely one of the all-time greats.
Alyssa: I would have to echo Kyla Ross here. College really suited her clean and consistent gymnastics.
Peri: Brittany Rogers, for her skill variety and because she was the first gymnast I followed in elite and college at the same time. She was an absolute rock for Georgia, and her Ricna to Pak combo was always top notch.
Julianna: I have been such a big Sarah Finnegan fan since her time at LSU, and after being an alternate for the 2012 Olympics, she truly shined in the NCAA. Finnegan is still one of the biggest names at LSU and did so much for that program during her time there. She also seemed to exude so much joy and find her place as leader for the Tigers over her four years, which was so exciting and inspiring to watch.
Emily L: I was a big fan of Kyla Ross toward the end of her UCLA career. I feel like she found a great deal of confidence in her final years that made her gymnastics enticing on every event.
Jessica: I’m going to have to echo Julianna and say Sarah Finnegan. She helped shape that program into the confident group it is today. She will definitely go down in the history books as an LSU icon. Speaking of Finnegans and the Olympics, I’m excited to see what Aleah does for the Philippines in Paris!
Who is an underrated Olympic/college gymnast who is a sentimental favorite of yours?
Elizabeth: I think underrated is relative when it comes to this question, but I would say Jessica Lopez. I remember being surprised that this Venezuelan elite I had seen at multiple Olympics had also been a Denver gymnast. I love when the smaller gymnastics countries have Olympians that go on to compete in college, especially for “lesser-known” teams.
Emma: I am particularly fond of Brooklyn Moors. She has a unique floor presence that really sticks out, even in such a packed UCLA lineup. I really love when Olympic gymnasts come to college and are able to really focus and excel on one or two specific events. It’s even better to see it on a team like UCLA where Olympians typically contribute in the all-around. I am excited to see what she does next with her 2025 routine!
Aaron: Danusia Francis is one of my all-time favorite NCAA gymnasts, and I love the unique gymnastics she brought to both college and elite. I wish she would have gotten to compete on all four events in Tokyo, but her bar routine getting the highest E score in the entire competition was pretty iconic.
Tara: I loved Toni-Ann Williams during her time at California and Courtney McGregor at Boise State!
Alyssa: Not really underrated per say, but I remember watching Ruby Harrold and loved how, throughout her college career, she continued to gain consistency and adapt her routines to best suit her strengths.
Peri: Emma Spence, who’s made a name for herself since her breakout performance at the 2018 Youth Olympics, is my underrated pick. Her consistency with the Huskers as an all-arounder—including 48-for-48 hit routines as a sophomore—is huge.
Julianna: Elizabeth Price! I remember watching her at Stanford when I first started to get into NCAA gymnastics, and I remember being so amazed. She brought so much difficulty to the NCAA but honed in on that perfect 10 so early in her career and helped “rebrand” Stanford in a new era to start the climb toward the major successes we have seen from the program in the past few years!
Emily L: I don’t know if she counts as underrated, but I’ve always loved Grace McCallum. I feel like she’s rarely included in conversations about the 2020 Olympics even though she played such a crucial role in the team final after Biles had to withdraw. Seeing her shine at Utah proves what a key player she is to any team she’s on.
Jessica: Courtney McGregor! She’s such a joy to watch, and I wish she received more of a spotlight than she does.
Which Olympic gymnast never competed in the NCAA but you wish they had?
Elizabeth: I think especially now that we’ve seen her in a semi-team environment at WCC, Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos would have been a blast to watch in the NCAA. Here’s hoping Cécile Landi will make good on her promise to recruit French elites when she starts as co-head coach at Georgia.
Emma: I saw a Facebook post once where someone claimed that it’s unfair for Olympians to compete in the NCAA alongside level 10 recruits. I don’t believe this personally, but it truly would be unfair to compete against Jessica Gadirova on floor. She gets incredible height on extremely difficult tumbling, and I can’t even fathom how much amplitude she’d get on an “easier” E pass. The rise on her hypothetical combo pass would put everyone to shame.
Aaron: Ashton Locklear would have shown the most beautiful gymnastics in the NCAA. Her bar work was impeccable, and she also showed great work on beam. I think her gymnastics would have translated beautifully into the NCAA.
Tara: I would have loved to see Jordyn Wieber be able to compete for UCLA—imagine her and Kyla Ross on the same team! I also wish the Gadirovas would’ve seriously pursued college gymnastics.
Alyssa: Guan Chenchen winning Olympic gold and then immediately retiring to go to university always makes me wish she could have done NCAA. Imagine that anchor beam routine.
Naomi: Laurie Hernandez! Think of what she could have accomplished as a Gator! She had the type of gymnastics that translates very well to college, and the fact that we never saw a college floor routine from her—or got to see her competing in a college environment—is a shame. I’ll always curse the timing of the NIL policy change for that.
Peri: Rose Woo would’ve been a 9.950 machine in the NCAA, and nobody can change my mind about it.
Julianna: I fear Simone would break the 10.0 scale if she competed in the NCAA, but how amazing would that have been? On another note, I feel like Shawn Johnson would have had the best time competing for an NCAA team. Or to go international, Rebeca Andrade would have been so fun to watch in college.
Emily L: Imagine a Laurie Hernandez college floor routine. There’s your answer.
Jessica: Knowing Ashton Locklear was once committed to Florida, I can only imagine what her bars or beam routine would’ve been like in orange and blue.
What about the opposite: Which NCAA gymnast do you wish tried for or made it to the Olympics?
Elizabeth: Not to beat the 2004 horse too much, but I just loved that quad. Liz Tricase, Tabitha Yim, Nina Kim, Katie Heenan—all would have been great on the Olympic stage if they had been given the chance. Maybe I’m just college biased! Plus, another obvious choice would be Peng-Peng Lee. She ended up doing OK at UCLA, though, I think.
Emma: I am claiming the 2024 Gator grief. It is so difficult to make it to one trials, let alone two, and both Kayla DiCello and Skye Blakely were so close to Paris. They looked the best they ever had in both form and confidence, and I am still crushed.
Aaron: I was really excited to see Jerquavia Henderson’s suspected plans to compete for the Bahamas. Henderson was one of my favorite in the NCAA, and I wish she would have gotten the chance to make her elite debut.
Julianna: I miss watching Riley McCusker, so she would be my pick. McCusker is so beautiful to watch, and she has had to face so much in her time as an elite. She seems to have found her joy at Florida again, though, which is amazing. I wish injuries weren’t an obstacle for any athlete, but she would be one of my picks to have made it after the 2020 trials.
Tara: It’s always hard to watch gymnasts go down with injury in the lead-up to the Olympics—Ana Padurariu and Ondine Achampong stand out in the current quad. Maybe a slight cop-out answer, as she made the Olympics, but the fact that Danusia Francis was limited in Tokyo due to her ACL tear was heartbreaking. I was also gutted for Maggie Nichols in 2016 with her being so close to making the team but not quite peaking at the right time.
Alyssa: I am still devastated Peng-Peng Lee was injured for 2012. Her beam routine from 2012 Pac Rims is one of my favorites and would have looked great in that beam final.
Naomi: I was so excited for Ondine Achampong’s Olympic run and am gutted that she got injured (which potentially impacts her freshman season at Cal as well). I love her gymnastics, and she was doing so well this quad right up until the injury.
Peri: Sandra Jessen, simply because I love family Olympic stories. Her mother and brother both competed for Czechia, and Sandra got as far as worlds in 2019 before competing for Stanford. On that line, Jessica Hutchinson being a potential third generation Olympic gymnast in her family for Bulgaria would be an amazing stat.
Jessica: Thoughts of a Maggie Nichols 2016 Olympic beam final haunts me in my dreams sometimes. Her not even being selected as an alternate broke my heart. However, Oklahoma Maggie was such a delight see, and watching her fall in love with gymnastics again was so refreshing.
What are you most looking forward to in Paris?
Elizabeth: There are so many exciting storylines to be able to follow, but I think the one I’m most excited for is the potential for a really fun women’s team bronze medal team (and silver?!). With the big four of old nearly non-existent now and only really the U.S. at the top, the fight for the other medals should be peak entertainment.
Aaron: I am excited for the U.S. team to have a chance at redemption following its second-place finish at the 2020 Olympics. Second place is a great achievement, but the members of this team are capable of more and they know it. The four returning Olympians, three of which are former/active NCAA gymnasts, look stronger and more confident than ever, and their previous experience will help them tremendously as they chase a team gold medal.
Tara: There’s so much to look forward to, between all of the college to Olympics storylines, the returning Olympians, and the Simone Biles comeback. There’s the redemption arc aspect of that, too, which will be fun to follow. Plus, Sunisa Lee has had quite the health journey post-Tokyo, and I’m looking forward to seeing her compete in her second Games.
Alyssa: Like Tara, I am looking forward to seeing the Sunisa Lee storyline continue after her injuries and illnesses, but I am also really excited for Romania to be competing for a shot at the team final again.
Naomi: I am very excited for the uneven bars final! That event is set to be extremely competitive this year, with several countries bringing fantastic bar workers and no clear winner at this point.
Peri: All of it…? The team final qualifiers are up in the air, and so many countries have a shot at qualifying into the all-around final. I’m excited to see the French team on home turf, especially after thinking about how celebrated the Great Britain and Brazil teams were at their home games.
Emily L: I am so ready for the U.S. team to redeem itself after Tokyo. Biles will make her return to the Olympic all-around stage, Lee will be looking to defend her title, and Team USA is itching to be back on top of the podium. It’s going to be an exciting couple of weeks!
Julianna: There is such a different energy going into these Olympics, so I really am excited for every athlete. Team USA seems incredibly united and determined going into it, and I think everything they do is just going to mean so much more knowing what each one of them had to go through to get to this spot. I have always really loved watching event finals, so I am looking forward to seeing each athlete go on their redemption tour in Paris.
Jessica: The uneven bars final might drive my heart rate up but man am I excited for it. The Olympics as a whole has me eager and excited to watch and hopefully witness history be made no matter the outcome of each event!
Which college gymnast are you most looking forward to watching compete in Paris?
Elizabeth: I know it’s a cop-out answer, but being so immersed in college gym all the time now makes me so excited for literally all of them. I’m perhaps a bit more eager for those currently in or having just graduated college—getting to see them continue or end their careers on this high—but being able to see the future of college gym is really cool, too.
Emma: I still firmly believe that Aleah Finnegan should’ve gone to 2020 Olympic Trials, and I am so excited for her redemption arc!
Aaron: I am excited to see what Emma Malabuyo can do at the Olympics. She defied all odds to notch a surprise continental qualification spot after working so hard to qualify through the World Cup Series. Her vault, bars, and floor will likely look similar to what we’ve seen from her this year at UCLA, but beam could be a surprise. She has posted training videos of upgraded skills on the event, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her sneak into the beam final at the Olympics.
Tara: There’s so many, how can I pick just one? I’ve really enjoyed the amount of current and former college gymnasts making a run at their Olympic dreams, whether it be the U.S. team or for other countries. On the U.S. side, I’m excited for Jade Carey to be part of the actual team this year; college seems to have done wonders for her consistency on bars and beam, and she’s grown a lot artistically on floor. I’m also stoked for Aleah Finnegan and Luisa Blanco to experience the Olympics. As a Denverite, I’ve enjoyed following Lynnzee Brown’s journey as well and am excited to see her bring her gymnastics to Paris.
Alyssa: Besides the obvious in Sunisa Lee, I am looking forward to watching some of the Canadian NCAA commits in Aurélie Tran and Ava Stewart.
Peri: Emma Malabuyo and Aleah Finnegan have amazing redemption arcs, and it’s been such a privilege to watch their NCAA careers play such a role in elite comebacks for the two of them.
Katie: Aleah Finnegan and Emma Malabuyo. They’ve been such important leaders in their respective college programs, and to see them representing at the Olympics is so inspiring.
Emily L: As a Colorado native who’s followed Lynnzee Brown’s entire college career, I’m super excited to see what she’ll do in Paris!
Julianna: I am so excited to see Aleah Finnegan continue such an amazing 2024 and get to experience joy at this level representing the Philippines. Lynzee Brown is also someone I am so excited to see represent Haiti after putting in an incredible amount of work to get to this point.
Jessica: The gymnasts for the Philippines! Levi Jung-Ruivivar, Aleah, and Emma are all exciting to watch in their own ways, and knowing we get to see them on the world stage makes me giddy. I love how they embrace their Filipino culture and their love for gymnastics all at once.
Which Paris Olympian are you most looking forward to watching compete in college?
Elizabeth: Lilia Cosman. Michigan State has been a team on the rise, and it being able to claim an Olympian now—and one as pretty and polished and cool as Cosman—is such a neat feat.
Aaron: Although Hezly Rivera has yet to commit to a school, I am now thrilled to see what her path into the NCAA will look like. Rivera’s recruitment experience will be unique as she will begin her journey as an Olympian. Holding that distinction, all of the top schools will be chasing after her, and I’m curious to see where she ends up.
Tara: I’m so ready for the crop of Canadians committed to college to hit the NCAA scene: Aurélie Tran, Cassie Lee, and Sydney Turner (alternate) at Iowa and Ava Stewart at Minnesota. Tran and Stewart in particular have the opportunity to be game changers for their teams. I’m also looking forward to Levi Jung-Ruivivar’s toe point at Stanford.
Alyssa: With Stanford making it to nationals last season and now joining the ACC for 2025, I am looking forward to Levi Jung-Ruivivar and how she will be able to contribute to that team.
Peri: Ava Stewart and Aurelie Tran come to mind immediately. Minnesota and Iowa, respectively, are going to have a huge boost from these two gymnasts, with an arsenal of skills to pick from. For Stewart, she could be the Gophers’ next Ivy Lu. Tran with new Hawkeyes coach Craig Ballard will be unstoppable on floor.
Katie: I’ll definitely be excited to see where Hezly Rivera ends up. What an exciting summer and fall for her!
Emily L: Hezly Rivera’s form and difficulty in elite makes me super excited for what her college career will look like! I have a feeling she’s going to be extremely successful wherever she decides to go.
Julianna: I don’t think either Jade Carey or Jordan Chiles have explicitly said if they will be returning to the NCAA post Olympics, but if they do, I am looking forward to watching them both once again at this level! I am also really looking forward to watching Joscelyn Roberson shine at Arkansas next year. She has really embraced her role as an alternate going into the Paris Olympics, so I am so excited to see the energy she will bring to the Razorbacks this fall.
Jessica: I’m intrigued to see where Hezly Rivera ends up in the NCAA, but I know she’ll make a huge impact no matter where she decides to go. As for current incoming gymnasts, Aurelie Tran is who I’m most excited to see. Imagining a Tran Hawkeye floor routine brings a smile to my face and makes me excited for the next upcoming season!
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