Every season features a handful of upperclassmen who are underrated, but contribute very valuable routines in the twilight of their careers, or even have a breakout year in their final or penultimate year. With this being the last season with the large number of COVID fifth years, there are really two classes worth of gymnasts entering their final season. Here are eight veterans we think are looking to make a lasting mark on their program.
Ellie Lazzari (Florida)
When Lazzari announced her fifth year, it did not seem like she would have many competition opportunities with a stacked group of freshmen coming in, the return of Kayla DiCello, and the addition of Selena Harris. After DiCello and incoming freshman Skye Blakely got injured at the Olympic Trials at the end of June, eight lineup spots opened up immediately. Lazzari started the 2024 season only competing on beam, but competed in the all-around the last four meets. Lazzari will be relied upon to contribute on multiple events to help Florida go back to the national championships.
Krista Zultevicz (N.C. State)
Zultevicz spent the first two years of her career at Kentucky where she did not compete. Going into the 2023 season, Zultevicz transferred to N.C. State and has been a staple in lineups. The discussion for the Wolfpack has revolved around Chloe Negrete and Emily Shepard as the two key gymnasts with Alexis Ortega also being a key all-arounder. With the departure of Shepard and Ortega, Zultevicz’s contributions on vault and floor will be key, especially on floor where Zultevicz has a career high of a 9.9.
Cameron Machado (Alabama)
In a team full of stars, Machado often flies under the radar, but her consistency has made her extremely valuable to the Crimson Tide. Machado competed on both bars and floor at almost every meet in the 2024 season after competing consistently on those events in her previous three seasons. In all of her competitive routines in 2024, she only scored below 9.8 once and scored as high as 9.975. There may be flashier names to add to these lineups in Machado’s fifth season, but that consistency will earn her lineup time.
Hannah Ruthberg (Ball State)
Ruthberg has been a major reason why Ball State has qualified to regionals for three of the last four seasons. While she competed in the all-around in every meet last season, she was often overshadowed by stars Victoria Henry and Suki Pfister. Henry and Pfister were stellar on every event, especially vault. Without high-scorers like Henry, Pfister, and Megan Teter in the lineups this season, Ruthberg looks to have a big year, which may be imperative in Ball State qualifying to regionals again and making out of the play-in meet.
Sarah Moravansky (Western Michigan)
Moravansky has been a key contributor for Western Michigan throughout her career with the Broncos. She has competed on all four events in most meets and has helped lead her team to multiple regionals appearances including the program’s best finish in 2023. With the departure of Payton Murphy and Dani Petrousek, Moravansky will be relied upon more heavily as the Broncos attempt to rebound from a 39th-place finish and make it back to regionals.
Lali Dekanoidze (North Carolina)
Dekanoidze is not underrated, especially by fans who play fantasy gymnastics, but she is included on this list due to a teaser from preseason training. Dekanoidze competed in the all-around to start her freshman season in 2022, but that March she injured her knee on a beam dismount and has not returned to beam or floor since. Dekanoidze was still a top contributor on vault and bars the past two years and has been very close to making it to nationals on bars. In September she was shown on the North Carolina Instagram story training a double pike on floor which could be a sign of a return to floor, or even both beam and floor in her senior season.
Brenna Neault (Stanford)
Neault has been a key competitor for the Cardinal since her freshman year. In Stanford’s record-breaking season, Neault scored in the top five scores in all events and the all-around in 2024. She continued to grow throughout her junior season, setting a collegiate all-around best in March with a 39.65 and recorded 11 scores of 9.90 or better. Without the likes of veteran stars Ira Alexeeva and Chloe Widner, Neault could be vital in leading the Cardinal to another NCAA championship.
Ana Kenefick (Towson)
Opting to take her extra year of eligibility, Kenefick joins the Tigers after four years at the University of Pennsylvania. After not competing in 2023, Kenefick competed on at least one event in every meet in 2024. Kenefick earned career-highs on beam and floor at the Ivy Classic, and the two-event specialist was a lineup mainstay on both events from that point forward. It’ll be interesting to see how Kenefick fits into the Tigers lineup as they’re losing junior Elise Tisler, who transferred to Missouri for the 2025 season, and seniors Sarah Girot and Grace Vaillancourt.
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