No matter how the 2024 season ended for each team, everyone is looking forward and making goals for the upcoming year. For some of these teams, the goal is to make a statement and show they are capable of more than they did the previous season. While there is always room for growth, these 6 teams are primed for a comeback in the 2025 season to show they each have what it takes to be successful in this upcoming year.
Georgia
Georgia may be the team most primed to have a comeback season in 2025 with all that has happened in just a couple months. With the hire of new co-head coach, Cecile Canqueteau-Landi, as well as several impactful transfers on top of an already talented returning team, this year could be a real turning point. Last season, Georgia went into the 2024 year with the No.1 ranked freshman class, including standout freshmen Lily Smith and Ady Wahl who helped lead the Bulldogs to a top 20 finish. Going into this year with this, now sophomore, class, another large incoming class of seven, and three impactful transfers in Kara Eaker, Csenge Bácskay, and Anaya Smith, this team has all the pieces to make it one of its best seasons in the past decade.
Michigan
Since its national championship win in 2021, Michigan has been looking to get back on top, specifically in the postseason. Michigan always comes out as one of the strongest teams in the beginning weeks, but, since this historic win, has not had the best luck in the last month of season. Losing three big names in Sierra Brooks, Naomi Morrison, and Gabby Wilson will undoubtedly be difficult for the program, but with an incoming class of seven, this might be what it needs to climb back up the rankings. On top of this incoming class, Michigan is returning three super seniors, as well as a graduate transfer from Brown, Asta Farrell. Filling the spots of the graduated seniors will be difficult, but Michigan certainly has the means for a comeback year in 2025.
Auburn
Auburn finished its 2024 season ranked 20th nationally, higher than its finish in 2023, but still with great room for improvement moving forward. Missing former lineup staples Derrian Goburne, Aria Brusch, and Cassie Stevens, the team does have some holes to fill. Coming in this year, former elites Marissa Neal and Katelyn Jong headline a talented class of five freshmen who will be able to step into some of these positions. Auburn also has transfers Alex Irvine from UCLA as well as Sarah Zois coming in from George Washington, and it returns Olivia Hollingsworth, Gabby McLaughlin, and Sydney Schumaker for their fifth and final years of competition. The Tigers have an overwhelming amount of talent coming in this season, and certainly the means to get back to their historic finish at 2022 nationals for a comeback this year.
North Carolina
North Carolina has been a team over the past couple of seasons who has the talent to be consistently in the top 36 but has struggled to find some consistency early on. Although the Tar Heels looked to be on the right path in the last couple of competitions of 2024, this would be the perfect year for a true comeback season. Several upperclassmen are returning with great experience as well as breakout freshmen from the previous year who now have a year competing in the NCAA to move forward with confidence. North Carolina is also gaining Claire Stippich, a transfer from Kentucky who was a consistent contributor on bars for the Wildcats last season, as well as three new freshmen who have the potential to fill in lineup spots. Having a comeback this season, finding consistency, and making a statement with the talent on this team are essential for the Tar Heels this year, especially with the veterans the team will be graduating at the end of the season.
Iowa
From the 2023 season to 2024, Iowa dropped 11 spots in the national rankings. However, things are looking up for the team this season. For the first time in 20 years, Iowa is headed by a new coach, Jen Llewellyn, formerly the head coach for Washington, who is already setting this program back in the right direction. Iowa is also gaining back for a fifth and final year, three-time All-American, JerQuavia Henderson, who has done so much for the Hawkeyes in the past four seasons. With the addition of six impactful freshmen, and the return of consistent veterans like Karina Muñoz, Eva Volpe, and Ilka Juk among many others, this program is truly primed for a comeback internally and throughout the rankings.
West Virginia
West Virginia from 2023 to 2024 had a significant drop in the national rankings, but, with a large group of newcomers, this could set them on the right track again. The Mountaineers struggled on bars and beam specially last season, but are gaining seven incoming freshmen who performed very well leading up to their NCAA debuts. Among these seven, Karleigh DiCello and Taylor Tuohy have both shown to be strong all-arounders in their level 10 careers, as well as Kaelyn Skeel, who will bring depth to the program especially on vault and floor. The Mountaineers are also gaining graduate transfer from Eastern Michigan, Trinity Macy, who was a consistent contributor on bars and floor and who can also bring four prior years of experience to a young team. With fresh faces and strong returners, this team has the possibility for a comeback in 2025.
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Article by Julianna Roland and Aaron Doyle
