For the second year in a row, conference realignment is a high-priority headline heading into the season. After plenty of mid-major shuffling from 2023 to 2024, the Power Four, née five, conferences are swapping schools ahead of the 2025 campaign, creating plenty of intriguing and new conference battles to watch. With many new faces in heavy contention to take home league hardware at the end of the season, it’s time to look at which programs are set to win debut titles.
ACC
Changes: added California and Stanford
Teams
Position in the conference in the respective polls listed in parentheses.
| Team | 2024 Ranking | CGN Poll | WCGA Poll | ACC Poll |
| California | 2 (1) | 5 (1) | 4 (1) | 1 |
| Stanford | 5 (2) | 15 (2) | 15 (2) | 2 |
| N.C. State | 28 (3) | 23 (3) | 25 (3) | 3 |
| Clemson | 35 (4) | 25 (4) | 28 (4) | 4 |
| Pittsburgh | 41 (5) | NR | NR | 6 |
| North Carolina | 42 (6) | NR | 36 (5) | 5 |
All-Arounders
| Name | Team | 2024 NQS |
| eMjae Frazier | California | 39.755 |
| Mya Lauzon | California | 38.730 |
| Madelyn Williams | California | 39.565 |
| Rebecca Wells | Clemson | 39.425 |
| Julia Knower | North Carolina | 39.265 |
Freshmen
| Name | Team | Recruit Rating |
| Ondine Achampong | California | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ui Soma | Stanford | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Jaime Dugan | Stanford | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Levi Jung-Ruivivar | Stanford | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| CJ Keuneke | California | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Just a year after sponsoring women’s gymnastics as a sport for the first time since 1984, the ACC adds two West Coast programs on the upswing. The Golden Bears, coming off their best year in program history with a runner-up finish at nationals, will be the heavy favorite to take home their first ACC title in their first year in the conference. Their Bay Area counterpart, the Cardinal, projects to be their toughest competition. Reigning NCAA vault champion Anna Roberts of Stanford and the dynamic California duo of Mya Lauzon and eMjae Frazier will headline the ACC, but don’t forget about OGs like North Carolina’s Lali Dekanoidze, Clemson’s Rebecca Wells, and N.C. State’s Chloe Negrete. They’ll not only pop up in weekly awards but project to be in heavy contention for conference titles come season’s end.
Big 12
Changes: added Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah; lost Oklahoma
Teams
Position in the conference in the respective polls listed in parentheses.
| Team | 2024 Ranking | CGN Poll | WCGA Poll |
| Utah | 3 (1) | 4 (1) | 5 (1) |
| Denver | 10 (2) | 13 (2) | 12 (2) |
| Arizona State | 16 (3) | 21 (3) | 20 (3) |
| BYU | 25 (4) | 30 (5) | 27 (4) |
| Iowa State | 29 (5) | 32 (6) | 32 (6) |
| Arizona | 31 (6) | 29 (4) | 30 (5) |
| West Virginia | 53 (7) | NR | NR |
All-Arounders
| Name | Team | 2024 NQS |
| Madison Ulrich | Denver | 39.525 |
| Makenna Smith | Utah | 39.485 |
| Alysen Fears | Arizona | 39.415 |
| Rosie Casali | Denver | 39.345 |
| Jada Mangahas | Arizona State | 39.345 |
Freshmen
| Name | Team | Recruit Rating |
| Avery Neff | Utah | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Zoe Johnson | Utah | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Clara Raposo | Utah | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Jessa Janicke | Arizona | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Haylee Hardin | Iowa State | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Aubrey Krohnfeldt | Arizona | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Deborah Silva | BYU | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Losing the sport’s current dynasty program is a huge hit, but adding three in its place—including the only program to make every single NCAA championship—is positive overall for a conference that had only three gymnastics teams total a decade ago. Utah and its lauded freshman class will be the heavy favorite in its quest for another national title, but expect Denver’s experienced roster to put up a fight, having usurped the Sooners in recent memory and wanting to avoid being overshadowed in the conference race again. It’ll be a fun bout between former five-star recruits in Pioneer Madison Ulrich and Red Rock Avery Neff for all-around supremacy. The Arizona schools also get a boost regarding league results, as fighting for a spot on the podium is far more manageable after fighting just to finish in the top half of the Pac-12 previously.
Big Ten
Changes: added UCLA and Washington
Teams
Position in the conference in the respective polls listed in parentheses.
| Team | 2024 Ranking | CGN Poll | WCGA Poll | Big Ten Poll |
| Minnesota | 12 (1) | 17 (4) | 18 (5) | 5 |
| Ohio State | 13 (2) | 18 (5) | 16 (4) | 4 |
| Michigan State | 14 (3) | 10 (2) | 11 (2) | 1 |
| Penn State | 15 (4) | 20 (6) | 21 (6) | 6 |
| UCLA | 17 (5) | 7 (1) | 10 (1) | 2 |
| Michigan | 19 (6) | 11 (3) | 13 (3) | 3 |
| Illinois | 22 (7) | 26 (9) | 22 (7) | 8 |
| Washington | 23 (8) | 27T (10T) | 26 (10) | 11 |
| Nebraska | 24 (9) | 24 (8) | 23 (8) | 7 |
| Maryland | 26 (10) | 22 (7) | 24 (9) | 9 |
| Iowa | 37 (11) | 27T (10T) | 29 (11) | 10 |
| Rutgers | 46 (12) | NR | NR | 12 |
All-Arounders
| Name | Team | 2024 NQS |
| Skyla Schulte | Michigan State | 39.535 |
| Payton Harris | Ohio State | 39.490 |
| Karina Muñoz | Iowa | 39.470 |
| Tory Vetter | Ohio State | 39.465 |
| Emma Spence | Nebraska | 39.460 |
Freshmen
| Name | Team | Recruit Rating |
| Sophia Diaz | Michigan | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Macy McGowan | UCLA | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Jahzara Ranger | Michigan | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Rylee Guevara | Ohio State | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ava Stewart | Minnesota | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Arguably, this is the most intriguing conference race entering the season. Continuing the trend of new teams entering as title favorites, UCLA is the highest-ranked Big Ten team in both the preseason coaches poll and CGN poll. However, even with the return of Olympic Champion Jordan Chiles, the Bruins are favored far less heavily than the newbies in other conferences—if favored at all. Despite lots of new faces, Michigan cannot be counted out after running the league for so long and bringing in the top-ranked rookie class, and you can make a case for reigning Big Ten champ Michigan State as the preseason favorite with heavy-hitters like Nikki Smith, Sage Kellerman, and Skyla Schulte bolstering lineups. There’s also an interesting storyline in the middle of the pack, as Washington and Iowa traded several members of their coaching staffs over the summer to thicken the plot deep into the Big Ten.
Pac-12
Changes: lost Arizona, Arizona State, California, Stanford, UCLA, Utah, and Washington
Status—on hiatus. With Oregon State the lone program left in the conference sponsoring women’s gymnastics, there will be no Pac-12 in 2025. The conference did announce it is adding several schools in the next few years, including Boise State and Utah State, who do sponsor the sport, so expect a return from the previous powerhouse league—potentially for the 2027 season. Oregon State will be an affiliate of the Big 12 for 2026.
SEC
Changes: added Oklahoma
Teams
Position in the conference in the respective polls listed in parentheses.
| Team | 2024 Ranking | CGN Poll | WCGA Poll |
| LSU | 1 (1) | 2 (2) | 2 (2) |
| Florida | 4 (2) | 3 (3) | 3 (3) |
| Oklahoma | 6 (3) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) |
| Arkansas | 7 (4) | 12 (7) | 8 (6) |
| Alabama | 8 (5) | 6 (4) | 6 (4) |
| Kentucky | 9 (6) | 9 (6) | 7 (5) |
| Missouri | 11 (7) | 8 (5) | 9 (7) |
| Georgia | 18 (8) | 14 (8) | 14 (8) |
| Auburn | 20 (9) | 16 (9) | 17 (9) |
All-Arounders
| Name | Team | 2024 NQS |
| Haleigh Bryant | LSU | 39.810 |
| Jordan Bowers | Oklahoma | 39.775 |
| Leanne Wong | Florida | 39.690 |
| Faith Torrez | Oklahoma | 39.675 |
| Audrey Davis | Oklahoma | 39.630 |
Freshmen
| Name | Team | Rating |
| Elle Mueller | Oklahoma | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Lily Pederson | Oklahoma | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Kailin Chio | LSU | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Kelsey Slade | Oklahoma | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Olivia Kelly | Missouri | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Major conference realignment was kicked off by the SEC’s acquisition of the Big 12’s most sought-after athletic departments in Oklahoma and Texas, and on the gymnastics level, that carried huge weight. As if the SEC needed to get any stronger, adding the Sooners’ six championships to the mix means the conference now claims more than half of the NCAA women’s gymnastics titles, making it the toughest conference by far with the Pac-12 picked apart. Facing a tougher schedule, all eyes will be on Oklahoma to see how it adjusts, and maintaining the status quo will fall on household names Jordan Bowers and Audrey Davis. It won’t be an easy task, as it has to contend with defending NCAA champ LSU and all-around queen Haleight Bryant, a Leanne Wong-led Florida that’s seeking it’s first title since 2015, and the six other league foes ranked in the top 17 of both polls. Managing health and lineups throughout the SEC just got that much trickier.
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Article by Brandis Heffner and Rebecca Scally
