After the 2024 postseason once again reminded the gymternet that anything can happen, the race for the 2025 NCAA title is as compelling as ever with a handful of teams in heavy contention. The Sooners will aim to avenge their early postseason exit, the Golden Bears would love to mimic LSU from a season ago to grow the exclusive list of title winners—while the Tigers surely hope to repeat—and the Gators and Utes are hungry to end championship droughts. From defending champions looking to cement a legacy to perennial powerhouses hungry for redemption, the title race is wide open—and every team on this list has something to prove.
LSU
Can the Tigers repeat? Jay Clark has said he’s been worried about the team getting complacent since the day LSU hoisted the trophy. If it can keep the hunger alive, it certainly has a roster that can go back-to-back. Haleigh Bryant is back to lead the squad, which features star freshmen who competed well at LSU’s Gymnastics 101. If they can stay focused, the Tigers will be hard to beat.
Florida
Every year the chatter around the Gators is “Is this the year?” Florida hasn’t won a title since its three consecutive wins in 2013, 2014, and 2015. It has been second three years, third twice, fourth three times, and had a blip for 10th in 2019. Head coach Jenny Rowland hasn’t been able to climb to the mountaintop in her tenure, despite sustained excellent recruiting and top-tier gymnastics across the board. Bringing in transfer Selena Harris-Miranda this year could be a gamechanger. She’s experienced, talented, and fiercely competitive. Is she the silver bullet the Gators have been missing?
California
There is just no accounting for what coming in second can do to motivate a team. Florida finished second in 2012 before tying for its first title in 2013. California was less than half a point behind LSU last year. Most of the roster is back, plus Ondine Achampong will make her debut in Berkeley. They could taste it last year. Will 2025 be a redemption season?
Oklahoma
Never count out the Sooners. Their vault meltdown in the national semifinal was extremely uncharacteristic and is not likely to be repeated any time soon. Given that losing to UCLA in 2019 by 0.0375 led to a team hashtag (never forget #PZTSF) and storming to four titles in the next five seasons, we can expect Oklahoma to come back hungry and fiercely competitive.
Alabama
Ashley Priess-Johnston is entering her third season leading the Crimson Tide, and after a fall-off in her first two seasons, Alabama rebounded last year for an eighth-place finish that, due to an absolute beam meltdown in the national semifinal, was not a ranking reflective of the team’s progress. This year’s freshman class is stacked with talent, Cam Machado and Shania Adams are back for fifth years, and the dust has settled around the coaching shakeup in Tuscaloosa. It will not be shocking if Alabama returns to the top of the podium for the first time since 2012.
Utah
Utah has finished third in each of the last four years. That means outside of transfers Ana Padurariu and Ashley Glynn, and sixth-year Jaedyn Rucker, every single veteran on the team has come in third every year of their career. To say the Utes, one of the most storied programs in gymnastics history, are hungry would be an understatement. The title drought has been long, and it just feels like a matter of time before Carly Dockendorf and her crew hoist another trophy.
Missouri
Missouri has put together a massively impressive yet quiet group of transfers this year. Lauren Macpherson, Abby Mueller, Elise Tisler, and Amy Weir all chose the Tigers. They join last year’s talented transfer in Mara Titarsolej, who is back for her COVID year, and Helen Hu, who is returning after retiring following the 2023 season. Plus, 2024 incomer Kaia Tanskanen, who made a run at the Olympics for Finland, is starting her college career in Columbia this year. That’s a huge influx of new, experienced talent that could put Missouri over the edge. Are the Tigers frontrunners? No. But they just might have the right pieces to be a spoiler in 2025.
Kentucky
Lexington has felt like a fire about to ignite for the past two seasons; Tim Garrison has shepherded his program along to sixth- and ninth-place finishes. The roster is stacked with talent, including high-profile all-around transfer Skylar Killough-Wilhelm. With two standout veterans—Hailey Davis and Isabella Magnelli—back for fifth years, 2025 is the opportune time for the Wildcats to put it all together.
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Article by Brandis Heffner and Emily Minehart
