Much like UCLA’s recent showdown with Michigan State, today’s conference dual has the makings of a marquee matchup for the 2025 season. It’s a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2, with UCLA holding onto its status as the Big Ten’s only undefeated team, while Michigan sits tied for second alongside the Spartans.
The revamped Bruins have exceeded expectations this season and will be aiming for another big road score today. With two-time Olympian Jordan Chiles consistently delivering 9.95+ routines and standout freshman Mika Webster-Longin building on last week’s stellar performance, that goal seems well within reach. Michigan, also sporting a fresh lineup, took time to hit its stride but has shown clear progress, posting a season-high 197.100 against Nebraska two weeks ago and narrowly missing the 197 mark last week. The Wolverines will look to capitalize on their home advantage to keep this one tight.
Rotation 1: Michigan VT, UCLA UB
Jordan (Michigan) VT: Flares yfull, chest slightly down, hop backwards. 9.825
Campbell (UCLA) UB: Per broadcast, she is just resting today, so no need to be too alarmed about her appearances only on bars and beam. Maloney to bail, little bits of feet but making the important stuff, blind to double front with flexed feet and a stick. 9.875
Davis (Michigan) VT: yfull, piked a bit in the air, pretty big right step backwards. 9.825
Webster-Longin (UCLA) UB: Maloney to Pak, minimal leg separation, nice toe point throughout. Clear hip to FTDB, clean in the air but a hop forward. 9.850
Ranger (Michigan) VT: Such a quick run, leg separation in the air and a sizable step forward on her y1.5. 9.850 feels a bit high.
Malabuyo (UCLA) UB: Nice first handstand, Maloney to Pak with leg sep, a smidge arched the half pirouette, toe on to FTDB with a true stick. 9.925
I love everything about this Michigan leo except the mid-section netting. It could be just about perfect otherwise.
Mulligan (Michigan) VT: Legs separated and legs in the air but stuck y1.5, pulls feet together. Satisfying to watch. 9.950
McGowan (UCLA) UB: Lovely first handstand into Tkachev to bail. Low on her last cast handstand, double layout stick. 9.875
Diaz (Michigan) VT: Clean in the air but ultimately a hop forward on her y1.5. 9.850
This sounds like Dom Dolla playing in the arena, okay Club Chrisler!
Esparza (UCLA) UB: Fresh off her 9.975 last weekend. Beautiful Maloney to Bhardwaj good elbow position, oh man goes over on her last handstand, has to add a swing, sticks DLO. 9.800
Thaxton (Michigan) VT: Y1.5 pretty big but piked in the air, two uncontrolled hops forward. 9.675
Chiles (UCLA) UB: Piked Tkachev clears well away from the bar and falls, Pak much better position, bit over on her cast on the low bar. Double lay is high and hop back.
We were expecting Kayli Boozer to exhibition vault, but that looks to be not happening. Sydney Barros showing a bars exhibition for UCLA, floaty Maloney to Pak with leg separation, goes over on handstand on the low bar, looks like her hand slipped and she’s off but smiling about it. DLO hop back. The rest of the team is giggling too.
After 1: UCLA 49.325 Michigan 49.300
Some uncharacteristic mistakes for the Bruins on bars put them with just a 0.25 lead going into the second rotation. Chiles is a headliner today, so we’ll see if vault will be back up to her usual par. Michigan would have liked some more sticks on vault in addition to Mulligan’s, but the lineup was solid enough and has the Wolverines in a not unenviable position going into bars.
Rotation 2: Michigan UB, UCLA VT
Lee (UCLA) VT: Back in the lineup after a week off last week. Chest down but still looks like a stick, then has to take a little step towards the table. 9.775
Parenti (Michigan) UB: Muscles her first handstand a bit. Toe Maloney to pak, legs come apart on both skills. Last handstand fine, double layout legs apart on second flip, step back. 9.825
Jenkins (UCLA) VT: Y1.5 legs pretty bent and apart in the air especially on second twist, a bit diagonal to the left, hop. 9.625
Jordan (Michigan) UB: Jaeger nice toe point close to bar caught, bail is fine, Double tuck dismount two steps/lunges forward. 9.800
Moors (UCLA) VT: Front handspring pike half with a hop in place. 9.800
Diaz (Michigan) UB: Hits her handstand into a toe Maloney to bail, solid legs stay together. Final handstand nice into stuck DLO, should be a good score. 9.900
Webster-Longin (UCLA) VT: Y1.5 just as solid as last week with the stick, well actually it’s a tiny hop forward on the replay…but really nice landing. 9.925
Vore (Michigan) UB: First handstand a tiny bit short. Straddled tkatchev a bit labored but gets over the bar. Bail handstand, hit. Short on her final handstand a bit as well. Double layout with a step forward. 9.850
Chiles (UCLA) VT: Half on tucked half off vault, hop back. 9.950..hmm…
Bauman (Michigan) UB: Hit first handstand. Blind change jaeger to bail no issues. Lovely last handstand, double front great landing position and stuck. 9.975 kinda what I expected.
McGowan (UCLA) VT: Y1.5 looks great in the air but a small hop backward. 9.800
Sanger (Michigan) UB: Anchoring the lineup again! Jaeger looked a bit weird with flexed feet and she doesn’t catch. Pak caught to switch kip, DLO wonky hop back. Flashes of beautiful form that show how much this routine can progress. 8.900
Paige Anastasi vault exhibition for UCLA. She does a yfull and it is so much cleaner than her y1.5 in the air, flexed feet towards the end and a step back. Haylen Zabrowski bars for Michigan, catches her Jaeger with flexed feet, Pak looked pretty good formwise, broadcast this is NOT Lily Clapper, FTDLO hop back.
After 2: Michigan 98.650, UCLA 98.575
And here are the Wolverines! UCLA will seek to take that lead back after floor, but a solid home showing from Michigan thus far has it definitely deserving of this position. Teams are looking fairly evenly matched.
Rotation 3: Michigan BB, UCLA FX
Parenti (Michigan) BB: BHS LOSO, leg form but no hesitation. Switch leap to split, tiny check. Front aerial to split jump, connected. Back 1.5 leans forward but stuck. 9.825
Lee (UCLA) FX: Double tuck, really nice. You know who I remember having this music, at least the opening part? Bre Showers for OU. Front lay front full, clean in the air, pretty close to the corner. Switch ring to switch half. Double pike, chest a bit low but lunges out fine. 9.850
Boozer (Michigan) BB: The sophomore phenom. Hitch kick front aerial, super confident. Switch leap to switch split, hit someee feet in the second. Comes off on BHS LOSO, the first time she’s done so this season. Stuck gainer full. 9.425 with a fall?
Webster-Longin (UCLA) FX: Gorgeous position on front double full in the air but step forward a bit not controlled. Back 1.5 front lay much better in that regard. Switch ring to switch half. A few hops back out of the Rudi, overrotated and that’s a step out of bounds as well. 9.625
Mulligan (Michigan) BB: This beam music was such a snooze fest so far but I actually don’t hate Jessie’s Girl here. Front aerial some hesitation into BHS, should be broken. Beat to straddle half was connected and solid position. Side aerial flexed feet, tucked back 1.5 step forward. 9.775
McGowan (UCLA) FX: Full-in, great landing chest up. Switch side Popa, nice straddle positions. Ya Ya! One and a half front full, to front full looks like a little stumble forward but gets it around. 9.900
Vore (Michigan) BB: BHS LOSO looked secure but steps off. Michigan counting a “fall” now, but with that score for Boozer being what it is, the impact won’t be quite as detrimental as it could be. Leaps not quite 180 in the second one, sticks back 1.5. 9.325
Malabuyo (UCLA) FX: THanks cameraman for being in the way of that double pike, looks like a slide back but who’s to say. Switch ring switch half to wolf full, nice rotation, double wolf turn. One and a half front lay is solid. Runaway Baby is such a fun Bruno Mars song to include in a theme routine. 9.850
Ranger (Michigan) BB: Her smile between her first and actual salute was giving this, absolutely love it. BHS LOSO no hesitation, switch to split jumps solid 180 position, front toss is confident as well. Double back feels like it goes into the rafters, hop back. 9.875
Moors (UCLA) FX: Front double full punch front, little bounce on her toes. LOSO middle pass so floaty. Nice precise leap rotation, Rudi controlled lunge back. I love the ending without much music, extra dramatic. 9.975 for her birthday.
Bauman (Michigan) BB: BHS LOSO slight hesitation, not a country fan really but love Old Dominion One Man Band here. Split to straddle 3/4 to sissone, no hesitation, some of that on her side somersault. Gainer pike looks set up for a stick but has to step forward. 9.900
Chiles (UCLA) FX: Lot of applause on the road. Double lay, held the stick for a moment and then chose to lunge. The walking on the floor choreo is iconic in its own way. Wolf jump great position. Front tuck through to double tuck, could go 10.000. 9.975
Davis Michigan beam exhibition, BHS LOSO quite secure, Gainer full dismount small slide but otherwise very solid routine. Rosen UCLA floor exhibition, great landing on double tuck.
After 3: UCLA 148.125, Michigan 147.450
Sizable lead for UCLA as expected even without Michigan counting a fall, with the Bruins giving very little away in counting routines. The Wolverines are now in a decidedly tougher spot. The score could definitely still be salvageable, but a bummer especially given how much of a breakout star Boozer has been in 2025.
Rotation 4: Michigan FX, UCLA BB
Parenti (Michigan) FX: Double pike, chest down left foot shuffle. Slight underrotation in first leap but then easy tucked full in leap series, easy. Back 1.5 to front full. 9.850
Lee (UCLA) BB: Front aerial to split, connection maintained. BHS LOSO zero hesitation. Nice leaps especially on the straddle, full turn very small c check. Gainer full stuck. 9.900
Davis (Michigan) FX: Front lay to Rudi, good control on the landing. Three leap pass with good wolf positions. Stuck cold double tuck, stunning. 9.850
Chiles (UCLA) BB: Wobble on BHS LOSO, cat leap switch side more sizable check. Side aerial better control. Stuck back double full to end. Some nerves shown from her today. 9.850 perhaps a little high..
Diaz (Michigan) FX: Front double full slight dancing out. Rudi to LOSO quite beautiful to end. 9.800
Campbell (UCLA) BB: BHS bent legs into two foot layout, a bit piked but no check. Switch switch half, slightly short of split so a shoulder dip. Full turn gives no problems. Gainer full, arm swing but sticks. 9.875
Boozer (Michigan) FX: Beethoven into Toxic is a combination for sure, there’s always a string pop song in Michigan floor! Front through to double tuck beautiful control! switch ring into a leap good positions. Pretty low on the front lay out of back 1.5 but did get it around. 9.875
Moors (UCLA) BB: Front aerial BHS LOSO. Full turn, small check. Cat to side aerial just some minor foot form. Beat to switch half, big bend at the chest and some arm swings but manages to stay on! wow at that save. Front tuck full dismount stuck. 9.675 a bit high with that save but there wasn’t much to take otherwise, I suppose.
Bauman (Michigan) FX: Front double full a controlled step out into dance. Back 1.5 to front lay great rise, also not much to take. She had a wonderful day. 9.925
Alipio (UCLA) BB: BHS BHS LOSO was perfect, same with side aerial and kept toes pointed too. Leaps were 180 into the beat. Stuck gainer tuck full. One of her best routines. 9.900
Ranger (Michigan) FX: Double layout controlled lunge. Easy. Straddles are connected and extended to 180. “This young woman is packed with muscles” from Dean gets no comment from Karas, understandable… :/ Front lay to double tuck looks stuck cold but has to lunge back. Huge routine to end. 9.900
Malabuyo (UCLA) BB: Wolf turn, BHS LOSO little check. Glides through the front aerial to beat combo into the dive, split ring, BHS gainer full little movement backward. 9.900
Webster-Longin comes off the beam and a big wobble on her exhibition for UCLA. Paige Thaxton Bailar by Deorro music to start her floor exhibition, kinda impossible to track just how many floor routines we’ve heard that in. Full-in step forward but great air on it. She is now walking off the floor…not sure where that occurred in the routine. Unfortunate end.
Final: UCLA 197.550, Michigan 196.850
49.400 is a season high floor score for Michigan; minus the light beamplosion, a nice day for the Wolverines that has been on par with their recent performances. Definitely some good progression through this season. UCLA had some nerves on the road but still pulled off a decisive victory. So many exciting moments in this meet!
VT: Chiles (UCLA) and Mulligan (Michigan) 9.950
UB: Bauman (Michigan) 9.975
BB: Alipio (UCLA), Bauman (Michigan), Lee (UCLA), and Malabuyo (UCLA) 9.900
FX: Chiles (UCLA) and Moors (UCLA) 9.975
AA: Chiles (UCLA) 38.925
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Live blog by Katherine Weaver
