The 2025 season was a showcase of clean and breathtaking gymnastics. From stuck Yurchenko one and a halfs to side aerials with perfectly pointed toes, the level of excellence in collegiate gymnastics was on full display. Beyond the typical powerhouses, 2025 also brought a slew of breakout performers on both the individual and team level. While improvement can be gauged by just watching a routine, numbers can be helpful to identify which gymnasts saw the largest improvements. In this Data Deep Dive, the data team sought to identify the most improved gymnasts and teams in the 2025 season.
Methodology
The goal was to identify gymnasts who showed marked improvement on at least two events, added new events, or both. Data editor Emma Hammerstrom calculated three metrics for every gymnast who competed in 2025: events added, highest average increase on an event, and number of events with an improved average. All gymnasts who stopped competing in one or more of their usual events in 2025, as well as gymnasts who did not improve any event averages, were removed. As it was difficult to distinguish between injuries and those athletes not making lineups, gymnasts who did not compete in 2024 were also removed. An index with these three variables was created: events with above a half-tenth increase, events added in 2025, and largest individual event increase below one point (to not include events added or very large average swings due to injuries or falls). This methodology allowed us to identify the eight gymnasts with the highest indexes.
To determine the most improved teams, I looked at how much each team’s average and high score in 2025 changed compared to the 2024 season. I took the difference between the average score in 2025 versus 2024, and did the same for the high score. Then I added the differences from both to make an index representative of the largest overall improvements. The three teams featured had the three highest indexes. Gymnasts and teams are listed in alphabetical order.
Each team and gymnast has a score distribution chart, showing the incidence of scores across all events between 2024 and 2025. Scores under 9.625 were considered misses and bucketed together. This is intended to visualize overall improvement across all of a gymnast’s events.
Most Improved Individuals
Nene Alvine, Kent State
Sophomore Alvine only competed five times last season, specializing in beam. She entered college as an unranked recruit with a JO all-around high of 37.700. This season, she became Kent State’s sole all-arounder when she added vault, bars, and floor to her NCAA repertoire. She also improved her beam average by 0.336 from last year. In total, she competed 29 more routines in 2025 than she did in the previous season, earning an impressive 9.925 on vault versus Central Michigan in February. While she did miss more routines this season than in 2024, she also scored a 9.850 or higher 10 times this season.
Brinlee Christensen, Southern Utah
Not only did Christensen add beam in 2025, she also improved her average on both vault and floor by over a tenth. She became a consistent all-around competitor for the Thunderbirds this season, scoring a season high 39.450 against Boise State. She scored consistently higher this season, scoring a 9.850 or above seven more times than in 2024.
Delaney DeHaan, George Washington
The sophomore competed all-around for George Washington this season, adding three events and eventually qualifying to regionals as an individual. She had a massive 9.873 average on floor and improved her beam average by over half a tenth. She scored at least a 9.850 22 times this season, up from only three in 2024.
Skyelar Kerico, Pennsylvania
Kerico proved to be a valuable fantasy gymnastics option, breaking the Ivy League all-around record at regionals this year. Her strong Yurchenko one and a half averaged a half tenth better than it did in 2024, and she improved her bars average by over two tenths. She scored at least a 9.900 seven times this season, five more than last season.
Brooklyn Moors, UCLA
Moors had an absolutely exceptional 2025 season. Not only did she add vault back to her repertoire, but she also improved her beam average by four tenths. Moors was also impressively consistent on floor, improving her average there from 9.879 to 9.948. Any doubts about her prowess here were put to rest when she won the national title outright. She scored her first perfect career ten at the Big Ten championship on floor, and went on to score a 9.9375 or above on that event for the last four meets of her career.
Mary McDonough, Washington
McDonough added an impressive three events for the Huskies this year, becoming their sole all-around competitor. She competed 39 more routines than she did in 2024, which certainly launches her into consideration for one of the most improved gymnasts this season. In terms of how she stacks up across the NCAA, McDonough qualified to nationals alongside the likes of Jade Carey and Joscelyn Roberson, doing so as an individual competitor, which is quite the feat. She did miss a significant amount of routines this season, but she otherwise put up consistent scores between 9.800 and 9.900 for a rebuilding Huskies team.
Emma Spence, Nebraska
Spence was the only competitor from the afternoon session of Big Ten championship to walk away with a title, underscoring a standout season for the Canadian elite. Spence improved her average on vault by 0.056, bars by 0.015, and beam by 0.073 in 2025. As you can see in the graphic below, Spence had two less major errors in 2025 than 2024. She also set a personal best of 9.975 on her conference champion bar routine.
Clara Hong, Towson
Hong was a fan favorite recruit coming into college, but she really came into her stride during her final collegiate season. Hong set a career high of 9.950 on bars in March, and scored 9.900 three times on the beam (two of those coming at away meets). She improved her average on bars by 0.068, beam by 0.046, and floor by 0.159.
Honorable Mentions, Individuals
Kayli Boozer (Michigan), Abigayle Martin (Arizona), Deana Sheremeta (George Washington), Kaya Forbes (North Carolina), Ja’ Free Scott (Georgia)
Most Improved Teams
Georgia
Georgia’s coaching changes during the offseason sent shockwaves through the sport when they poached Simone Biles’ coach, Cecile Canqueteau-Landi, to head the Gymdogs alongside Ryan Roberts for the 2025 season. The improvement has been massive. Georgia notched an impressive 197.975 season high, up four tenths from 2024. Their season average also improved by a tenth.
Missouri
Missouri qualified to nationals for the first time since 2022, led by standout seniors Jocelyn Moore and Amari Celestine. The Tigers peaked at a 198.100 this season, up from a high of 197.600 in 2024. They ended the season by finishing third at nationals, their best finish in program history. Missouri registered five fewer missed routines than 2024.
North Carolina
North Carolina was ranked 42nd to conclude the 2024 season despite a talented coaching staff and roster. The Tar Heels have improved by leaps and bounds in 2025 and will finish 18 spots higher in the rankings than last season. They improved their average from 195.375 to 196.129, and improved their season high by over half a tenth. Notably, they counted almost 25 fewer scores below 9.625 than 2024.
Honorable Mentions, Teams
Air Force, Iowa, Oregon State
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Article by Emma Hammerstrom
