It’s been a long six weeks without any new NCAA gymnastics to watch, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been developments and drama unfolding to keep our attention. With the transfer portal closed, level 10 nationals now behind us, and most fifth-years announced, it’s time to take another look at how next year may shape out with what we know now.
*Only transfers and fifth-years confirmed by the day before publishing were considered in these rankings.
1. Florida
Last Ranking: No. 2
For the second year in a row, the Gators have snagged arguably the top gymnast in the portal, convincing former California star eMjae Frazier to finish her career on the other side of the country in a move that mirrors Selena Harris-Miranda’s from a year ago. Harris-Miranda has worked out well for Florida, who now has a second top-20 all-arounder from a season ago in Frazier to help replace the key routines from Leanne Wong. Add that to the return of Kayla DiCello, a healthier Skye Blakely, and five-star recruits who just performed well at their final level 10 nationals, and the Gators have all the pieces they need to bounce back from the early end to their 2025 campaign.
2. LSU
Last Ranking: No. 3
It has been a positive offseason thus far for the Tigers, who got strong performances from their incoming class at level 10 nationals and picked up one of the top transfer portal targets in Madison Ulrich from Denver. Her all-around potential will be critical in filling the big lineup holes left by the departing class, with five-star recruit Nina Ballou’s all-around and floor wins at nationals helping her make a case to be a four-eventer as a rookie, too. Other than another surgery to former elite Zoe Miller, who missed her freshman season due to injury, the offseason has been plenty positive for LSU.
3. Oklahoma
Last Ranking: No. 1
The KJ Kindler era has largely been defined by her ability to recruit the top level 10 gymnasts, with this year’s current No. 1 recruit, Mackenzie Estep, the next in line to star for the Sooners. She capped off her level 10 career with a pair of titles at nationals, finishing on top of the bars podium and earning a perfect 10 on a booming Yurchenko one and a half to take that event win. While Estep already looks lineup-ready on several events, Oklahoma slides a bit in the rankings as fellow SEC schools are adding more experience through the portal, with experience something that often plays a role in giving teams an edge while building for a new season.
4. UCLA
Last Ranking: No. 4
A commitment switch went UCLA’s way for its major storyline of the offseason, as four-star recruit Ashlee Sullivan announced she’ll be joining the Bruins in the fall instead of Michigan. That gives UCLA a trio of U.S. elites in their large incoming class, with Nola Matthews and five-star Tiana Sumanasekera leading the charge. The Bruins have momentum from their runner-up finish and are on track to maintain it for another run at a finals appearance.
5. Arkansas
Last Ranking: No. 6
The transfer portal has been the focal point of the last few weeks for the Razorbacks. They are losing a few pieces of depth but are adding plenty of value to replace them. In a stunning move, former five-star recruit and original Arkansas commit Morgan Price announced she’ll be finishing out her career as a Razorback after becoming the most legendary HBCU gymnast to date while at Fisk. Fellow former five-star Madison Gustitus will also be joining the roster after a promising freshman season at San Jose State that saw her advance to regionals on beam. Plus, incoming five-star Allison Cucci ended her level 10 career with a runner-up all-around finish, projecting Arkansas to be one of the deepest contenders come 2026.
6. Utah
Last Ranking: No. 5
It has been a relatively quiet start to the offseason for the Red Rocks, which isn’t a bad thing, but they see themselves slide in the rankings without much action to generate positive momentum like the other top programs. Level 10 nationals went well for incoming four-star recruit Abigail Ryssman, who took home a title on bars and looks ready to go on an event where Utah is losing two key sets.
7. Missouri
Last Ranking: No. 9
Fifth-year announcements from Grace Anne Davis and Lauren Macpherson headline the Tigers’ early offseason, with the duo sitting out of the third-place finish with injury but were expected to be heavily involved with the success. Davis was key in keeping Missouri ranked in the top 10 on beam throughout the 2024 season while Macpherson, a former all-arounder at San Jose State, was forecasted to contend for competition time on multiple events. Those expectations have now been transferred to 2026, boosting the Tigers’ prospects in the process with fewer holes left to fill in lineups.
8. Georgia
Last Ranking: No. 7
Like the Utes, the GymDawgs have had a relatively stagnant offseason, without much drama—good or bad—to swing the pendulum in any direction. The biggest development has been losing a few routines to the transfer portal from Naya Howard, but that’s far from enough for Georgia to fall out of the rankings when much of the competition lineups from a season ago are still intact.
Up Next: Michigan State, Alabama, Kentucky, Stanford
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Article by Brandis Heffner
