With recruiting about to start for athletes in the class of 2027, some exciting skills may have slipped under fans’ radar. Here are a few athletes who perform skills that are sure to help them stand out over the next few months.
Abrielle Bianchi
While Bianchi’s acrobatic series–a back handspring to layout stepout–is quite common, she used her mastery of this skill to learn a unique variation: a gainer layout stepout. This skill is very rarely seen and demonstrates her potential to develop into a really strong, and exciting, beam worker.
Madyson Boyd
Boyd is one of the top athletes in her class, indicating that she has a variety of strong skills across the four events. However, one skill that really stands out is her Shang on bars, a clear hip to piked Tkatchev. While any college program would love to pick her up due to her potential to slot into any event, the possibility of adding this skill to their lineup would be a massive bonus.
Harlow Buddendeck
A junior elite just breaking into the senior ranks, Buddendeck has so far managed to keep an inbar circle in her routine. This skill is notoriously difficult, so it will be interesting to see if Buddendeck is able to bring it to college. If not, she competes several skills from a Stalder entry–the other more difficult entry on bars in the NCAA–so her routine is sure to stand out regardless.
Aaliyah Coleman
Entering level 10 this past season and making a big statement, Coleman has struggled with her consistency on beam, but when she hits, her routine is elevated by two exciting elements: her switch leap, split leap to scale connection and her front aerial to two feet. With more experience under her belt, Coleman is sure to be a college star.
Ming Gherardi van Eijken
Gherardi van Eijken caused a lot of excitement when she announced she was hoping to compete in the NCAA, and there is no question as to why. This French elite gymnast competes difficult skills including a Rudi on vault. This vault adds an extra full twist to the front pike half commonly seen in college and while it’s pretty likely she’ll downgrade it, her experience with the more difficult vault may allow her to compete with more amplitude than is commonly seen with the front pike half at the NCAA level.
Alyssa Guerrier-Calixte
Another breakthrough athlete this year, Guerrier-Calixte has represented Canada in several competitions at the senior level. Consistently excelling on floor, her beam has suffered from some issues with consistency, but when she hits she really stands out. Her acrobatic series is a front handspring to front tuck, and she competes a double turn which is notoriously difficult.
Cambry Haynes
Haynes is an athlete known in the elite world for her unique skills and combinations, and fans are eager to see how that will translate to college. While she’s got many skills to choose from–her double front bars dismount, layout stepout mount on beam, and double arabian on floor all come to mind–it’s her beam series of Onodi to side aerial that really draws attention. While Onodis are rare on their own, it is especially rare to see them done in combination.
Olivia Parma
Parma made a switch to compete the Omelianchik as her vault this season, and it really paid off. Vault is one of the events with the least skill diversity so a vault that is seen less often is especially exciting!
Abigail Sikon
In an article on unique skills, eponymous skills are the cream of the crop. At 2024 nationals, Sikon competed a gainer front aerial to scale, and it is now known in the Development Program as the Sikon. This is an incredible accomplishment for her, and whether she chooses to attend Nebraska like her sister, Isabel, or attend elsewhere, her future coach will be glad to have this skill in her bag of tricks.
Camie Westerman
Westerman wraps up this list with a skill named after famed UCLA gymnast Mohini Bhardwaj. This skill adds a whole twist to the Pak–the more common way of transitioning from the high to low bar–and definitely adds a certain wow factor!
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By Gemma Selby
