We’ve all got that leotard burned into our brain—the one we still think about years later. In this roundtable, CGN editors share their GOAT leos: the ones with the best design, the boldest moment, or the deepest emotional pull.
What’s your personal GOAT leo and why?
Julianna: From both an outside perspective as well as being an athlete, one of my forever favorites is Temple’s Pretty in Pink leotard. I love the pastel pinks, the scalloped neckline, and the overall aesthetic of the leotard. It has been a staple in Temple’s wardrobe since 2020 for good reason!
Sara: I love Alaska’s Northern Lights leo and the state itself is known for this, which makes it even cooler. The design of the ombre lights against the sparkles is awesome and brings in extraordinary state and school pride.
Peri: This is an absolutely loaded question, and I love it! Admittedly, I saved this to be the last question to answer in the roundtable, thinking it’d be easier after the rest, or that I’d at least have my memory jogged after looking through so many. I’m back at my original answer after all that – Stanford’s Retro S has the perfect mix of elite glam (hello seven countries in 2026!) and American university spirit.
Mariah: Picking an absolute greatest of all time is a tough ask but there are a few that fit that description for me. The Washington library leo and the Oregon State retro Benny leo (and the very similar one that North Carolina debuted this season) are probably the most well done in my opinion. The best leo team is indisputably MSU. They just don’t miss.
Which leo changed the game when it debuted?
Julianna: Michigan State is building one of the best collections in my opinion, but the one that changed the game for the Spartans is the Royalty leotard, which debuted in 2024. Since then, Michigan State’s leos really have not missed.
Sara: This leotard from Iowa was a total game-changer when the picture first popped up online. The black and gold are incredible, and we’ve been begging to see gold or yellow from the Hawkeyes, and they finally delivered big time.
Peri: Stanford’s Angry Tree took the gymternet by storm in 2024, and since its debut, we’ve seen more than a handful of teams reveal a leo with a mascot taking center stage of their own.
Mariah: Illinois debuted two beautiful, predominantly orange and white leotards in 2019 and have continued to utilize a lot of orange in its designs ever since. I’m sure it wasn’t the first to ever heavily feature orange, but I think it was the first time in recent memory that it was done really well. It took a couple years, but teams like Oregon State, Auburn, Clemson, and Bowling Green have followed suit, adding orange leotards into their own collections. I’m still waiting on Florida to hop on this trend though.
What leo has the most iconic legacy?
Julianna: I would have to agree with any of the legacy leotards, but again, coming at this question with having been a part of the team and what this means, I would say the UB Girls leotard for Bridgeport. This leotard is a compilation of iconic pieces from the past with the addition of the phrase that means so much to the program, and will forever be a legacy leotard for the Purple Knights.
Sara: Utah’s 50th season screams legacy to me. The 50 on the back with each athlete’s last name shows the uniqueness of celebrating a milestone and how far the program has come.
Peri: UCLA’s centennial leotard checks all the boxes of a legacy design. The way it transcends the gymnastics team’s history and nods to the school’s century of visual culture wowed me in 2020 and still wows me today.
Mariah: I have to agree with Peri. The UCLA centennial leotard is truly iconic, and I still think about it all the time.
Which leo do you still think about years later?
Julianna: I would say I think about Michigan’s nationals velvet leo from 2021 maybe once a month. Besides the fact that the leo itself is beautiful, I love all of the nostalgia that is tied to it!
Sara: Texas Woman’s debuted a velvet leo years ago, which they brought back for the 2022 season. The design makes me think of when velvet was a trend and teams wanted to have leotards made of the fabric.
Peri: Oklahoma is no stranger to designs that are only worn once; our database lists fifteen and counting. But taking it a step further and only having one athlete ever wear it? That’ll stick in my head for more than a decade. Taylor Spears’ leotard from the NCAA event finals in 2014 is exactly that, with a timeless sparkly presence.
Mariah: As I mentioned above, I still think about the UCLA centennial leotard all these years later, but another one that comes to mind is the Arizona flag leo from 2019. They had a similar one a few years prior and once again revamped it in 2024, but I still prefer the 2019 iteration.
What’s a leo you think is underappreciated?
Julianna: Penn has had some really stunning leos the past few years, and two that really stick out to me are the Blue Ice from the season and the “Throwback” Leo from 2023. Both embody the school spirit of Penn and have unique design elements that really stand out and are beautiful in person.
Sara: SEMO brought in a beautiful Redhawk design this past season, which not a lot of people talked about. And while I personally do not love all white leotards, I do think the team nailed the use of the mascot and school colors.
Peri: Northern Illinois’ Royal Drip does everything for me that the quintessential Georgia look does, but without my second-hand textural nightmare of wearing actual lace mesh. The different-sized stones also do heavy lifting for the leo, allowing it to be lighter and hopefully more affordable.
Mariah: Ball State’s logo leo that it debuted this past season was really pretty, and I don’t think it got enough love. I also think that, in general, Nebraska and Temple are pretty underrated leo teams. They both have a lot of great ones in their closets from recent years.
What’s the most “you had to be there” leo moment?
Julianna: George Washington’s tribute to Alex deMoura leotard that debuted during its Rip Current Awareness meet definitely is one to remember. Not only is it a stunning leotard, but it brought awareness to a cause many might be unfamiliar with and honored deMoura in a beautiful way for years to come.
Sara: Pitt’s senior night leotard from 2023 was gorgeous and even better in person. The blue and white pattern all over with gold lettering on the right sleeve is a great look, and what better way to debut a leotard than on senior night?
Peri: Positive fan reactions are big for any team’s new threads, but none I can remember so vividly for a program that needed it than when LIU revealed their shark camouflage to kick off 2022. It’s since become the team’s most-worn leo, and inspired the pattern’s use on two more designs.
Mariah: When Auburn debuted its infamous ruffle leo in 2020 it got quite a lot of attention. It was only ever worn once and was not particularly well received, so you quite literally had to be there to experience the uproar that ensued.
Is there a leo that looked better in motion than in photos?
Julianna: LSU debuted its day two leotard on the final day of the 2025 Pennsylvania regionals, and the photos do not do the sparkle of this leo justice. In person, this is stunning, and the pattern of the embellishments on the black bodice going up to the mesh is so unique and really stands out under competition lights. Absolutely stunning in person.
Sara: Utah State’s leotard worn against Utah was great but even better in motion. The glitter from the “U” lettering shone in the meet against the plain dark blue.
Peri: Central Michigan’s 2023 leotard used black for the first time, and it gave the whole design the elevated look it needed in motion when it was revealed at the end of the season.
Mariah: I wasn’t sure about the black Kentucky leotard from 2024 in pictures because it’s very busy, but it looks a lot better in motion and is a very different look for the Wildcats.
What older leo is most likely to go viral if it debuted today?
Julianna: This 2014 Georgia Leotard might be one of my favorites, and I wish it was worn now! This could be the simplicity Georgia needs in its current wardrobe to make a statement in a subtle way and still embody the spirit of the GymDogs.
Sara: Auburn brought back this throwback leo a few years ago, and it was instantly a hit. There was a similar style long ago used in the late 2000s, and I think the newer version brings back a small part of Tiger history.
Peri: Florida’s cap-sleeved leo from 2021 would stir up chatter online. The sleeves alone would get fans talking, and then the fact that it was only worn once would keep the conversation going.
Mariah: This isn’t an old leo by any means, but the UCLA BLM leo from 2021 was so well done and I think it would still get people talking if it debuted today.
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Article by the editors of College Gym News
