The offseason presents teams with the opportunity to overhaul their lineups in many ways. Graduates say goodbye, transfers shuffle about, and the freshmen move in; a recipe for a clean slate in the next academic year. The following teams have undergone an arduous summer glow-up and with fresh faces and a renewed hunger, they are likely to push themselves to new heights in the 2026 season.
Arkansas
In the grand scheme, the Razorbacks did not have a terrible season, as told by their final ranking of No. 12 out of 86 women’s college gymnastics teams. But there’s a certain feeling about being the only SEC team left out of the conference championships that will undoubtedly drive the Razorbacks’ top-10 goals in 2026.
Don’t worry about the new kids on the block: they are bringing the firepower. The squadron of incoming freshmen is almost guaranteed to become staples in the Arkansas lineups from the jump, with three of them boasting a five-star CGN recruit rating. Allison Cucci as the third highest-rated recruit in the class of 2025 is likely to make an immediate impact. On top of that, the Razorback arsenal now also includes transfers Madison Gustitus and Morgan Price, the latter coming off a dominant career at Fisk. And of course we cannot forget returning all-around and absolute powerhouse Joscelyn Roberson, who returned to elite competition this summer following an impressive first year at Arkansas. Between the stacked freshmen class, transfers, and experienced returners, this coming season the Razorbacks will not go down without a fight.
Auburn
While not originating from a place of luck, Auburn’s forced reliance on its underclassmen this year, following several injuries, has granted them the coveted experience to perform better than ever in 2026. To be fair, the Tigers finished the season ranked No. 11—a decent standing, some might say. Despite having a large senior class, very few of them were able to contribute due to injuries. As they leave, the Tigers will lose a few key vaults, but for the most part the team will keep many of the same routines where underclassmen stepped up to the plate in 2025.
The return of a healthy Katelyn Jong plus new transfers Emma Wehry and Kaylee Bluffstone will strengthen the depth of the Tigers’ lineups. The freshman class will also be prepared to contribute as needed, including five-star recruit Charlotte Booth. Should she be fully healthy by January, Booth’s experience on the international stage will elevate the Tigers’ collective confidence.
The Tigers will certainly look like a different team come 2026, and we are eager to witness the success they found this year grow as the new faces work to turn over the legacy of a departed senior class.
BYU
In 2026, BYU wipes the slate clean following a graduating class of nine and will make up for it by bringing on board eight first-years (twelve if you count the four redshirt freshmen). It’s not a party until it’s a mob! The Cougars finished this past season ranked No. 30, which gives them some room to improve with adjusted lineups and a refreshed mindset. While it’s generally true that first-years are less likely to be slotted into lineups, five of the incoming class are rated recruits, spearheaded by recent DP National All-Around Champion Scarlett Sonnenberg. The last time that the Cougars posted all-around competitors was in 2022, so perhaps Sonnenberg will break the streak and provide an opportunity for the team to advance past middling rankings. With such a talented incoming class and rock-solid routines from returning members, the Cougars have huge potential to deliver thrilling performances in the 2026 season.
Clemson
Let’s talk about Clemson. Again. In their three years as a team, the Tigers have had several viral moments, but possibly none as widely-discussed as the coaching pinch of the century. After firing head coach Amy Smith, Clemson looked west to California’s savvy coaching pair: the Howells. Their hiring has elicited immediate effects on present and future Clemson lineups as there have been several Cal commitment changes and transfers intent on following the Howells and their success wherever they go. Clemson has only seen gains. Incoming transfer Ella Cesario has been a staple for Cal the past two years, and Paige Anastasi is eager for a chance to compete after wading into the deep pool that is UCLA’s lineups.
The Tigers wrapped 2025 ranked No. 29, not exactly the desired spot for such a well-endowed athletics department, and the investment into the Howells hopefully shows the school’s interest in developing a successful gymnastics program. The expected growth of the team hasn’t quite yet reached the freshman roster, although it includes two rated recruits, Sophie Stuart and Celeste Field.
The Tigers are full of fresh potential brought in by a set of experienced coaches and star athletes, and we are ready to watch them thrive in this new chapter.
Ohio State
Ohio State struggled throughout this season, posting a revolving door of routines in an attempt to figure out what worked on each event. It seems like they never really found their stride. By far, the Buckeyes had the most difficulty with bars, where as a team they ranked No. 42 on the event. Former five-star recruit Payton Harris’ injury took her out of contention for most of the season, and as a consistent all-arounder, she was sorely missed. Harris’ return to the lineups next season will help to recenter the team.
The Buckeyes also secured multiple wins in the transfer portal by bringing on board Natalie Martin (UMD) and Sadie Jane Berry (UGA). In her time with the Bulldogs, Berry was a bars specialist, and could become a perennial presence for the Buckeyes on their weaker event. Moreover, the freshman class enters with resumes of their own, five of them being rated recruits. If the Buckeyes encounter lineup issues in 2026, they can look to the newest cohort to fill in the gaps.
UCLA
For the first runner-up at nationals, one might think that UCLA doesn’t have much room to improve. But college gymnastics is never that simple. The end of the 2025 season brought about a major exodus of big names and all-star athletes from the UCLA team: Chae Campbell, Brooklyn Moors, and Emma Malabuyo among them. Next year will look very different for the Bruins, and while the routines are robust and lineups deep, the returning team members are going to need a little backup in addition to Jordan Chiles. That’s where the latest and greatest Bruin freshmen come into the picture. There are—count ‘em—FOUR five-star recruits in this incoming class. Big elite names such as Tiana Sumanasekera, Ashlee Sullivan, Nola Matthews, and Jordis Eichman, all of whom recently competed in the US Gymnastics Championships as elites. Each of these athletes has the unquestionable ability to step up for any event at all times.
UCLA being UCLA, of course it will be able to attract the best athletes, but the 2026 lineups are almost absurd. This team didn’t necessarily need a revamp, but Janelle McDonald was somehow able to find areas to improve upon. Like a train, the Bruins are on track to steamroll right through the season, and they are nowhere near to running out of fuel.
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Article by Frances Leadman
