Gymnast Nina Ballou performs a dance pose during her floor routine, standing on one leg with her arms gracefully curved, wearing a black leotard with pink and silver accents.

Most Anticipated Freshmen on Floor

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With no NCAA track record, incoming freshmen always add an element of mystery when predicting future stars. Some will emerge as unexpected standouts. However, some athletes show fantastic potential on their events that make them highly anticipated by their team’s fanbase and are listed below.

We included ten level 10s and five elite gymnasts on each event by considering past scores and performances, as well as their potential to shine at the NCAA level. In an effort to balance the names across all NCAA programs, we limited each list to two gymnasts per school. Today, we’re looking at floor.

Level 10s

Nina Ballou, LSU

Bringing in three transfers who have excelled on floor, and hopefully having Kaliya Lincoln back at full strength, means the Tiger floor lineup has some outstanding options. However, freshman Ballou will likely play a big part in that conversation. Five of her six 2025 routines earned her a place in the top three, including state, regional, and national titles, and she also achieved these accolades in 2024. She brings a fun energy to her routine that will appeal to the audience in the PMAC, and she adds to LSU’s difficulty with her double layout.

Baylie Belman, Ohio State

Belman was unfortunately unable to compete at 2024 nationals or for the majority of the 2025 season, but she had a great 2024 season on floor, culminating in her 9.900 finish to take the regional title. The Buckeyes have a very strong freshman class coming in, but with its unique full-twisting double pike, Belman’s routine stands out. If she and Payton Harris return to full strength after their injuries, they could be powerful duo in the latter half of Ohio State’s lineup.

Shyla Bhatia, Denver

With the loss of two of their three top scorers, Bhatia’s exceptional history of success on floor will be warmly welcomed by the Pioneers. Incredibly, until 2025 nationals (where she still finished a strong sixth), Bhatia had not finished outside the top four on the event at a single meet from February 2023 onwards, a streak which included reaching a 9.975 career high. This consistency is as much an attribute as her fantastic movement quality.

Jayla Booker, Florida

After a fantastic beginning to her 2025 season, Booker opted to switch her commitment from Rutgers to Florida, her home state. Her strongest event is assuredly floor, where she took the event title at five of her six meets. The Gator lineups are exceptionally competitive and will only be moreso with the addition of eMjae Frazier and the return of Kayla DiCello. Despite this, Booker ought to be in strong contention for the lineup with skills such as her dynamic full-twisting double tuck.

Jasmine Cawley, Alabama

The only person in this class to score a 10.0 on floor this season, floor is arguably Cawley’s strongest event despite her strength across the board. State and regional champion and national runner-up, Cawley has put herself in an excellent position to consistently feature in Alabama’s floor lineup. Her precision, musicality, and fantastic amplitude in her tumbling pair well with the school spirit she has already exhibited; her senior season routine even includes a “Roll Tide Roll!” chant.

Kimarra Echols, Missouri

The only five-star recruit in this class known to have visited Missouri, the Tigers certainly got a star with Echols. In 2024, she took the floor title in all but one of her meets with the exception being nationals, where she was runner-up. The pattern continued into 2025 where she finished in the top three on the event at all meets and was state and regional champion. With skills such as her powerful full-twisting double tuck, this is no surprise.

Ella Murphy, Oklahoma

Perhaps more known for her bars and beam, Murphy is also extremely strong on floor. At her final meet this season, the Nastia Liukin Cup, she tied for the top score of those in this class. Five returning Oklahoma gymnasts have an NQS of 9.89+ which is exceptionally competitive, but with her blend of power and control, Murphy could definitely see competition time.

Kamila Pawlak, Oklahoma

2024 state, regional, and national champion (with her regionals score being a 10.0), Pawlak is another who will be in contention for the Oklahoma floor lineup. Her full-twisting double pike is unique, though may not be kept in her collegiate routine, but her twisting skills are excellent as well. Like with Murphy, it is difficult to speculate as to how often she would see lineup time due to Oklahoma’s depth on the event, but she certainly has the potential to be a lineup staple.

Quincy Walters, Michigan

A late commitment switch from California to Michigan after the coach switch at Cal, the Wolverines are fortunate to welcome Walters’ strong floor resume. Walters has not placed below third on the event in her last twenty meets, and in 2024, scored 10.0 three meets in a row. Her control and form are exceptional and can definitely be expected to feature in Michigan’s lineup. 

Elyse Wenner, LSU

Wenner was unable to compete on floor due to injury in the 2025 season, but in 2024, she placed first on the event seven meets in a row, including state and regional championships. There is no shortage of talented floor workers at LSU, but if Wenner is fully recovered from injury, her exquisite form and powerful skills, such as her double layout would fit in well in the Tiger lineup.

Elites

Ana Bărbosu, Stanford

Olympic bronze medallist and European floor champion, Bărbosu is a very strong elite floor worker, and Cardinal fans are hoping that will translate well to college. In her elite routine, she competed a unique 3.5 spin and a whip straight into a full-twisting double tuck. As her tumbling form is cleaner than her twisting form, it is likely that her college routine will include more of those elements, but her generally strong execution and fantastic landings definitely put her in a good position to feature in Stanford’s lineup.

Lilia Cosman, Michigan State

Another Romanian Olympian, Cosman returns to her home state to compete for the Spartans. Michigan State is losing three of their strongest floor workers, and Cosman’s extensive international experience will likely help her be a consistent contributor. While Cosman will likely seek to improve her execution for success in the college world, the excellent landing control she had in her elite routine will be a strong asset.

Tonya Paulsson, California

With the loss of five of their strongest floor workers to other schools or graduation, and the commitment switch of Quincy Walters, Cal’s lineup this year is sure to look very different. Fortunately, Paulsson has been consistently strong on floor this season, even finishing fourth on the event at the World University Games with the highest execution score of the finalists. Her elite routine included both a double layout and full-twisting double tuck, but it is unlikely both will feature in her college routine. However, she may retain some of her unique, well-executed dance skills, such as her double L turn.

Ashlee Sullivan, UCLA

A commitment switch from Michigan to UCLA, Sullivan has had a fantastic elite season, with her most recent accomplishment being her third-place finish on floor at nationals. She competes a very difficult routine with some of those skills unlikely to be seen in college such as a Silivas, but others like her double layout could certainly feature. This powerful tumbling will suit well at UCLA on the event they are most known for.

Tiana Sumanasekera, UCLA

Sumanasekera embodies the UCLA floor spirit both with her dance, which she has recently choreographed herself, and her exceptional tumbling. She has unfortunately had some small struggles with injury in the 2025 season, but was routinely scoring in the high 13s on floor in 2024, an incredible accomplishment. Even her downgraded routine at nationals this season featured a double layout connected to a sky-high split jump, a combination she could definitely keep as a Bruin.

Honorable Mentions

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Article by Gemma Selby, with additional reporting from Brynn Robbins

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