With January just around the corner, anticipation for the 2026 season is building. While we won’t see full lineups until the new year, preseason chatter is already heating up with questions about who will emerge, what lineups will look like, and which teams might surprise us once the season begins. To set the stage, our contributors weighed in with their biggest lineup questions and boldest predictions for 2026.
Which team has the most difficult lineup decisions to make on at least one event?
Tara: Oklahoma, hands down. I don’t envy KJ Kindler one bit.
Sara: Pittsburgh has six freshmen ready to make an impact. I think there are going to be a lot of difficult decisions to make once the season rolls around to see who will fit in best.
Diana: I agree with Tara about Oklahoma, but LSU also has an embarrassment of riches. It has four former five-star recruits and returners like Kailin Chio and Konnor McClain—not to mention the impressive transfer class it’s brought in.
Sophie: I also have to say LSU. The depth of the Tigers’ 2026 roster is just insane. I hope Jay Clark lets us see each of those incredible gymnasts at least once this season!
Savanna: Easily Oklahoma. It added SO MUCH STAR POWER, and based on preseason footage, the freshmen are already pushing for some lineup spots on all four events alongside some vets who didn’t get to compete much with Oklahoma being in All-Around-R-Us in 2025. It’s going to be a dog fight.
Emma: I have to agree about LSU. It is bringing in a star-studded freshman class and several high-impact transfers who could all slot into multiple lineups. Plus, Kaliya Lincoln and Zoe Miller should finally be healthy. I have no idea how Jay Clark will choose a floor lineup.
What’s one lineup you expect to look completely different by March compared to January?
Tara: Denver had so much roster turnover between a large graduating class and the transfer of Madison Ulrich; its lineups will look very different in 2026.
Sara: California—The Golden Bears have had lots of changes to their lineups, and with the graduations of Maddie Williams and Mya Lauzon and the departures of eMjae Frazier and Ella Cesario to Florida and Clemson respectively, things will look different on many events, especially floor.
Diana: With Charlotte Booth and Katelyn Jong returning from injury, Auburn could see shifts in its lineups throughout the season as they continue their recoveries.
Sophie: I expect Michigan to play with lineups a lot this year, especially with a new head coach at the helm of the program. It’ll be a big transition year for the team, and I think things could look very different from the start of the season compared to the end of it.
Savanna: Clemson’s likely will look very different once the Howells really start diving into the scoring potential of the team and building the optimum lineups like they did at California.
Emma: Iowa has a lot of young talent with massive potential. It will take time to settle into the season, and I expect Jen Llewellyn to play around with lineups early on to find an ideal formula for success.
Which freshman will make the biggest immediate impact?
Tara: It’s hard to choose just one! Former five-star recruit Sophie Schriever should make an impact at Iowa; she has the skills on all four events and brings a 10.0 vault to the mix. With the turnover at Denver, look for former five-star recruit Shyla Bhatia to immediately make an impact there. Jasmine Cawley could also be big for Alabama.
Diana: Cal lost its head-coaching duo and a number of star athletes to both graduation and transfer. Tonya Paulsson joins the Bears after recent successes in the elite world at the Asian championships and the world university games and looks poised to lead the team into the Stack-Eaton era.
Sophie: I think former five-star recruit Arianna Ostrum is going to be huge for Minnesota. Her 10.0 vault will be especially valuable in replacing Hooten’s spot in that lineup.
Savanna: After doing some research with potential lineups coming soon, Hillary Puleo of Arizona is going to be a star early. The Wildcats lose three superstars in Elena Deets, Alysen Fears, and Emily Mueller, and Puleo could easily replace one of them in the lineup. Bonus is that she’s coming in with a 10.0 under her belt on beam!
Emma: Oklahoma is losing two talented bar workers in Jordan Bowers and Audrey Davis. Ella Murphy has the picture-perfect lines and floatiness to replace them in the back of the lineup.
Who’s your pick for the most surprising all-arounder we’ll see this season?
Tara: Cecilia Cooley has been pushing for the all-around ever since coming back from injury, and she just may do it this season.
Sara: I can totally see Ella Schell as a surprising all-arounder. While she was limited in her sophomore year due to injuries, her contributions on three events as a freshman, including a 9.950 on floor, helped in a big way. Now a junior, her veteran experience could take Iowa State far if she is healthy.
Sophie: Minnesota’s Ava Stewart was one of my favorite freshmen last season, consistently contributing to the vault, bars, and beam lineups. I’d love to see her add floor this year and become a key all-arounder for the Golden Gophers.
Savanna: Not sure if she is “surprising” per se, but I was pleasantly surprised to see Azaraya Ra-Akbar competing on all four events at Ghosts and Goblins for Alabama, and she looks ready to go. I think she’s a surprise pick just because we weren’t entirely sure what her injury situation was like or how she was recovering.
Emma: I can see Lincoln slotting into the all-around for LSU for at least a few meets, even with the amount of depth on its roster.
Which gymnast will earn the first perfect 10 of the 2026 season?
Tara: I’m going to say Faith Torrez on either beam or floor.
Sara: Chio, and it’ll be on vault.
Diana: Selena Harris-Miranda or Frazier on floor, whoever goes later in Florida’s lineup.
Sophie: I think it’ll be a Jordan Chiles bar routine.
Savanna: Harris-Miranda on vault.
Emma: Avery Neff on bars.
What’s one routine you’re already predicting will go viral?
Sara: Iowa’s Karina Muñoz definitely knows how to hype up and play to the crowd. If she has a new floor routine for 2026, I can see it going viral.
Diana: A Nola Matthews + BJ Das floor routine seems like a surefire candidate.
Savanna: I’m sure Jordan Chiles is already working with BJ Das on her next viral sensation on floor. My question, though, is will her Dancing with the Stars partner, Ezra, be involved in choreographing it as well?
Emma: Tiana Sumanasekera has the facial expressions and movement quality to be an internet star.
Who’s your dark horse pick for the all-around crown?
Sara: Chloe LaCoursiere is an amazing all-around competitor for Alabama, and it would be cool to see her win a title, especially with her younger sister joining the team for the 2026 season to follow in her footsteps.
Diana: Kayla DiCello. Calling her a dark horse is, perhaps, ridiculous, but she’s missed the last two NCAA seasons and is on a roster with star power to spare, both of which have dropped her under the radar.
Sophie: Michigan State’s Nikki Smith has everything it takes to challenge the top competitors. I’d love to see her win big in her senior season.
Savanna: Makenna Smith. She just seemed to come into her own during her junior year for Utah, and it just feels like she’s pacing herself to have a record senior season.
Emma: Frazier can certainly challenge for an all-around title. I think she will flourish under the Florida coaching staff.
Which event title at NCAAs do you think is most likely to produce an unexpected winner?
Tara: I’ll say beam. It always seems to be a chaotic event!
Sara: Definitely vault. That event is a make-or-break event when it comes to the postseason.
Diana: Vault, since it’s just the one skill.
Sophie: Vault – it’s always about who can stick on the day!
Savanna: Vault, because everyone picks nationals to randomly stick the one and a half that they’ve taken a step on all season.
Emma: I feel like floor is always unpredictable.
Who do you think will be the surprise qualifier to nationals—team or individual?
Tara: Arkansas is my dark horse pick. The freshman class is so good, and it adds Fisk standout Morgan Price as a transfer.
Sara: Call me crazy, but I think that if Auburn stays healthy enough, it will qualify to nationals. That vault rotation from the Seattle regional final this past year was spectacular, and that could be the difference maker.
Diana: I also may be crazy, but Auburn is my pick, too. It’s bringing in a strong freshman class and potential contributors in transfers Kaylee Bluffstone and Emma Wehry. With that group joining the likes of Olivia Greaves, Marissa Neal, and Katelyn Jong, Auburn can have a very strong postseason performance. The Tigers will need both Jong and Booth healthy to realize that, however.
Sophie: I’d love to see Price compete at nationals, whether with Arkansas or as an individual. It would be such a special way to close out her phenomenal career.
Savanna: Elizabeth is going to either love or hate this answer, but I think Georgia will get over the hump and make it back to nationals as a team this year.
Emma: I agree with Savanna. The growing pains of Cécile’s first season have passed, and the GymDogs should be hungry for a return to nationals. They have the talent to do so.
Which “dark horse” team could shake up the national or regional conversation this year?
Tara: Arkansas. The freshman class could have a real impact on the Razorbacks and elevate the team to the next level.
Sara: Arkansas is a sneakily good team, and with the addition of Price from Fisk, that could boost this team to shake up the nationals contention.
Diana: Pittsburgh has a promising mix of talented freshmen and seasoned returners on the roster this year that could help propel them back to regionals in 2026.
Sophie: Stanford surprised us all by making it to nationals in 2023 and finishing fifth in the semifinal, and I’d love to see a repeat of that. This team makes for a great dark horse – remember the 2025 ACC Championship?
Savanna: At the risk of sounding repetitive, I’ll say Arizona State. It is adding an impressive freshman class this year with Kylee Bromley and Kaydence Lockhart, and has Kimberly Smith returning for her senior season. It could be this year’s Cinderella if the stars align.
Emma: Iowa has a star-studded incoming freshman class, a talented sophomore class with a season of experience under their belt, and JerQuavia Henderson returning for her final bow. It has all the pieces in place to challenge for a spot in the national semifinals.
What’s your boldest team prediction for 2026?
Sara: Michigan State will end up in Four on the Floor.
Diana: Georgia will qualify to nationals.
Sophie: Penn will make it to regionals. It’s the strongest team in the GEC, and I think it’s ready to shine on a bigger stage!
Savanna: Nationals will end in a tie for the first time since 2014 when Florida and Oklahoma tied.
Emma: Utah will not make Four on the Floor.
What’s your boldest individual prediction for 2026?
Sara: Emily Leese of Rutgers will get a perfect 10.0 in her super (super) senior year.
Diana: Every individual national champion will be from the SEC.
Sophie: Henderson will finally get her floor 10.0 in her surprise sixth year for Iowa.
Savanna: Someone will get a perfect 40 in the all-around.
Emma: Lily Pederson will achieve a gym slam by the end of the season.
What storyline are you most excited to follow once the season begins?
Tara: It’s a tie between injury comebacks and new coaching changes. The Howells taking over at Clemson will be exciting to follow, with residual impacts at California. Denver and Iowa State both overhauled their assistant coaching staffs.
Sara: Any international gymnast on their transition to college. It will be so cool to see how those athletes are actually liking college and the gymnastics atmosphere.
Diana: I really, really want to see Maggie Slife qualify for nationals as an all-arounder.
Sophie: I’m looking forward to seeing which teams will be at the top of their conference. Can Oklahoma take its first SEC championship title? Will UCLA or Michigan State be on top of the Big Ten? Who’s going to be top dog in the ACC?
Savanna: I’m excited to see the impact of the last-minute changes. From early graduations to commitment switches and late signings, the unpredictability of it all is what excites me the most!
Emma: I am so excited to see how the incoming freshman class makes an impact on their rosters. There is an unreal amount of talent coming into NCAA gymnastics, and I expect many freshmen to make an immediate impact, especially Ostrum of Minnesota and Madi Bell of Pittsburgh.
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I really wish gymnastics could be one college sport exempt from SEC bias, but it seems to be getting worse for gymnastics since Oklahoma joined the SEC. I hate that they can get better recruits and more coverage than any other conference.