Last week, we unveiled our annual preseason poll, where 15 College Gym News contributors ranked what they believe will be the top 36 teams heading into the 2026 season. After crunching the numbers, we arrived at our overall ranking—but the fun doesn’t stop there. In this week’s roundtable, we’re breaking down our picks: which teams we may have overrated or underrated, who could surprise us once competition begins, and how our projections might compare to the eventual Road to Nationals standings. To view each contributor’s full top 36, click here.
Did you use any sort of methodology when ranking your top 36?
Elizabeth: More so than ever, this year I took last year’s rankings, looked at additions and subtractions, and made some small tweaks from there. I also tried to keep in mind teams that had bad luck in 2025, whether that be injuries or uncharacteristic performances.
Savanna: When doing my poll, I typically take a look at the top 40 teams from the previous year and then assess every team’s gains and losses and build my poll that way. I also look at my poll from the previous year to make sure I didn’t just copy and paste it. This year, I followed the same strategy, except I expanded to the top 45. The bubble was MASSIVE last year, and tons of teams had a chance at the last minute, so I accounted for that.
Frances: I used a loose approach, taking the standings from last year and comparing them against the general final rankings trendlines from the past couple of years. I also glanced at regular-season finishes for teams, since I feel like that can provide a more “stable” view of how the team does in a season—an unpredictable off day at nationals can really shake up the standings. Finally, I skimmed the rosters and commits database to look at notable roster changes. With all these stats, I felt like I had a decent baseline overview of what teams are working with in 2026.
Sarah: I looked at the outgoing seniors, incoming freshmen, and transfer athletes for the top 40 teams, and considered who might fill key open lineup spots across each team. I also used NQS and average scores from prior seasons in combination with recruit ratings to evaluate each team’s depth per event, mostly to consider how significantly an injury to a major player would impact each team. After considering that, I looked at overall team trajectories from last season, particularly with teams that had surprising postseasons (both good and bad) to see where each one could either build off of that growth or resolve what went wrong.
Penny: Similarly to Sarah, I analyzed the freshmen coming into each team and how they would fill in the gaps of the outgoing seniors. From there, I considered how each team finished this previous season, and that combined is how I decided my rankings.
Sara: I just looked at the past rankings and thought about what teams were strong with recruiting from this preseason that could add to a team’s success. I did look at NQS as well, but mostly based it on last season’s rankings.
Tara: I looked at the final rankings and pre-regionals rankings to refresh myself on last season’s performance, then considered departing routines and how newcomers could fill the gaps.
Alyssa: I focused on regular-season rankings from last year and tried to shift teams based on gains and losses. The bubble was big last year, so I considered that when picking my bubble teams for this upcoming season.
Claire: I used the CGN meet predictor to simulate a fake season for each team and calculated (the old version of) NQS based on the predictions. Then I moved some teams around based on my opinion of where the numbers might be over- or underestimating certain teams and their losses and gains.
Brandis: My strategy, year after year, like many of my fellow editors, is to compare a team’s previous season against their gains and losses. I prefer to look at a program’s final regular-season ranking rather than its final ranking, as it tells a truer story of how it performed overall during the season. I do consider final rankings as well, as how a team typically performs during the postseason should impact my choices.
Sophie: I looked at last year’s rankings and moved teams up or down based on gains and losses – and I also threw some wildcards into the mix. There’s always a surprise in the final rankings!
Mariah: I started with the regular season top 45 from last year and moved teams around based on gains, losses, and what round of the postseason I thought each team could reasonably expect to qualify to.
Which team did you pick to win it all and why?
Elizabeth: Always bet on black—err, Oklahoma.
Savanna: Once again, I believe Oklahoma will repeat as national champion and snag its eighth overall title. It’s hard to argue against KJ Kindler snagging one of the top recruiting classes in the country and returning the top all-arounder in Faith Torrez.
Frances: I picked Oklahoma to win big yet again. It seems like the easy answer, but the Sooners have truly built an empire these last few years, and don’t appear to be losing steam anytime soon.
Sarah: I picked Oklahoma. The Sooners’ incoming freshmen seem poised to immediately fill the lineup gaps left by last year’s graduating class – and that’s not even taking into account the depth that is already on the roster. If Oklahoma performs as normal, the team will be firmly in the running for a national title from day one.
Penny: I picked UCLA to win it all! While UCLA did have some big-name seniors leaving like Brooklyn Moors, Emma Malabuyo, and Chae Campbell, UCLA’s freshman class has the firepower to replace these athletes in lineups, as well as the opportunity for its sophomore class to step into more lineups. Overall, I believe UCLA has what it takes to take the title.
Sara: I had to go with LSU. The Tigers brought in three four-star recruits for the 2026 season. LSU did not end its season the way it wanted, ending in fifth place. I have a feeling that will spark a fire in the Tigers and they will go on to become national champions.
Tara: I went with Oklahoma. While the reigning national champion lost an impactful graduating class, the incoming class is equally as talented.
Alyssa: I typically default to picking Oklahoma and I did not see a reason to not do the same this season.
Claire: The data said Oklahoma and I couldn’t argue with that pick. Its consistency is unmatched.
Brandis: Unwilling to pick against the sport’s current dynasty, I chose the Sooners. Just glancing at their final finishes over the last decade, it’s hard to beat that consistency.
Sophie: Oklahoma was the best last year, and some big names are joining the roster this year. I couldn’t bet against the Sooners.
Mariah: I picked Oklahoma. I just couldn’t find a reason not to.
Looking at the top four, which will be the teams in the national final, and why did you go with the teams you did?
Elizabeth: LSU because that roster is insane, and I think it’ll bounce back from missing a year ago, Florida because despite what history has shown, I just feel weird leaving out a team with that much talent, and Utah because it’s Utah.
Savanna: I have UCLA, LSU, and Utah joining Oklahoma in the national final. I think that being runner-up last year left a sting in the Bruins’ mouths and I think they are going to fight and claw to be back in contention again, but possibly just fall a little short. Even though LSU missed the final last year, I do not believe it will suffer the same fate this time with its seniors and fifth and sixth years leading the way. Utah is one of those teams that seems to sneak in at the last minute, and with Avery Neff’s return, I believe it will do so again this year.
Frances: My final four are Oklahoma, Utah, LSU, and Florida. As a group, these teams have a lot of top-rated freshman recruits who are primed to integrate smoothly into already robust lineups. LSU and Florida will be on the hunt to make up for disappointing finishes last year. A slew of top-four finishes for Utah since 2020 have yet to see the Red Rocks rank on top, but maybe this is the year they’re ready to dominate.
Sarah: I chose Oklahoma, LSU, UCLA, and Florida. All four teams are retaining at least one key all-arounder from postseason lineups, and the vacancies left by the graduating seniors will quickly be filled by members of each team’s outstanding freshman class. LSU and Florida both acquired major transfers who will likely contribute significantly and be extremely helpful in their quest to get back to the national final.
Penny: I have UCLA, Oklahoma, LSU, and Utah in the final four. All four of these teams have extremely talented rosters with robust freshman classes, and I believe they will be threats this season. Oklahoma has become a dynasty, and unless there is a complete meltdown, it is pretty much a lock for the final four. LSU will be searching for the opportunity after its disappointing finish last season, and I do think it will accomplish that feat. Utah, led by Avery Neff, is my final team in because, along with its talent, it simply has the luck on its side of slipping into the final four almost every year.
Sara: I went with LSU, Oklahoma, Missouri, and UCLA. Each of these teams is very successful, with LSU and Oklahoma already winning national championship titles. Missouri ended in third place last season, and I believe that will happen again due to depth on the other rosters. UCLA was able to make it to the final four and ended in second, but I do think with LSU and Oklahoma’s past success, that will be hard to beat, especially with Missouri bringing in two five-star recruits.
Tara: Rounding out my top four are LSU, Utah, and Florida. LSU is adding lots of talent with a strong freshman class and excellent transfers in Madison Ulrich, Courtney Blackson, and Emily Innes. Both Utah and Florida have talent of their own, with Florida adding a top transfer in eMjae Frazier.
Alyssa: My top four are Oklahoma, LSU, Florida, and UCLA. Two of the teams are the same as last year, but I just don’t see LSU and Florida missing the final four in back-to-back seasons with the talent on those rosters.
Claire: I have Florida, LSU, and UCLA joining Oklahoma. The strength and depth of those teams continues to be very strong, and if they put it together in the postseason I have no doubt they can make the final day of competition.
Sophie: I had LSU, Florida, and Utah behind Oklahoma, in that order. These teams consistently make it to nationals, and although they’re all losing some big names, their rosters are still stacked.
Mariah: My top four are Oklahoma, Florida, LSU, and Utah. No surprises here. There’s always a chance for upsets in the postseason, but should everything go according to plan, all four of these teams have the roster and pedigree to fight for the title
Let’s expand it one more time and look at the top eight. Which teams made yours and why?
Elizabeth: I stuck with the 2025 nationals teams with one exception in swapping Arkansas in for Missouri. The Tigers lost quite a lot of star power due to graduation, and while it still has a strong roster, I think the Razorbacks’ additions put it a smidge ahead. It’ll likely come down to the regionals draw and which teams have an easier road to Fort Worth.
Savanna: My top eight concludes with Alabama, Michigan State, Florida, and Arkansas. With Lilly Hudson’s graduation, the Crimson Tide will be hunting for her replacement, and it could be between Jasmine Cawley and Azaraya Ra-Akbar based on what we’ve seen in the preseason. Michigan State returns a majority of its routines from its semifinals team in 2025, while Florida has the talent to make another run. Arkansas was a surprise to me, but with Morgan Price joining the team as well as the freshmen who are absolutely incredible, it could sneak in and make the national semifinals.
Frances: Eight great teams should include Michigan State, UCLA, Auburn, and Alabama. Michigan State was a powerhouse last year and, despite class turnover, should be poised for a strong start in 2026. UCLA falls slightly in my rankings due to the loss of staple routines. But with the stacked freshman class and strong returners, the Bruins are set to remain a high-performance team for the time being. Alabama is indeed on the prowl, and Auburn’s consistent improvements could inspire a top-eight finish.
Sarah: I included Utah, Michigan State, Missouri, and Alabama in my top eight. While Utah cannot ever truly be counted out of national title contention, one team had to go in the No. 5 slot, and the Red Rocks were my choice here due to the loss of several consistently high-scoring routines in each lineup. I have Michigan State and Alabama retaining their final rankings from last year, as both teams’ most impactful lineups (vault and floor, respectively) will presumably look relatively similar this season. I have Missouri finishing just outside of the national final, largely due to the fact that the Tigers are losing many integral routines. However, I think that the incoming freshmen and transfers – coupled with increased contributions from returning gymnasts like Kaia Tanskanen – will keep Missouri in the running to make nationals.
Penny: Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, and Auburn round out my top eight. After last season, I feel Florida and Alabama can really contend this season with their returners and incoming freshmen, and I truly feel as if my top six can be ordered in any way. I have Kentucky and Auburn rounding out my top eight because the impact of the athletes they have lost in seniors and gained in freshmen is going to show less of an impact than teams that finished above them last year. Especially considering California losing so many commitments and athletes to Clemson due to the coaching change.
Sara: I put Utah, Florida, Michigan State, and Alabama for my top eight. I feel that all of these teams are capable of winning a championship but somehow there is always something that knocks them out of Four on the Floor contention. However, with incoming freshmen, high scores, and both regular and postseason high scores, these teams should definitely end up in the top eight no matter what.
Tara: I have UCLA in fifth, followed by Michigan State, Alabama, and Arkansas. I can see UCLA challenging for the final, but ended up ranking it just out of the final. Michigan State and Alabama should be able to replace their graduated routines fairly early, and Arkansas is my dark horse to sneak into the semifinals with some of the most talented freshmen in the country.
Alyssa: I have Utah, Michigan State, Missouri, and Alabama making nationals, but not the final four. So to word it another way, I project the top eight teams to be the same eight teams as last year, just in a different order. I feel like even with roster changes, these teams will come out of their respective regionals.
Claire: I debated moving the teams around in this section the most, but landed with Utah, Arkansas, Alabama, and Michigan State as the other four teams making nationals. I don’t see Utah breaking its nationals streak, Michigan State will be motivated after making it for the first time last season, and Arkansas and Alabama are bringing in some great new talent that I think will keep them in the conversation.
Sophie: I really struggled with these spots, but settled on Michigan State, Missouri, UCLA, and Alabama. Michigan State and Missouri both had record finishes in 2025, and I see that success continuing for them both in 2026. UCLA has a great freshman class, and Alabama has strong returners that know how to hit when it counts.
Mariah: This was a tough group for me to decide on but I ended up with UCLA, Alabama, Michigan State, and Missouri rounding out the nationals field with Kentucky just on the outside. A lot of these teams have lost a decent amount of routines from last year, but I think the replacements are there.
Now we’re going all the way down to the regionals bubble teams, where the most variety tends to occur across our ballots. Why did you include the teams you did?
Elizabeth: The three teams in my ranking I would consider on the bubble—those I waffled on including over others—are West Virginia, Towson, and Utah State. I included all three for generally the same reason: I think they all are better than a year ago or have turned a corner from previous difficulties to make it back to the postseason. As for my first out, I went back and forth with Rutgers and could easily see the Scarlet Knights making it in instead.
Savanna: My last four in are Boise State, Central Michigan, Utah State, and West Virginia. I think all four of these teams are coming in on the same level – replacing some veteran routines and relying on underclassmen to contribute early. It will be interesting to see how these “bubble teams” perform when the season actually begins.
Frances: My bubble teams are Illinois, Washington, Rutgers, and Towson. Team rankings can be quite volatile the further from the top you go, so there are always eyes on the bubble. I chose these four based on their overall performances last year and the existing routines, plus potential gain from transfers and new faces. Last year, Rutgers had a change in head coaching mid-season, and we will be on watch to see how that may shake things up for the Scarlet Knights.
Sara: My bubble teams were Towson, Rutgers, Utah State, and West Virginia. I think Towson can actually have a chance given the depth it has on its roster with many seniors. Also, Rutgers just qualified to regionals for the first time since 2014 last season and I think it will be able to use that momentum to propel itself to regionals once again. With Utah State and West Virginia, it will be interesting to see what happens with lineups and consistency.
Sarah: My 33-36 slots are Towson, West Virginia, Utah State, and Boise State. Towson was very active in the transfer portal, both with incoming and outgoing transfers, meaning that the team will look very different this year. Depending on how the newcomers settle in, there is immense potential for the Tigers to make it to regionals again after just missing out last year. Utah State had fantastic potential last season, and the Aggies’ vault and floor lineups this year will be bolstered significantly by the presumable return of Nyla Morabito following her Achilles recovery.
Penny: My bubble teams are Towson, UC Davis, California, and Central Michigan. Towson, UC Davis, and Central Michigan, like many teams just outside of my 36, are extremely solid but as previous seasons have shown, anything can happen with the bubble teams. These are just the teams I truly think have the power to make it in the 36 this season. I have California dropping all the way down to a bubble team due to the coaching changes and loss of athletes.
Tara: The bubble teams are always the hardest for me to predict—there can be so much variance! I settled on Illinois, West Virginia, Rutgers, and Towson as Nos. 33 to 36 with Utah State, Central Michigan, and Iowa State on the doorstep. Illinois lost quite a few strong routines, which led me to drop them to the play-in round. Looking at graduations and newcomers, West Virginia, Rutgers, and Towson all seem to be on similar ground. I think it will be slightly harder for Utah State, Central Michigan, and Iowa State to replace what each team lost, but it’s certainly not out of the picture—the bubble surprises us every year!
Alyssa: I really wanted to put Pittsburgh in regionals with its great freshmen class, but I just couldn’t do it. I do have a few teams making it that didn’t last year, including Towson after a near miss and Washington after an injury-riddled season. I think Towson will learn from missing out on the last day last season and Washington has a large freshman class with several injury returners that will provide a boost.
Claire: My last four in are Boise State, Utah State, Central Michigan, and Illinois. The data has Illinois out of the top 36, but it similarly doubted them last year and they proved the data wrong, so I’m going to have faith in the Illini to do it again.
Brandis: Rounding out my top 36 are Rutgers, BYU, Central Michigan, and Boise State. Both easily regionals teams a season ago, Boise State and BYU are grappling with massive lineup turnover, leaving freshmen and untested routines to fill out lineups. However, they should still be postseason-bound squads with the talent on those rosters. After Rutgers’ resilient run to the postseason following the unexpected coaching change a season ago, that momentum, combined with the return of Emily Leese, should keep them on the right side of the bubble. The Chippewas missed the postseason in 2025, but the addition of former four-star recruit Alexandra Reddick can get them over the edge.
Sophie: This is always the hardest part for me, but my bottom four teams are Boise State, Utah State, Washington, and Towson. I was so sad when Towson just barely missed out on regionals last year, so I’m hoping for a better result for the Tigers in 2026.
Mariah: My last four in were Maryland, Towson, West Virginia, and Utah State, with Rutgers finishing just outside at 37. This is always a tough call because there are so many variables at play. The Terrapins dropped quite a lot in my rankings compared to their final ranking last season, but they’re basically starting from scratch on an event like bars due to roster turnover, so I just couldn’t feel confident putting them any higher than the bubble. Towson just barely missed out last season, but I think it has the talent to make it back in this season.
Are there any other surprises—whether it’s a big drop or big leap—featured elsewhere in your top 36?
Elizabeth: I have Clemson at No. 18 thanks in big part to the new leadership. I think co-head coaches Justin Howell and Liz Crandall-Howell will do wonders simply with the team’s consistency and confidence—and that’s not really even touching on the actual gymnastics. Another potential surprise is Ohio State at No. 13. It’s admittedly probably a bit high, but I think last year was an anomaly, with Payton Harris competing so little and other injuries popping up, that the team will see a major rebound and show its true potential in 2026. Finally, I think I have Michigan much higher than most of my fellow respondents. I just think that roster has a lot of potential that it hasn’t shown yet, and I chose to gamble on that assumption in my poll.
Savanna: I have Iowa making a sizable leap into the No. 20 spot. Former five-star recruit Sophie Schriever and former four-stars Stella DePaola, Maggie Ball, and Daisy Bowles stand ready to make an impact almost immediately, and their arrival is going to bring a new era of success to the Hawkeyes.
Frances: Clemson makes a big leap to No. 20 in my prediction. One of the biggest stories of the offseason was the hiring of the Howells as co-head coaches, a big move for the Tigers. While it can take a couple of years to build the foundation, the young team had already begun to pick up momentum, which the Howells can pick up and run with.
Sarah: I have Washington making a 12-spot leap to No. 26. The Huskies struggled last year with multiple injuries to key veterans, forcing a significant test of their depth. The team settled in towards the end of the season, culminating with Mary McDonough qualifying to nationals as an individual competitor. Several of last season’s injured gymnasts are returning for a redshirt year, and if healthy, each one of them has the potential to contribute significantly. The returners from injury, in combination with the return of McDonough and other standout routines like Chelsea Hallinan on beam, should spell out success for the Huskies, and bring the team back into regionals contention at the least.
Sara: I had Clemson jumping higher in the rankings due to the Howells coaching duo. I think the Tigers will definitely do well this season with new leadership.
Penny: I have Oregon State making a sizable drop from No. 14 to No. 29. With Jade Carey no longer competing, Oregon State is going to be losing its top all-arounder, and the next athlete’s all-around high is not close to Carey’s. Carey had a high 39.925 in the all-around this previous season, and the next best non-Carey all-around was a 39.075, so her absence is going to be felt as there is no one at that caliber to replace her.
Tara: Oregon State had the largest drop for me. It’s hard to picture an Oregon State team without Carey reaching the same heights, and there’s not a clear replacement for everything she brought to the team. I also have Washington making the leap back into regionals after struggles last season; better health luck and promising freshmen should result in a better 2026 season for the Huskies. Finally, I dropped California a sizeable amount with its losses both gymnastically and coaching-wise.
Alyssa: I have Iowa making a sizable jump in the rankings, as well as a big drop from California. I just don’t see how the Golden Bears will stay on the nationals bubble with the loss of that senior class and the coaching change. I also have Oregon State dropping quite a bit.
Claire: Similar to many of the ones above me, I have Clemson jumping up to 18, California dropping to 22, and Oregon State dropping to 24. Those are the teams with the most significant shake-ups this season so I’m very interested to see where they ultimately land.
Brandis: After ranking in the teens much of last season, I am expecting Arkansas to make a sizable jump this season and be a top-10 mainstay. While the Razorbacks will grapple with some key losses, they’re gaining much more, with former No. 3 overall recruit Allison Cucci headlining five freshmen who were former four or five-star recruits, alongside gaining Morgan Price from Fisk—a former five-star herself and the superstar of HBCU gymnastics.
Sophie: I agree with a lot of my fellow editors and have California dropping down the rankings and Clemson climbing up. I’ve also predicted a rankings jump for Minnesota – last year’s freshman class was strong, and with a year’s experience under their belt and joined by another stellar group of newcomers, I think this could be a big season for the Golden Gophers.
Mariah: Similar to my fellow editors, I had Clemson rising in the rankings a bit and California experiencing a pretty significant drop. I also moved Oregon State down a bit to account for the loss of Jade Carey. I seem to be feeling pretty good about the Big Ten this year and had Iowa, Ohio State, and Washington making big moves up this season. Iowa has a lot of good routines coming in that I feel confident in betting on, and I just can’t imagine Ohio State and Washington not being at least a little less injured than last season.
Finally, we know things change quickly in the gym world. How would you change your ranking now based on anything you’ve seen from teams since you submitted your poll?
Elizabeth: When I first made my poll, I thought I might have put Georgia a bit too high, but with the announcement that CaMarah Williams would be joining for the 2026 season, I feel more comfortable having the GymDogs at No. 12 and wouldn’t be surprised if it went even higher. Additionally, I wasn’t confident in my prediction of Michigan State returning to nationals, but like Tara also said, adding Retoshia Halsell will certainly help in that quest.
Savanna: I would put California a spot or two higher with the addition of Maddison Hajjar to its 2026 roster. She’s got a lot of potential that the Golden Bears will immediately put to good use. My Georgia ranking also feels a bit more realistic with CaMarah Williams joining in January.
Frances: The preseason rankings are already based on loose predictions, and there’s nothing surprising I’ve seen to lead me to make any changes.
Sarah: Beyond the recent commitments or reclasses that have already been mentioned, there is nothing major that comes to mind for me at the moment.
Sara: I may have put Michigan State higher than No. 6 only because I have a good feeling it will shock people again. However, I think it’s still realistic given the Spartans ended there last season.
Tara: I already had Michigan State in nationals, but adding Retoshia Halsell will give the Spartans an additional strong vault and floor option. I would also reconsider my bubble teams given the new NQS calculation.
Mariah: I don’t think anything has come up that would cause me to change my poll, but there’s still plenty of time for surprises before the season begins!
Claire: The calculation of NQS has changed, which essentially invalidates my whole methodology! But we’ll see what that means in practice once we get into the season.
Alyssa: With the NQS changing my bubble would tweak a little to include teams that are typically more consistent, like George Washington.
READ THIS NEXT: College Gym News 2026 Preseason Poll: How Our Editors Rankeds Their Top 36
Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Savanna Wellman, Frances Leadman, Sarah Smith, Penny McNees, Sara Finkelstein, Tara Graeve, Alyssa Van Auker, Claire Harmon, Sophie Poirier, Brandis Heffner, and Mariah Dawson
