Preseason intrasquads have happened, fantasy teams are being drafted, and we are officially less than one week away from the 2026 season! As January approaches, we have 26 questions—some serious, some not so much—about the 2026 season that we hope to get answers to.
How high in the standings will Clemson finish?
Clemson has gotten a fresh start with the arrival of Liz Crandall-Howell and Justin Howell, and all signs seem to point to things trending up for 2026. Can it climb out of the play-in round and automatically qualify to the regional semifinals—and possibly beyond?
Will Clemson wear any of the Amy Smith-era leos?
The Tigers had some interesting looks during their first two years as a team, but with Crandall-Howell now heading up the designs, Clemson’s leotard closet already shows improvement. Will any of Smith’s leotards make it into the rotation this year, or will the Tigers put the past in the past?
How do Ohio State and Penn State look when they’re healthy?
After top 15 finishes in 2024, the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions were missing some key pieces in 2025 due to injury, yet still managed to pull out top 25 finishes. If names like Ava Piedrahita and Payton Harris are back to full strength, could they lead their teams back to the Sweet Sixteen in 2026?
How many freshmen will crack lineups for the top teams?
The class of 2025 boasts some impressive names and accomplishments across the board, but making a lineup as a freshman is hard, especially at schools that consistently qualify for nationals. Does former No. 1 recruit Mackenzie Estep compete for the Sooners from week one? Can Kimarra Echols repeat her 39.600 all-around performance from the preseason for Missouri on a regular basis? How will the freshmen acclimate to college life, and who will do it fast enough to make the lineups consistently?
Who will be at the top of the ACC?
California won the ACC regular season title but lost the ACC championship by just over a tenth of a point to Stanford. This year, the ACC looks different, with coaching changes and star freshmen joining each team in the conference. Truly, anyone could take home the conference crown.
What will the Romanians look like in the NCAA?
For the first time in over two decades, there will be Romanian representation in the NCAA as Ana Bǎrbosu and Lilia Cosman are set to debut for Stanford and Michigan State, respectively. We’ll be watching to see how their gymnastics translates to the NCAA as they begin their collegiate careers.
What does Michigan look like without Bev Plocki?
After 36 years at the helm of the Michigan Wolverines, 2026 will bring in a new era with Maile’ana Kanewa-Hermelyn’s promotion to head coach after seven seasons as an assistant. Michigan hasn’t quite been the same team that won nationals in 2021, but with a new staff and some key lineup pieces returning, it could return to prominence in 2026.
What does Oregon State look like without Jade Carey?
Carey has become synonymous with Oregon State gymnastics, and we’re struggling to imagine what the Beavers will look like without her bringing a guaranteed 9.900-plus across the board every week.
Who will be the top all-arounder?
Oklahoma’s Faith Torrez comes in as the top returning four-eventer from 2025, and it’s not hard to see why when you look at her consistency from last season. However, a new year brings in new faces and breakout stars that will make the all-around race one to watch in 2026. Not to mention the rumor floating around that Torrez will be limited to bars and beam, at least to start the season. Who will rise to the top of the standings in her stead?
Which team will feel the loss of its seniors the most?
Each team lost some star power from last year’s senior class, but which team will feel it the most? How does LSU look without Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan? Does Oklahoma have the next Jordan Bowers or Audrey Davis waiting in the wings? What about Florida without Leanne Wong?
Which transfer will have the biggest impact on their new team?
With a lot of seniors graduating, several teams took advantage of the transfer portal this year and added new faces for 2026. eMjae Frazier joins a stacked Florida roster after graduating early from California, while former Washington Husky Emily Innes joins LSU alongside top transfer portal target Madison Ulrich. Who has what it takes to immediately step into a lineup and fill the shoes of those who have moved on?
Which teams will finally break through to the postseason?
Here’s to the teams that are consistently on the bubble but haven’t been able to cross the finish line in recent years. Teams like Central Michigan, Pittsburgh, Illinois State, and George Washington have made regular appearances in our Bubble Watch as postseason gets closer. We’re watching to see who can finally burst the bubble and make it into the top 36.
Who will be the first gymnast KJ Kindler sends to beam jail?
A moment of silence for all those routines sent to jail never to return to the Oklahoma beam lineup.
How many 10.0s will be given out this season?
There were 44 perfect 10.0s thrown out in 2025 compared to 87 in 2024, but we all know how subjective judging is. With scoring guidelines constantly evolving, there’s really no telling how many 10.0s are going to be awarded in 2026.
Who will score the first 10.0 of the season?
Helen Hu got the first perfect 10.0 of 2025 on beam, something very few people actually predicted. Who will do it in 2026? Will it be with a stuck vault, or with perfect handstands on bars? Could it be two years in a row where the first nod to perfection comes from beam, or will a fun floor routine be the one to do it?
Who will have a Cinderella story season?
Last year saw Missouri have a dream season, with its highest finish ever, and 2024 brought Stanford to the national semifinals for the first time since 2016. Which team will become the newest Cinderella story in NCAA gymnastics?
What new team will be the first to put up six 10.0 vaults?
A lot of teams have potential for a lineup of all 10.0 vaults, and many of the top teams have actually done it, but who will be the newest team to throw caution to the wind and actually compete a full lineup of 10.0 vaults?
Who’s going to step up their leotard game?
The leotard game is almost as fun to watch as the actual gymnastics, and we’ve got our eyes on what leotards we will be adding to our database in 2026.
Which team will hit 198 first and when?
Seven teams hit the magic number in 2025, with LSU notching it first in February and Florida getting the highest total with 198.625. If scoring goes off the rails early, could we see a team reach it in the first month of the season? The first week?
Will we have streaming for neutral-site meets?
It’s 2026! There’s no reason we should have to wish upon a star to get a working streaming link for some of these neutral site meets—and one NOT behind a paywall. Not to mention live scores… it’s literally the bare minimum.
Who has the most valuable “seventh routine” in a lineup?
Gymnastics is extremely unpredictable, so having a routine that is ready to go at a moment’s notice can be the difference between who comes out on top of a meet. Will Florida or Georgia’s insane depth that we saw in the preseason come to fruition if the injury bug bites?
Will score inflation slow down this year?
One positive thing that came out of the SCORE Board was the fact that scoring was less inflated at times (it wasn’t going to be perfect immediately; we’ve accepted that). With year two coming soon, will we continue to see inflation slow, or will things return to the way they were with some teams opting not even to participate?
Will there be fewer impossible scores with the new judging conference rules?
A new set of modifications released in October now allows for any judge on a panel to call for a conference. Could this be the end of Yurchenko fulls starting from a 10.0 or getting a perfect 9.950 with a hop back?
Will too many judging conferences become a pacing problem?
On the flip side, if any judge can call a conference at any time, how much time will that add to a meet? We’ve just gotten used to the new quad meet format, so let’s hope these new conference rules don’t mess up the flow too much.
Which conference will get the reputation for the “hardest” judging?
There are some conferences where 9.9s fly, and then there are others where a 9.900 is nearly impossible to achieve. Which conference will earn the title of having the harshest judging?
Who will take home the national championship title?
Oklahoma is going for its eighth title, but there’s plenty of solid competition for that crown. Will we see a team return to the top of the podium, or will there be a new winner for the first time since LSU?
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Article by Savanna Wellman
