Welcome to the NCAA gymnastics postseason! After months of dual meets, unstreamed podium meets, and rankings shuffles, the top 36 teams are officially set for regional competition—the final stop before nationals. Over five days, gymnasts and teams will fight through three rounds in four different locations, all vying for one of the coveted eight team spots at nationals—and a handful of individual berths.
In these previews, we’ll break down each regional in detail—which teams have the clearest path, where upsets could happen, and which individuals could sneak their way into nationals. Let’s dive into the Baton Rouge, Louisiana regional.
The action kicks off on Wednesday with round one, featuring No. 30 Air Force vs. No. 34 Nebraska. Round two follows on Thursday with two sessions: No. 7 Stanford, No. 10 Michigan, No. 22 North Carolina, and No. 26 Utah State in the afternoon, and No. 2 LSU, No. 15 Clemson, No. 17 Auburn, and the round one winner in the evening. The top two teams from each session advance to the regional final on Saturday, where the top two finishers there will punch their ticket to nationals.
In addition to teams, individual gymnasts will compete on Thursday for spots at nationals. After combining the results from both round two sessions and removing athletes from the two qualifying teams, the top all-arounder and top scorer on each event will advance.
Want all the nitty-gritty details, including tie-breakers, format breakdown, and even how judges are assigned? Check out our NCAA postseason resource guide.
Regional Storylines to Watch
- This regional boasts two former national champions as Michigan (2021) and LSU (2024) fight to return to Fort Worth, Texas. Michigan hasn’t been back to nationals as a team since 2022, while LSU is looking for a return trip to the national final after being eliminated a year ago in the semifinal.
- Stanford looks to make a return trip after a Cinderella run to nationals in 2023 led by former vault national champion Anna Roberts.
- Momentum favors the bold in Baton Rouge as both Air Force and Clemson are in the midst of historical seasons and are looking to continue that trend as they fight for individual spots at nationals.
Round 1
Wednesday, April 1 at 3 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Prediction: 52.1% Nebraska, 47.9% Air Force
By the Numbers
| Team | NQS | Average | High Score | Starting Event |
| No. 30 Air Force | 195.605 | 195.596 | 197.150 | Vault |
| No. 34 Nebraska | 195.561 | 195.589 | 196.825 | Bars |
The Path to Nationals
Air Force
Season Spotlight
Air Force ripped up the record book this season, setting a new program high score four times and qualifying to regionals for the first time since 2002. Just being here is an accomplishment for the Falcons, but they’ll be looking to take their talent as far as it can go.
What It’ll Take
The Falcons have a significant advantage over their opponents here on beam, and recreating their season-high 49.525 would nearly guarantee advancement to round two. Maggie Slife had a rare miss on the event at the conference championship, but when she hits, she can go as high as 9.975.
Nebraska
Season Spotlight
The Huskers were stronger in the first half of the season than the second; their season high came in week five, and they haven’t broken the 196.000 mark since. After a rough performance at Big Tens, Nebraska could be coming into regionals hungry to end its season on a better note.
What It’ll Take
Nebraska ranks in the top 25 nationally on bars, and could make a statement there in the first rotation to take the early lead. Nya Kraus has a season high of 9.925 on the event, and matching that number here would build powerful momentum.
Round 2, Session 1
Thursday, April 2 at 2 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Prediction: 94.6% Stanford, 89.7% Michigan, 13.8% North Carolina, 2.0% Utah State
By the Numbers
| Team | NQS | Average | High Score | Starting Event | Individuals Rotating with Team |
| No. 7 Stanford | 197.248 | 197.252 | 198.150 | Vault | Isabella Minervini, Towson (AA) |
| No. 10 Michigan | 197.111 | 197.077 | 197.475 | Beam | Serena Mullin, New Hampshire (AA) |
| No. 22 North Carolina | 196.393 | 196.306 | 197.200 | Bars | Polina Belanovski, Towson (VT),
Camryn Chiu, Pitt (UB), Celia Trotter, Towson (BB), Isabella DeCroo, Towson (FX), Adriana Hoffman, Towson (FX) |
| No. 26 Utah State | 195.905 | 195.966 | 196.875 | Floor | Jocelyn Lannon, Towson (VT), Hallie Copperwheat, Pitt (UB),
Jaime Pratt, Pitt (UB), Mady Harvey, New Hampshire (BB), McCall McMullen, New Hampshire (FX) |
Note: Individuals from both round one teams are included in the individual draw to account for one team being eliminated after Wednesday’s competition. The spots from the individuals on the advancing team will not be filled.
The Path to Nationals
Stanford
Season Spotlight
The Cardinal is going into regionals with its highest ranking since 2011 and a serious shot at going to Fort Worth. This team has the rare trait of tending to score better away than at home, which bodes well for its chances here.
What It’ll Take
Stanford is likely to be out-vaulted by the other teams in its session, but it holds a significant advantage on bars, the lowest-ranked event of both Michigan and North Carolina. Scoring above 49.400 could secure a solid lead at the halfway point.
Michigan
Season Spotlight
In its first year under head coach Maile’ana Kanewa-Hermelyn, Michigan has been steady enough to merit a top-10 ranking, but has yet to put together a meet that truly maximizes its potential. Every event has been high-scoring at some point in the season, but never all four events in the same meet.
What It’ll Take
The Wolverines set a season-high 49.650 beam score in week one, but haven’t matched it since. Recreating that rotation would make a major statement in the opening rotation of the semifinal and pave the way to a big team total.
North Carolina
Season Spotlight
North Carolina started the season strong and was in position to be seeded until it ran into some inconsistency on beam in March. This saw the Tar Heels end the season with two scores below 196.000 after reaching that mark in every meet up until then.
What It’ll Take
The Tar Heels have been consistent on vault and floor all season, which is where they end their regional competition. To advance, they have to limit mistakes on beam and go full throttle on floor and vault, where they have only gone below a 49.000 once all season, to keep pace with Stanford and Michigan.
Utah State
Season Spotlight
In their fourth season under Kristin White, the Aggies won their second straight Mountain West conference championship. They have been on top of their game all season with good technique and consistent scores in the 196 range, avoiding the play-in round.
What It’ll Take
The Aggies start their competition on floor, which has been their best event all season long. Matching or exceeding their current high of 49.350 would give them a boost before heading to vault, where their scoring ceiling isn’t as high as other teams in the session.
Individuals Who Could Steal a Spot
All-Around
Stanford has one of the best all-arounders in the country in Anna Roberts, but the Cardinal is already favored to qualify to nationals as a team. Michigan and Utah State have no consistent all-around competitors, leaving the door open for North Carolina’s Gwen Fink or Sydney Seabrooks, ranked No. 34 and No. 38 respectively, should the Tar Heels not advance as a team. Towson’s Isabella Minervini is equally in the race, tying Fink in the national rankings.
Vault
Roberts has a perfect 10.0 under her belt, but teammate Taralyn Nguyen is right behind her with a season high of 9.950. North Carolina’s JoJo Valahovic has vaulted her way to a No. 19 national ranking with her incredibly consistent Yurchenko one-and-a-half.
Bars
Minvervini is the highest-ranked bar worker in this session at No. 14, positioning her well for a first trip to nationals in her senior season. Roberts and Sienna Robinson are tied for the next-best ranking at No. 20, and will be a threat if Stanford does not advance.
Beam
Michigan’s trusty beam anchor Kayli Boozer only has three scores below 9.900 this season, and could certainly punch her ticket to nationals here if Michigan does not advance. Valahovic is best known for her vaulting prowess, but she’s a strong beam worker too, and has gone as high as 9.950.
Floor
At No. 9, Seabrooks is the second highest-ranked floor worker in this session behind Roberts, with a high score of 9.950 in her freshman campaign. Michigan’s Carly Bauman ranks No. 11, and will be motivated to end her sixth and final year with a trip to Fort Worth.
Dark Horses
Sophia Diaz hasn’t been the most consistent with her vault landings this year, but she was Michigan’s lone qualifier to the national championships last year thanks to a stuck Yurchenko one-and-a-half at regionals. Utah State’s Mya Witte just scored a career-high 9.950 on beam at the Mountain West conference championship, making her one to watch out for if the top contenders get wobbly.
Round 2, Session 2
Thursday, April 2 at 8 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Prediction: 99.9% LSU, 75.9% Clemson, 23.8% Auburn, 3.0% Nebraska/2.2% Air Force
By the Numbers
| Team | NQS | Average | High Score | Starting Event | Individuals Rotating with Team |
| No. 2 LSU | 197.920 | 197.865 | 198.325 | Vault | Kylee Greene, Air Force (AA) |
| No. 15 Clemson | 196.686 | 196.698 | 197.175 | Bars | Alyssa Bigler, Air Force (AA), Molly Peterson, Nebraska (UB), Lauren Homecillo, Nebraska (FX) |
| No. 17 Auburn | 196.498 | 196.517 | 197.250 | Beam | Maggie Slife, Air Force (AA) |
| No. 30 Air Force OR No. 34 Nebraska | 195.605 | 195.596 | 197.150 | Floor | Emerson Smith, West Virginia (FX), Sophia Rice, West Virginia (VT), Reese Samuelson, Western Michigan (UB), Amber Lowe, West Virginia (BB) |
| 195.561 | 195.589 | 196.825 |
Note: Individuals from both round one teams are included in the individual draw to account for one team being eliminated after Wednesday’s competition. The spots from the individuals on the advancing team will not be filled.
The Path to Nationals
LSU
Season Spotlight
With two losses in the SEC during the regular season and several key athletes graduating in 2025, LSU spent the beginning of the season testing out its extended depth. Athletes were in and out of lineups, but the team’s scoring ceiling continued to grow, putting it in a good spot at its home regional.
What It’ll Take
Despite several 198s, LSU has yet to put all four events together at the same time. Bars has typically dragged its team score down; putting together a 49.500 or better on bars will give them a confidence boost heading into the second half of the meet.
Clemson
Season Spotlight
In only its third season as a program, Clemson has undergone the biggest transformation from last year. The Tigers come to regionals for the first time as a seeded team with the momentum in their favor after winning their first ACC championship.
What It’ll Take
Clemson’s weakest event all season has been bars. Repeating its 49.450 title-winning rotation in the first event would start building momentum for the rest of the meet.
Auburn
Season Spotlight
After a strong 197.000 to start the season, many thought Auburn was on its way to recreating the magic that saw it advance to the final four in 2022. Unfortunately, injuries and a lack of depth options made for a challenging season that it has yet to fully recover from.
What It’ll Take
Auburn has to get the beam jitters out of the way, and after how it started at SECs, that might be a bit more difficult. If it can make it through beam and limit mistakes on bars in the last rotation, it could push for a spot in the regional final.
Individuals Who Could Steal a Spot
All-Around
Kailin Chio will be the favorite to advance in the all-around if LSU does not advance as a team. The door is open for Air Force’s Maggie Slife to advance for the Falcons, as she is currently the next highest-ranked all-arounder in this session. Auburn’s Julianne Huff also has a shot here in her first season consistently in the all-around.
Vault
Chio is the top vaulter in the nation, but her teammates Amari Drayton and Kaliya Lincoln are in the top 15 nationally with season highs of 9.975. Paige Zancan of Auburn, despite a groin injury early in the season, has pushed her way into the top 25 with the same season high as Drayton and Lincoln.
Bars
Konnor McClain will be the favorite here if LSU does not advance, but Slife is tied with her for eighth in the nation on this event. If she does not advance in the all-around, bars will be her best chance to go as an individual.
Beam
Behind Chio and McClain, the next-best chance for Auburn to represent at nationals is with Marissa Neal and her season-high 9.925. Air Force’s Alyssa Bigler has reached that same number as well in her sophomore season.
Floor
With Chio and Lincoln favored to advance with their team, the next highest-ranked athlete is Clemson’s Brie Clark with an NQS of 9.945. Huff and Neal have gone as high as 9.950 for Auburn and could challenge for this spot as well.
Dark Horses
Alex Irvine has been a steady contributor for Auburn on bars and beam with season highs over 9.900 on both events. Tara Walsh of Clemson has hit 9.900 four times on vault with her Yurchenko one-and-a-half. West Virginia’s Sophia Rice has a career high of 9.975 on her Tsuk full that could send her to nationals if she hits.
Round Three
Saturday, April 4 at 6 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Starting events for round three will be determined during a video conference draw on Friday. Teams that advance will choose their starting event based on NQS order.
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Article by Savanna Wellman and Sophie Poirier
