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 Corvallis regional.
The action kicks off on Thursday with round one, featuring No. 29 San Jose State vs. No. 35 Washington. Round two follows on Friday with two sessions: No. 5 Alabama, No. 12 Utah, No. 23 Denver, and No. 25 Oregon State in the afternoon, and No. 4 UCLA, No. 13 Minnesota, No. 19 Iowa, plus the round one winner in the evening. The top two teams from each session advance to the regional final on Sunday, where the top two finishers punch their ticket to nationals.
In addition to teams, individual gymnasts will compete on Friday 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
- San Jose State’s consistency will battle it out with Washington’s rising scores for a place in round two.
- Alabama and Utah have both struggled with consistency this season, and just enough errors, steps, and uncontrolled skills could leave the door open for Denver or Oregon.
- The second session of round two is a Big Ten match-up repeat with UCLA, Minnesota, and Iowa fighting for just two spots to advance.
Round 1
Thursday, April 2 at 5 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Prediction: 51.25% Washington, 48.75% San Jose State
By the Numbers
| Team | NQS | Average | High Score | Starting Event |
| No. 29 San Jose State | 195.725 | 195.690 | 196.350 | Vault |
| No. 35 Washington | 195.420 | 195.367 | 196.575 | Bars |
The Path to Forward
San Jose State
Season Spotlight
San Jose State missed regionals entirely as a team last season and will be looking to make an impact in its return to the postseason. The Spartans have consistency on their side and are entering regionals having not dropped below the 195.500 mark since February 6.
What It’ll Take
The Spartans’ season has been highlighted by their tremendous vault rotation, which produced three individual regional qualifiers in Kaviana Jurries, Mikaela Pitts, and Sophie Patterson. Continued success here could set San Jose State apart from the Huskies early on and give it the momentum needed to reach the regional semifinal.
Washington
Season Spotlight
The Huskies have seen both big highs and confusing lows this season, and have a three-point differential between their highest and lowest scores of the season. However, Washington’s season high 196.575 came just two meets ago on the road, indicating that the Huskies may be building their confidence when it matters most.
What It’ll Take
Beam will be consequential for the Huskies in their postseason journey. The team has gone as high as 49.525 on the event this season, and if that version of Washington emerges in the play-in, it could spell success. However, Washington has also had several meets with multiple falls or errors in one rotation – a pattern the Huskies can’t afford to repeat if they hope to continue to the next round.
Round 2, Session 1
Friday, April 3 at 4 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Prediction: 97.93% Alabama, 81.54% Utah, 10.97% Oregon State, 9.56% Denver
By the Numbers
| Team | NQS | Average | High Score | Starting Event | Individuals with Team |
| No. 5 Alabama | 197.498 | 197.504 | 197.950 | Vault | |
| No. 12 Utah | 197.075 | 197.042 | 198.025 | Bars | Kristina Shchennikova, Boise (UB), Sydney Kho, Boise (BB) |
| No. 23 Denver | 196.383 | 196.340 | 197.075 | Beam | Mahleea Werline, Boise (UB), Kaitlyn Driessen, Sacramento (BB) |
| No. 25 Oregon State | 196.106 | 196.066 | 197.250 | Floor | Amelia Moneymaker, UC Davis (AA) |
Note: Individuals from both round one teams are included in the individual draw to account for one team being eliminated after Thursday’s competition. The spots from the individuals on the advancing team will not be filled.
The Path to Forward
Alabama
Season Spotlight
Alabama started the season off on a hot streak, with scores building consistently from week to week. However, the Crimson Tide has begun to cool down a bit, with both of the team’s season low scores coming in March. These season lows are still in the 197s, though, meaning that Alabama should be able to make it to the regional final quite safely.
What It’ll Take
The Crimson Tide will look to its season-long superstars to lead the charge. Gabby Gladieux, Chloe LaCoursiere, and Azaraya Ra-Akbar have all scored a 9.975 or higher on at least one event each this season. Repeats of those performances could help Alabama bolster its lead over the rest of the teams in its session.
Utah
Season Spotlight
Utah has not had the season it expected, indicated by its lower-than-normal ranking heading into this regional. However, the Red Rocks are just as much of a threat as ever and are entering this regional with the second-highest conference championships score out of the team competitors in Corvallis. Utah is also the only team in the afternoon session to have broken the 198 mark this season.
What It’ll Take
Utah will need to put together a full meet. While the Red Rocks have broken 49.500 on every event this season, they have yet to do so on all four apparatuses on the same day. Utah will need to avoid the seemingly small but deduction-prone mistakes that have hampered its scoring potential throughout the season.
Denver
Season Spotlight
Denver’s season has been defined by strong individual performances but also by a lack of consistency throughout the lineup from week to week. The potential is there, however, and with a 197.075 season high that has the potential to push higher with a strong performance, the Pioneers could be in the position for an upset should the Crimson Tide or Red Rocks falter.
What It’ll Take
The Pioneers have the scoring potential to make a strong case for themselves here, particularly within their standout floor lineup. Beam will be critical – Denver counted two falls and a 9.600 in its last performance on the event just two meets ago in Corvallis. The Pioneers cannot repeat that if they hope to progress further into the postseason.
Oregon State
Season Spotlight
Oregon State has been excellent at home this season – a trend that will only help the Beavers’ cause as the hosts of this regional. The Beavers have not gone below 196.300 in Gill Coliseum this year, and they boast a higher season best than the Pioneers. Continuing its home turf consistency could be Oregon State’s superpower in this semifinal.
What It’ll Take
Sophia Esposito will be the one to watch for the Beavers. The senior has gone 9.900 or higher on all four events this season, and will be looking to close out her final meet weekend in Corvallis with a bang. Oregon State will also look to capitalize on bars, where it has gone as high as 49.425 this season.
Individuals Who Could Steal a Spot
All-Around
Should Utah have an odd performance, Avery Neff would be the most likely from this session to claim the top spot, but she’d be contending with heavy hitters in the second session. Likewise, with Gabby Gladieux from Alabama. As both would likely qualify elsewhere, it would be Sophia Esposito from host Oregon State as a challenger, who has the same top all-around score this season as Neff.
Vault
SEC Freshman of the Year, Azaraya Ra-Akbar from Alabama, is one of the top vaulters in this regional but will likely qualify with her team, as would Neff, or a handful from either vault lineup if things got shaky qualifying a team. Shyla Bhatia from Denver has gone 9.925 in her freshman season.
Bars
Chloe LaCoursiere and Ra-Akbar are the two top bar workers in this regional, both from Alabama, and at least five Utah bar workers have gone 9.925 or better this season. Denver’s Cecilia Cooley is able to go 9.925, as is Kristina Shchennikova from Boise State.
Beam
Camie Winger and Neff are among the top two beamers in this session, with Kylee Kvamme from Alabama hot on their heels. Cooley is the best positioned to claim that spot for Denver, pending the second session.
Floor
Gladieux, Ra-Akbar, Makenna Smith, and Ella Zirbes are most likely to qualify to nationals with their respective teams. Maddison Reidenbach, who has gone 9.925 this season, or Cooley could claim a spot for Denver.
Dark Horses
Amelia Moneymaker qualified to this regional in the all-around, but would need very specific circumstances to keep dancing. Oregon’s Esposito would likely qualify over her, and if Oregon State qualifies a team, then she’ll be up against Jordan Chiles, Neff, or Gladieux. Esposito could theoretically get to nationals with a perfect Yurchenko full, but she can only go as high as 9.950.
Round 2, Session 2
Friday, April 3 at 10 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Prediction: 99.27% UCLA, 71.67% Minnesota, 28.50% Iowa, 0.42% Washington/0.14% San Jose State
By the Numbers
| Team | NQS | Average | High Score | Starting Event | Individuals with Team |
| No. 4 UCLA | 197.540 | 197.542 | 198.150 | Vault | |
| No. 13 Minnesota | 196.842 | 196.848 | 197.825 | Floor | Kaviana Jurries, San Jose State (VT), Chelsea Hallinan, Washington (BB) |
| No. 19 Iowa | 196.473 | 196.398 | 197.225 | Bars | Sophie Patterson, San Jose State (VT), Lilly Tubbs, Washington (UB)/Samantha Macasu, San Jose State (UB) |
| No. 29 San Jose State OR No. 35 Washington | 195.725 | 195.690 | 196.350 | Beam | Deiah Moody, Washington (UB), Caitlin McWilliams, Washington (FX) |
| 195.420 | 195.367 | 196.575 | Mikaela Pitts, San Jose State (AA) |
Note: Individuals from both round one teams are included in the individual draw to account for one team being eliminated after Thursday’s competition. The spots from the individuals on the advancing team will not be filled.
The Path to Nationals
UCLA
Season Spotlight
The UCLA Bruins closed out the regular season on a high note, and coming into this session after a 198.100 and title at the Big Ten Championship. They utilized a fairly consistent lineup throughout the season, all while continuing to keep the team on the up and up after the Bruins found themselves ranked 17th at the end of 2024 to second last year.
What It’ll Take
Despite being one of the top floor party teams in the country, UCLA hasn’t cracked the top five teams on floor heading into the postseason. When the Bruins have it all together, they look good, topping 198.000 or high 197s comfortably, but if they get in their heads, a low 197 is very possible.
Minnesota
Season Spotlight
Minnesota has done a fairly good job of pacing itself through the season until the Big Ten Championship, hitting for under 197 after going 197.700 or better the two weeks prior, due to an uncharacteristically low team beam score.
What It’ll Take
The Gophers are kicking off the session on vault, their best event, with beam waiting for them as a respite to create space between them and the rest of the teams. They haven’t yet reached their goal of four-for-four this season. But capitalizing on their rising floor scores into the postseason with a classic beam rotation could give them that breathing room heading into the last rotation.
Iowa
Season Spotlight
Iowa set a program record this season in early February, notching a 197.225, but the Hawkeyes haven’t maintained a consistent scoring rhythm, with four of the five best season scores coming in January and February, and the fifth coming at the Big Ten Championships.
What It’ll Take
The Hawkeyes will need more than a 197.225 and will certainly need to keep out of the high 196s for a chance to compete on Sunday. However, Jen Llewellyn is no stranger to coaching a team through what seems to be a Cinderella situation, and could help the team to harness the magic necessary to keep calm, cool, and collected with sticky feet.
Individuals Who Could Steal a Spot
All-Around
If UCLA does not qualify as a team, Jordan Chiles will most likely claim this spot if she performs as normal. However, with the Bruins strong favorites to advance, eyes will be on the remaining teams to stake their claim. Iowa’s Aurelie Tran is entering regionals ranked No. 13 in the all-around, with Minnesota’s standout freshman Arianna Ostrum just behind her at No. 15. Both Tran and Ostrum are coming off of strong performances at the Big 10 Championships, and will be hoping to continue that momentum in pursuit of a spot at nationals.
Vault
If Ostrum does not move forward in the all-around, she could make an excellent case for herself here – she earned a 10.000 on vault earlier in the season, and a repeat performance on the event could punch her ticket to Fort Worth. San Jose State’s Kaviana Jurries is the highest-ranked individual vault qualifier in the country, and could send herself to nationals with a strong effort in the semifinals.
Bars
Minnesota boasts multiple contenders for this spot, with No. 20 ranked Jordyn Lyden perhaps having the best chance, having notched two season-best 9.950s in the final two meets of the regular season. Newly crowned Big 10 bars champion Tran could also contend here. San Jose State’s Samantha Macasu and Washington’s Lilly Tubbs are guaranteed to compete on bars despite their respective team’s play-in round fate, and have both gone over 9.900 on multiple occasions this year.
Beam
In the event that UCLA is eliminated, No. 4 ranked Ciena Alipio would emerge as the top contender for this spot. Alipio is coming off of a rare miss at the Big 10 Championships, but has been close to perfection multiple times this year. Lyden has also gone 9.950 on this event twice this season, and could make a splash here with a big routine.
Floor
Minnesota’s floor specialist Sophie Swartzmiller has been confidently consistent this year and will be entering regionals fresh off a season-high 9.950. UCLA’s Ashlee Sullivan is ranked No. 18 on the event and has not dropped below 9.900 on floor since mid-February.
Dark Horses
It would be fantastic to see Iowa superstar JerQuavia Henderson make it to nationals to close out her comeback. Henderson has the best chance on floor, where she has a 9.950 season high. San Jose State freshman Sophie Patterson has found her stride on beam later in the season, but will need to bounce back from her fall at the Mountain West championships to contend for a spot. Washington has several beam workers capable of making a case for a nationals berth with a hit routine, with Chelsea Hallinan emerging as the top contender with her 9.975 career high earlier in the season. Hallinan will need to bounce back from some late-in-the-season falters herself to push for a nationals spot.
Round Three
April 5 at 8 p.m. ET | ESPN+
This year, per the NCAA, “Teams competing in [the third round] will select their starting apparatus during the Competition Rotation Selection videoconference the morning of the regionals visualization day. The selection will begin with the highest NQS team in the round and work towards the lowest.” Should a team representative not be on the call, then that team will be slotted to begin on the remaining event.
READ THIS NEXT: Data Deep Dive: Simulating the 2026 Postseason
Article by Allison Freeman and Sarah Smith
