Gymnasts love to catch us off guard by announcing commitment switches that always delight drama-loving gymnastics fans. However, sometimes these gymnasts become so ingrained with their new teams that you forget that they ever could have landed anywhere else. It’s definitely difficult to imagine what teams may have looked like if these 10 gymnasts hadn’t changed commitments.
1. Nyla Aquino (Temple → Georgia)
It may be hard to imagine her anywhere else, but Aquino had been on her way to becoming an Owl. There is no question that she would’ve had a massive impact for that team, but her vault and floor have been critical for Georgia as well.
2. Ashley Cowan (Missouri → LSU)
Always destined to be a Tiger, Cowan would have probably played a similar role at Missouri, being an instrumental piece of the bars lineup. Missouri would have loved to have her contributing, but with her switch, she ended up helping LSU win its very first national title.
3. Stella DePaola (Kent State → Iowa)
It may seem at the moment that DePaola would have had a bigger competitive impact had she stayed committed to Kent State, but we have a feeling she will become a star for Iowa in the coming years. Including exhibitions, DePaola scored 9.825 on vault, 9.850 on bars, 9.850 on beam, and 9.900 on floor as a freshman. It will be very interesting to see how she continues to develop as a Hawkeye and if she ends up having an impact in the all-around.
4. Skyelar Kerico (Georgia → Penn)
With Kerico now transferring to LSU, it seems that the call of the SEC is difficult to resist. While Kerico would have been a fantastic contributor for Georgia, she will be known as one of Penn’s best-ever gymnasts. Now, she gets the best of both worlds: the SEC stage that she committed to originally, all while leaving a legacy at Penn.
5. Ashley Knight (North Carolina → NC State)
A North Carolina native who was determined to stay in state, Knight’s switch was a massive win for the Wolfpack. As the two schools are usually closely ranked, Knight likely would have contributed in a similar manner as a Tar Heel. However, her impact on vault and floor has been huge, and you have to wonder if some in-conference match-ups between these teams would have gone the other way had she kept her original commitment.
6. Gabi Ortiz (Pittsburgh → Michigan State)
Ortiz has featured in several Michigan State lineups, but interestingly, has never been a lineup regular in vault, her strongest event as a level 10. If she had gone to Pittsburgh, it’s hard to say where she would have contributed. With consistency, vault, beam, and floor would all have been likely. However, this year she accomplished the tremendous feat of qualifying to nationals as an individual on floor, so it seems the switch worked out!
7. Abbi Ryssman (Denver → Utah)
Ryssman was a lineup staple in bars and beam for the Red Rocks as a freshman. Denver was in a rebuilding year in 2026 after losing some key seniors, and while she would have played a big role in filling those gaps, being the freshman to contribute the most at Utah was important for a team having a less successful season than it was used to.
8. Makenna Smith (Ohio State → Utah)
Smith may be another where it feels like she was always meant to end up at Utah. Frequently competing in the all-around, she has been a strong leader and contributor for the Red Rocks. She played a large role in Utah’s success and went to nationals with the team three times. While she likely would have thrived as a Buckeye as well, it’s hard to exceed her impact as a Ute.
9. Alana Walker (Minnesota → Stanford)
Walker has been an incredibly strong floor worker for Stanford and played a key role in its success this season. Clearly, she is drawn to underdog teams that find success, and it is easy to imagine her on the Minnesota team as it made its fantastic run to the Final Four. However, with both teams on the rise, that lost possibility is not one to be mourned as it is equally exciting to see how she continues to contribute as a Cardinal.
10. Emma Wehry (Ohio State → West Virginia)
While Wehry did end up transferring away from West Virginia, she competed on all four events while she was there, reaching the 9.900 mark on both vault and beam. Unfortunately, her transfer may indicate that it was not the best fit. While it can’t be said whether Ohio State would have been any better, the point is moot, as she has found a home at Auburn. Hopefully, she faces fewer injury struggles in her final year and finishes on a high note.
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Article by Gemma Selby
