The 2025 NCAA gymnastics season is quickly approaching, and the gymternet is beginning to make its predictions for the year. As fun as it is to make all the right picks, a team coming out of the blue and shocking everyone is 10 times more exciting! Here are seven teams that we think can surprise everyone in 2025.
Missouri
After falling short in the regional final, the Tigers are heading into the 2025 season with a new look, and they could be a big contender in the SEC. With transfers Abby Mueller, Lauren Macpherson, Amy Wier, and Elise Tisler, and five-star freshmen in Olivia Kelly and Railey Jackson, any holes that were left by the graduating class should be filled. Yes, it will be odd to watch a Missouri team without Sienna Schreiber, but this Tiger team is absolutely stacked and will be ready to contend for a spot in the evening session of SECs and maybe even a trip to Fort Worth.
Stanford
Stanford is fresh off a surprising season, but it’s safe to say that another nationals berth would be just as surprising as the last. And with this year’s roster, another trip to the national championship could be in the cards for the Cardinal. Ui Soma, Jaime Dugan, and Levi Jung-Ruivivar will undoubtedly be the perfect additions to an already strong team that still has Brenna Neault and Anna Roberts back for more. Now that Stanford knows what it feels like to make it to nationals, it’ll be hungry for more, and this team is more than capable of big things.
Penn State
Remember when Penn State upset Michigan at its own regional final in Ann Arbor last year? Well even if the Nittany Lions had done just what we expected and lost to Michigan to finish out their season, calling for Penn State to have a surprising season would still be totally fair. This team has not one, not two, but three five-star freshmen coming in, and the Nittany Lions still have star returners like Kalea McElligott and Bella Salcedo. Plus, Penn State is hosting a regional this year, so it’ll have its home crowd behind it as the team tries to qualify for nationals.
Georgia
Unfortunately for Georgia, fans have been used to seeing it at the bottom of the SEC for a couple of years now. But with a new head coach and a slew of transfers and star freshmen, this team could look wildly different in 2025. Cécile Canqueteau-Landi knows what it’s like to coach stars, and now it’s time for Georgia to finally live up to its potential and shock gymnastics fans everywhere.
Utah State
Recently, Utah State has won the recruiting game. The Aggies have a stacked underclassmen squad for the 2025 season with four three-star and three four-star recruits. Having finished second at the 2024 Mountain West Championships, it’ll be interesting to see how this uptick in recruiting in recent years will continue to pay off in 2025 for the Aggies.
Auburn
In a post-Suni world, the Tigers have struggled with consistency. However, Auburn is another team with a stacked underclassman roster as four-stars Katelyn Jong and Marissa Neal join UCLA transfer Alex Irvine on the Tigers’ roster this upcoming season. Without the likes of stars such as Cassie Stevens and Aria Brusch, this talented group should help the Tigers keep the momentum from last season going.
Minnesota
While Minnesota might fly under the radar most seasons, the Gophers are always fun to watch. Finishing third at Big Fives and qualifying for the regional final, the Gophers rounded out the season on a high note. However ending the season 12th in the nation, the Gophers are certain to be hungry to break into the ever-competitive top 10 and hopefully qualify for NCAAs as a team. With five-star freshmen Teryn Crump, McCauley Harrington, and Olympian Ava Stewart coming onto the scene this season and Mya Hooten returning for a fifth year, the Gophers look to be fierce competition in the newly expanded Big Ten.
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