With graduations and retirements at the end of each season, teams are looking to replace those routines and recruit accordingly. While most opt to use a freshman, the transfer portal has become an alternative source for rebuilding and reloading. To keep track of who’s on the move, check out our full transfer database here. With the transfer season in full swing, we take a look at eight transfers for 2026 that just make sense for many different reasons.
Natalie Martin, Maryland to Ohio State
As a sophomore, Martin led the Terrapins in NQS on vault while being a consistent contributor on beam and floor. Now heading into her junior season for the Buckeyes, she will elevate them on vault, where they finished in the top 15 last season. She also fills gaps left behind by the graduations of Jojo Warga on beam and Sidney Washington on vault and floor.
Aine Reade, New Hampshire to Maryland
With Martin’s departure, Maryland needed a floor superstar and nabbed breakout freshman Aine Reade from New Hampshire. The difficulty in her routine coupled with exquisite technique led to her qualifying to regionals in her first season. Floor was one of the Terrapins’ weaker events in 2025, so look for her to be in the back half of the lineup almost immediately in 2026.
Reese Grolla, Illinois State to Arizona State
A bars and beam specialist for the Redbirds, Grolla was among the team leaders in NQS on both of her events. Continuing the Canada-to-Tempe pipeline, Grolla joins the Sun Devils and will likely be a key routine on both of those events with Sarah Clark and Emily White’s graduations. Bars was the Sun Devils’ best event in 2025, and Grolla’s arrival should continue that momentum.
Paige Anastasi, UCLA to Clemson
After seeing weekly competitive time on vault in her freshman season, Anastasi saw limited competition time at UCLA due to the depth of the team in 2025. As she heads to South Carolina, she has a Yurchenko one and a half that will give Clemson another 10.0 start value vault and the potential to compete on all four events. In the midst of change at Clemson, Anastasi will be a key figure in the rebuilding process.
Dakota Essenpries, Arkansas to Missouri
Essenpries regularly made the vault lineup with her Yurchenko one and a half, but regularly scored in the 9.800 range. With a highly-ranked recruiting class arriving in Fayetteville plus two incoming transfers, Essenpries likely wouldn’t see much lineup time as in previous seasons. Missouri, however, is losing two 10.0 vaults from its 2025 record-setting season. A Missouri native, Essenpries will be a key routine from day one and a depth option on floor, where she has performed in exhibition.
Callie Gardner, Towson to Kentucky
Tim Garrison has made it clear he loves an athlete with a front-handspring pike half vault. Isabella Magnelli and Makenzie Wilson led the Wildcats in NQS on vault last season, the latter scoring a perfect 10 twice in 2024. With their graduations, Gardner becomes a solid replacement option. She topped out at 9.900 in seven appearances for Towson in her freshman season and could be a solid depth option on the other events, especially floor where she’s training her full-in.
Chloe Hammond, UW-Whitewater to Iowa State
The Cyclones are losing fourteen routines from graduating seniors and have a brand new coaching staff alongside Ashley Miles Greig. Hammond has the potential to compete on all four events, but beam will be her standout event. She was an NCGA All-American on beam in 2025 for the Warhawks, bringing some consistency to an event that was a weak spot for Iowa State last season.
Morgan Price, Fisk to Arkansas
The Razorbacks already had a strong team heading into 2026, but elevated it even further with the addition of the reigning WCGNIC all-around champion Morgan Price. Originally committed to Arkansas before the founding of Fisk’s team, Price rewrote the record books for the NAIA in just three seasons at Fisk.. She will get a chance to finish her career alongside her sister Frankie on the biggest stage and potentially could lead Arkansas back to the national championship in 2026.
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Article by Savanna Wellman
