NCAA Gymnastics Power Rankings: Sooners, SEC Lead the Way One Month Into 2026

The SEC has long been regarded as the sport’s premier conference, and that reputation holds firm one month into the 2026 season, with six of the top eight teams in the power rankings hailing from the league. Reigning national champion Oklahoma sits comfortably at the top, but January delivered its share of surprises. Most notably, Utah is on the outside looking in, putting its streak of qualifying to every NCAA championship in jeopardy, while Stanford has surged to become the early frontrunner in a tightly contested ACC title race. Beyond the rankings, this snapshot also highlights each team’s early-season most valuable player—the athlete or element providing a crucial edge through the opening month.

1. Oklahoma

First Month MVP: Mackenzie Estep

The Sooners claim the top spot in the power rankings not only because they own the nation’s best average and high score so far, but because there’s still clear room to grow. Several potential all-arounders are currently limited to partial lineups. Faith Torrez—a top-two all-arounder by NQS last season—has yet to debut on floor and has stepped back from vault after a preseason ankle roll. Former No. 1 overall recruit Mackenzie Estep is still waiting on her collegiate beam debut, despite already posting career highs of 9.925 or better on the other three events. Both have more to give, and their expanded roles only raise Oklahoma’s ceiling as the season moves forward.

As the defending NCAA champions, the Sooners also get every opponent’s best shot. With a potential trap meet against Alabama looming next week and matchups against the rest of the current top four on the horizon, Oklahoma will have a clear sense of its championship credentials by the end of February.

*A “trap game” (or meet, in gymnastics terms) is ball-sports jargon for a tricky matchup, one prone to an upset. My “thing” is breaking the barrier between gymnastics and mainstream sports, so get used to jargon like this.

2. Florida

First Month MVP: The Schedule

With three home meets and just one road test to open 2026—the inverse of the other top-three teams’ schedules—the Gators have had the luxury of easing in their top rookies, injury returnees, and transfers, a setup that has largely worked in their favor. I’m all for a home-heavy start as an adjustment period, but when the season low comes in the lone away meet—against a team outside the top 10—it does raise some questions.

As with Oklahoma, Florida’s greatest strength is its untapped upside. Skye Blakely has yet to make her vault debut, and eMjae Frazier competed in the all-around for the first time this season just last weekend. Even with Ly Bui temporarily sidelined, Florida’s depth remains a major asset. The Gators have consistently leaned on that depth to produce big scores, but their title ceiling might be even higher if Blakely, Frazier, Selena Harris-Miranda, Anya Pilgrim, and Kayla DiCello were simply unleashed in an all-around free-for-all. One can dream.

3. UCLA

First Month MVP: Jordan Chiles

Despite an impossibly busy offseason—balancing preseason training and school while earning a bronze medal on Dancing with the Stars—Jordan Chiles has emerged as the gymnast of the season so far. A career-first 10.0 on vault and back-to-back perfect scores on floor over the last two weeks headline an already stacked résumé. She leads the all-around rankings with the top total of the year by a tenth, and her steadiness and star power have fueled UCLA’s fast start.

The Bruins have been deliberate in easing in a talented rookie class, letting newcomers experience early-season highs and lows while leaning on a reliable core of returnees—a strategy that should pay off come postseason. UCLA has separated itself as the early Big Ten favorite, but upcoming tests loom, with a road dual at Minnesota followed by a home showdown against Michigan.

4. LSU

First Month MVP: Kailin Chio

Chio has battled a few early breaks on bars, but as expected, she has emerged as LSU’s clear leader in 2026 despite her underclassman status. Already owning a perfect 10 on beam, she’s one of the few gymnasts to reach perfection in the season’s opening month and has been a steady, go-to hit across the lineup. Transfers Madison Ulrich and Courtney Blackson have also made immediate impacts, with LSU’s top-ranked transfer class proving to be a difference-maker and helping keep the Tigers firmly inside the top five. Somewhat unexpectedly, LSU currently sits outside the top five on its signature events—vault and floor—leaving the next few weeks to determine whether that reflects untapped upside or emerging vulnerabilities.

5. Alabama

First Month MVP: Azaraya Ra-Akbar

Most of Alabama’s lofty preseason expectations hinged on its heralded freshman class meshing with Gabby Gladieux and a deep group of specialists, and so far, the Crimson Tide have delivered. Alabama sits firmly in the top four, led by a pair of standout freshmen. Former five-star recruits Ra-Akbar and Jasmine Cawley have each posted all-around totals of 39.475 or higher just a month into their collegiate careers, raising the team’s scoring ceiling as it eyes nationals and a return to true powerhouse status. While Alabama has been impressively consistent, the absence of a truly explosive score could loom large in an exceptionally tight SEC title race.

6. Missouri

First Month MVP: Hannah Horton

The best news for Missouri is that the worst of its schedule is nearly behind it. This weekend’s home meet against Florida caps a brutal four-week stretch facing the nation’s current top four teams. Surviving that run while staying inside the top eight is impressive and firmly establishes the Tigers as legitimate contenders for a return to nationals. Kimarra Echols—the highest-ranked recruit in program history—has been a spark on vault and bars while flashing all-around potential, and the return of former San Jose State transfer Lauren MacPherson has added valuable depth and experience on bars and beam. If Missouri can turn the hard-earned lessons from this gauntlet into cleaner, more confident routines, it’s well-positioned to carry strong momentum into the back half of the season.

7. Georgia

First Month MVP: Cécile Canqueteau-Landi and Ryan Roberts

Georgia’s resurgence isn’t just showing up in the rankings—it passes the eye test, too. Under the leadership of head coaches Roberts and Canqueteau-Landi, the GymDogs have recruited well and refined their inherited roster to break through as nationals contenders in just their second season. Accelerating the arrival of breakout freshman CaMarah Williams proved pivotal; her seamless transition has given Georgia a powerful complement to Lily Smith’s poise and precision. An early upset of LSU has already signaled Georgia’s potential, and the GymDogs now look like firm contenders for the SEC championship’s evening session and a legitimate dark horse for the title.

8. Stanford

First Month MVP: Anna Roberts

With Ana Bărbosu close behind, former NCAA vault champion Roberts has been Stanford’s expected MVP, guiding the Cardinal to an early lead in the ACC race. Stanford’s blend of experience and fresh faces has paid dividends, with returnee Sienna Robinson and year-delayed freshman Levi Jung-Ruivivar playing key roles in the team’s top-10 standing through the first month of 2026. A decade removed from Pac-12 prominence and two years out from its last serious nationals push, Stanford now shows real promise to reestablish itself among the sport’s most relevant programs.

Next Up: Michigan, North Carolina, Michigan State, Penn State, Arkansas

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Article by Brandis Heffner