It’s NCAA gymnastics season and the leotards are as sparkly as ever. And with new designs comes your favorite series: Leotard Rankings! Each week we’re analyzing leotard debuts to find our weekly faves. There will be up to three points for design, up to one point each for fabric, sparkle, school spirit and uniqueness, and up to three points for overall appearance. This week Mary Emma, Claire and Tara are joining our editor-in-chief, Elizabeth, to help judge.
Don’t agree with our ranking? Make your opinion heard by voting in the fan poll at the end of the article each week or voicing your thoughts on social media. And, wondering where the new NCGA and USAG team leos are? Check out our ranking of those leotards the week after each respective national championship at the end of the season.
Oklahoma: 8.700
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.300
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
I’m always a fan when teams use a lot of white in a design, so this is already a win for me based on that. However, I like other parts, too, from the wave to the back straps to the dripping rhinestones. I also really like the arm design. It really ties everything together.
Mary Emma: 8.800
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 1.0/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
This is a really nice one from Oklahoma. It seems that it might be moving away a bit from the crazy designs it’s had in the past. I love the use of white here, and the strappy back is great.
Claire: 9.300
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 1/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 1/1, Overall Appearance 3/3
I don’t always like the Sooners’ “more is more” philosophy when it comes to leo, but this is outstanding. The big blocks of color allow the crystals to shine (literally and metaphorically) and the back is just cool. Also after all the screen-printed lace and damask we’ve seen in recent years, I’m thrilled to see actual textured fabric on the sleeves! It’s sporty, it’s sparkly, and it’s undeniably Oklahoma.
Tara: 8.400
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
I think the back is my favorite part, but I enjoy most of this. Oklahoma’s really mastered the crimson and white balance. The sparkles are nice, and the wave design is unique yet flattering, too.
Arizona: 8.375
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 8.300
Design 2.4/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
I love this! The geometric design looks great in the shades of blue and white, and I love the focus on the block A. Plus, the back is great, and of course the ombre is good, too. An overall win for Arizona!
Mary Emma: 8.300
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
Love this! When I first saw the teaser, I was worried it would look too much like Arizona’s past block A leo, so I was excited when it didn’t. My favorite leo designs tend to be ones with either funky patterns or ombre, and this one has both, plus a really nice strappy back.
Claire: 8.500
Design 2.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 1/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.7/3
This is great! There are a lot of contrasting elements at play, but they’ve managed to strike the perfect balance between athletic and glam. I absolutely love the piping around the wrists and neck (although I wish the neckline were a little lower).
Tara: 8.400
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
I love the geometric design and how it frames the Arizona “A” on the front! It looks particularly good in the shades of blue used combined with the white accents. I also enjoy the state flag on the side as homage to the state of Arizona itself.
Fisk: 8.225
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 7.600
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
The is my favorite Fisk design so far. I love the front, especially the shades of yellow and blue used, the ombre and the rhinestone belt. The back is fine—not my favorite strappy design—but it’s still strappy, so it gets my approval.
Mary Emma: 8.700
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.9/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
Love this! Definitely my favorite Fisk leo so far. I love the yellow to blue ombre, and I appreciate that they used white in between the blue and yellow so that the ombre doesn’t end up with green. The back is also really nice. Overall a big win!
Claire: 9.000
Design 2.7/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 1/1, Uniqueness 1/1, Overall Appearance 2.5/3
Crafting an identity as a new team is always a challenge, and I love that Fisk is opting for bold, risky leos. Everything about this design adds to it: the ombre body, latticed back, and especially the multicolored crystals. The only tweak I’d make is bringing the shade of yellow from the back onto the front in some way.
Tara: 7.600
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.4/3
Fisk hit it out of the park with this one. The ombre is lovely, the open, strappy back is nice, and it has a good amount of sparkle.
William & Mary: 7.625
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 9.500
Design 3.0/3, Fabric 1.0/1, Sparkle 1.0/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 3.0/3
William & Mary either hits it out of the park with its leotard designs or misses extraordinarily. This is the former. I love the matte white, the back design, the shimmery sleeves, the shade of green. It’s all perfect! The only thing I wish it had was a touch more school spirit.
Mary Emma: 8.200
Design 2.6/3, Fabric 0.9/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
William & Mary has come out with some great leos recently, and this one is no exception. It’s a stock design, but it’s one of my favorite stock designs that I play with a lot in the GK leo maker. White can be hard to do in a leo, but it’s done well here, and I love the shade of green.
Claire: 5.300
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
Sorry guys, this is one of my least favorite stock designs, particularly the faux strappy back. That said, the color combination is gorgeous. I’m so glad they went for a matte white bodice.
Tara: 7.500
Design 2.3/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.6/3
This is 100% a GK stock design, but it’s one of my favorites. William & Mary nailed it with the green and white combo combined with the green rhinestones. It’s lovely!
Kentucky: 7.000
View an image of this leotard here.
Note: While this design is not new for Kentucky, it is an updated version of last year’s debut after the 2022 version was not fully executed how Kentucky intended. The 2023 update removed the underlying back strap mesh and used holographic fabric on the sleeves rather than white mesh.
Elizabeth: 7.000
Design 2.1/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
This leo is supposed to be an improvement over last year’s goof, and I think it succeeds. I prefer the holographic arm fabric to the mesh of last year, and I certainly improve of the open back—I remember thinking the white mesh under last year’s back straps was weird.
Mary Emma: 7.400
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
I think I like this redo more than the original. I really like the holographic fabric used, and the back looks much better.
Claire: 6.400
Design 2/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 1/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3
I’m in the minority in that I like the original fabric choices better (save for the weird mesh under the back straps). That said, the mix of pearls and crystals on this version is a major upgrade!
Tara: 7.200
Design 2.2/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
I definitely like this version better than the original—and the original wasn’t bad at all. Overall, it’s a more cohesive leo and looks better without the mesh.
Southern Utah: 6.575
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 6.200
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
The back is my favorite part. I almost wish the sleeves were white mesh paired with the black body and red back straps instead. However, overall this is a good one from Southern Utah. Nothing too special, but far from bad, too.
Mary Emma: 5.900
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.7/3
I love the back, but overall, it’s a bit boring to me. It’s not bad by any means, but it just doesn’t stand out.
Claire: 7.100
Design 2/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 1/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.2/3
From the straps to the sparkly Thunderbird, the back is about as good as it gets! I really like the crystal design on the front but wish the transition into the body and back wasn’t quite so stark.
Tara: 7.100
Design 2.1/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.3/3
Overall, I like this. I love a good criss-cross sparkle pattern, which makes the front a win for me. Plus, the strappy back is nice, and the school spirit is there with the Thunderbird on the back.
Washington: 6.475
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 6.900
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
Washington is edging into “every leo looks the same,” but I’m giving it a pass since Jen Llewellyn is only in her Huskies head coaching infancy. You have to build up a stable of solid designs first before going a bit wild. As for this design, it grew on me. I wish the mesh was solid fabric to match the rest, but overall I like it. The back is my favorite part.
Mary Emma: 7.100
Design 2.0/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.9/1, School Spirit 0.9/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
At first glance, I didn’t even realize this one was new because it looks very similar to another Washington leo. Overall, it’s a good design. The gold belt gives me Wonder Woman vibes, and I love the shade of purple.
Claire: 5.600
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.3/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
Full disclosure, I’m not the biggest fan of either this type of fabric or purple, so this was never going to rate super high on my list. That said, the crystal designs work really well with the overall design and elevate it from “another stock leo” to “another Washington leo.” My favorite part is definitely the unexpected opening in the back.
Tara: 6.300
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.6/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
This is solid. It’s nothing special and definitely has similar vibes to some of the other recent Washington leos. The sparkle is nice, and gold is incorporated well.
Sacramento State: 6.300
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 6.600
Design 1.9/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
I liked this fine when I first saw it but liked it better when I saw it on the gymnasts while they were competing. The design is flattering, and I love the shade of green and the open back. It looks a bit cheap, especially around the weirdly thick collar, but Sac State can’t necessarily help that, so I’m not going to deduct for it.
Mary Emma: 6.800
Design 1.9/3, Fabric 0.8/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I like this, but it is a bit boring. I will give it to Sac State for doing a good job with what it can get, since it probably has a lower leo budget than the top teams. My favorite aspect has to be the holographic sleeves—the shade of green is so pretty.
Claire: 6.000
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.5/3
I love the color, the open back with straps, and even the overall “less is more” aesthetic, but I just can’t get past that turtleneck collar…
Tara: 5.800
Design 1.8/3, Fabric 0.5/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
This is nice but not revolutionary. The neckline is flattering and the open back is good. The “Sac” on the front makes it slightly less boring, but it’s still a touch plain for my liking.
Nebraska: 5.975
View a video of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 5.800
Design 1.6/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, Pink Meet Spirit 0.8/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 1.6/3
It’s a stock design, but overall it’s one of the better ones. I like the ombre, as well as the shade of pink used. The chest hole is a meh, and I’m not a fan of the back tulle, but overall it’s a fine leo.
Mary Emma: 6.100
Design 1.6/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.8/1, Pink Meet Spirit 1.0/1, Uniqueness 0.4/1, Overall Appearance 1.6/3
I mean, it’s a pink leo AND a stock design, but it’s not bad by any means. Of course I love the use of the ombre and the shade of pink. Chest holes are usually a no from me, and this is no exception.
Claire: 5.700
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.5/1, Pink Meet Spirit 0.5/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2.0/3
I really have no strong feelings—good or bad—about this. It’s exactly fine.
Tara: 6.300
Design 1.9/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, Pink Meet Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.3/1, Overall Appearance 2.1/3
It’s definitely a stock design, but I’ll give it a pass as a pink leo. It’s one of the better stock designs, too, at least. The ombre is nice, and I like the sparkle pattern and crossy back. I don’t hate the chest hole as much as I feel like I should, but it’s still a chest hole.
Greenville: 5.825
View an image of this leotard here.
Elizabeth: 6.300
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.8/3
The front of this looks like a vest you’d wear with a suit, which isn’t my fave. I do like the ombre and the back, though.
Mary Emma: 6.500
Design 1.7/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.8/1, Overall Appearance 1.9/3
I don’t love the vest look or the stomach cutout, but I love the shade of orange and the ombre sleeves. Not my favorite but far from the worst.
Claire: 6.100
Design 1.5/3, Fabric 0.7/1, Sparkle 0.7/1, School Spirit 0.7/1, Uniqueness 0.5/1, Overall Appearance 2/3
Black and orange isn’t the easiest color combination, but this is solid overall and the ombre sleeves are excellent!
Tara: 4.400
Design 0.9/3, Fabric 0.6/1, Sparkle 0.6/1, School Spirit 0.6/1, Uniqueness 0.7/1, Overall Appearance 1.0/3
It’s a no from me. The front ruins it. The ombre sleeves are nice, though.
Fan Poll
Congrats to Arkansas for winning the Week 2 fan poll! Vote for your favorite from Week 3 here.
READ THIS NEXT: Leotard Rankings: Week 2
Article by Elizabeth Grimsley, Mary Emma Brambila, Claire Billman and Tara Graeve
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