FORT WORTH, Texas — After a roller-coaster semifinal round in which defending champions LSU and No. 3-ranked Florida were both ousted, four teams remain in contention for the NCAA gymnastics title. Will it be Oklahoma, Utah, UCLA or Missouri who wins the title?
We’ll have you covered with the routines and moments you need to see.
Warmups begin
We’re just about an hour away from the start of the NCAA championships and the four teams are warming up as the doors open. Some very excited — and passionate and face-painted and colorful-wig donning — fans are starting to flood in. There are fans of all the teams well represented so far and more than a few LSU fans, still wearing their gear with pride.
Practicing in the same order in which they’ll compete, Missouri opened on vault, Utah on bars, Oklahoma on beam and UCLA on floor. There is a palpable nervous energy but also more than a few dance parties — and no one seemed more ready to get the party started than UCLA’s Jordan Chiles. The Olympic gold medalist got the attention of just about everyone in the building with her Prince-themed floor routine and her energy and precision was more than competition ready.
While warming up on beam, Utah coach Carly Dockendorf took a few minutes to huddle her team and presumably calm everyone’s nerves. While it’s unclear what was said, everyone looked noticeably calmer, and, based on my completely unscientific observation, there appeared to be fewer wobbles after.
In general, everyone has looked more relaxed as the warmups continue — and as the gymnasts start to spot their family members and friends in the stands. It’s almost time! —D’Arcy Maine
Championship history
Georgia has won the most national titles overall, with 10, and had a streak of five titles in a row from 2005 to 2009. But the Bulldogs haven’t won since 2009 and didn’t qualify to compete in Fort Worth this year.
Utah dominated from the 1980s to the mid-1990s and has nine titles overall, with the last one coming in 1995. The Utes had the highest semifinal score of any team on Thursday, with a 197.7625 — could this be the year they do it again?
The biggest shock of Thursday night was that defending champion LSU, the No. 1-ranked team at the end of the regular season, didn’t advance out of semifinals. But Oklahoma, the most decorated team in recent history, did. Oklahoma has taken home six national titles since the Sooners first won in 2014 (a tie for the title with Florida — the only tie in history.)
In 2024, the Sooners collapsed in semifinals and failed to advance. This year, though, they won their semifinal and could be poised to add another championship to the list. — Amy Van Deusen
The full breakdown of national titles:
Georgia: 10 (1987, 1989, 1993, 1998-99, 2005-09)
Utah: 9 (1982-86, 1990, 1992, 1994-95)
UCLA: 7 (1997, 2000-01, 2003-2004, 2010, 2018)
Alabama: 6 (1988, 1991, 1996, 2002, 2011-12)
Oklahoma: 6 (2014 [tied], 2016-17, 2019, 2022, 2023)
Florida: 3 (2013, 2014 [tied], 2015)
Michigan: 1 (2021)
LSU: 1 (2024)
