UCLA gymnastics strides confidently into the NCAA Championships

UCLA Gymnastics Team Advances to NCAA Championships

The UCLA gymnastics team, known for their catchphrase “The Best Show in Los Angeles,” is set to compete at the NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas.

This mantra played a crucial role in their journey to the championships. Coach Janelle McDonald reiterated it during the regionals, especially before their final rotation when the team was in third place and desperately needed strong performances on the floor to progress.

Senior Sienna Alipio vividly remembers McDonald encouraging the team, saying, “There’s a reason we’re the best show in Los Angeles. Don’t worry about the score. Just go out there and put on a show.” Those words motivated the team, leading Ashley Sullivan to score a 9.900 on the floor, which helped secure their advancement, while Jordan Chiles hit a perfect 10, clinching the regional championship for UCLA—an achievement not seen since 2019.

With this victory, the fourth-seeded Bruins (32-2) will face the defending national champions, No. 1 Oklahoma, along with No. 9 Arkansas and No. 13 Minnesota in the semifinals on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT at Dickies Arena. This tournament will be broadcast on ESPN2.

The two best teams from this session will join the other finalists from the previous semifinal, which includes No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Florida, No. 6 Georgia, and No. 7 Stanford.

Chiles and Alipio are among six UCLA gymnasts who participated in last year’s NCAA Championships, where the team finished as runners-up. Chiles has an extensive championship background, competing as part of the team in 2023 and 2025, and individually on bars and floor in 2022. She won a title in 2023 on uneven bars with a perfect score and also excelled on the floor.

McDonald highlighted Chiles’ leadership, stating, “She leads with passion and heart,” adding that her scoring eight perfect 10s this season exemplifies her strong mentality and connection with the team. This kind of attitude fosters the right culture for greatness.

In their championship routine, UCLA will start on uneven bars, before moving to balance beam, floor exercise, and vault. The team is eager to win their first national championship since 2018 and appears poised to be contenders again in 2025 at the very venue they’re competing in this week.

Reflecting on their past season, Alipio mentioned, “Last year, we had a taste of winning the national championship. It was so close, which really fueled us for this year.” The team unanimously desires this victory, continuously keeping the goal in their conversations.

Whenever the Bruins need extra motivation, they return to their central theme—that they are indeed “the best show in LA,” and maybe even across the nation. Alipio expressed, “I think it’s beneficial and we’ll definitely keep that mindset for nationals. Staying calm amid the pressure is ultimately key.”