Ucla Gymnastics Focused On Delivering Bruins' Next National Title

UCLA could gain another nationalist title this weekend.

Led by Olympic golden medalist Jordan Chiles, nan Bruins’ gymnastics squad is having its champion play since 2018 and will compete successful Fort Worth successful an NCAA nationalist semifinal connected Thursday for a spot successful Saturday’s title meet.

The Bruins haven’t won an NCAA gymnastics title successful 8 years, a agelong spread for nan seven-time champions known for processing Olympic talent.

UCLA will compete successful a semifinal against Oklahoma, Arkansas and Minnesota. The Bruins will commencement connected nan bars, past spell to nan beam, level and vault.

The apical 2 teams beforehand to nan finals Saturday against nan apical 2 teams from nan different semifinal featuring Louisiana State University, Stanford, Florida and Georgia.

“There’s nary defense successful gymnastics, and truthful you really request to conscionable attraction connected what we request to do to spell retired and put retired nan champion title possible,” UCLA coach Janelle McDonald said. “We’ve prepared nan squad each play agelong to person that mentality erstwhile we spell retired into competition.”

UCLA placed 2nd successful nan finals past season, pinch Chiles and Brooklyn Moors capturing nan NCAA uneven bars and level workout titles.

The Bruins won their first NCAA Regional title since 2019, leaping from 3rd spot into first aft finishing pinch a 49.625 squad full connected level successful nan last rotation astatine 197.725, one-tenth up of second-place Minnesota and .225 up of third-place Utah.

UCLA elder gymnast Ciena Alipio leaps successful nan aerial aft her dismount connected nan equilibrium beam connected Jan. 17.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

“I thought regionals were conscionable such, specified an astonishing title for our freshmen that were being thrown successful immoderate large unit situations, and they conscionable really stepped up to nan sheet and handled it pinch truthful overmuch assurance and that was really awesome to see,” McDonald said. “And I deliberation that really bodes good for america heading into nan NCAA [championships.]”

Chiles is besides 1 cleanable 10 connected beam distant from a senior-season expansive slam. The two-time Olympic medalist has already won 3 individual NCAA titles, but this is her past chance to get a changeable astatine nan all-around title successful summation to nan squad championship.

Her cleanable 10 connected level successful nan regional, which was her eighth cleanable people this season, helped nan Bruins triumph their semifinal.

“Having Jordan has conscionable been truthful amazing,” McDonald said. “Just her power and nan passion that she brings to our squad each and each day. Obviously, her gymnastics accomplishment level is incredible, but she conscionable really has go specified a leader for us. She leads by example. She leads pinch her energy, but she really leads pinch her passion and pinch her heart.”

But Chiles isn’t nan only jock powering nan Bruins tally to nan NCAA championships. She is 1 of six UCLA athletes who competed connected this shape past year.

“Having each of that extent really has been truthful adjuvant each year, particularly successful those meets wherever we had girls that were down because they were sick, aliases small things flared up present and there,” elder All-American Ciena Alipio said. “But we had group who could measurement up and really capable those positions. So it’s been really awesome to person a batch of group connected each event.”

UCLA is 1 of nan astir accordant teams connected beam successful nan nation, led by Alipio and Katelyn Rosen. Alipio had a autumn during nan Big Ten title and she bobbled during nan first information of regionals, but she posted an fantabulous 9.925 successful nan location last to thief nan Bruins to a constrictive lead going into their winning level routine.

They’ve been up and down connected vault, but Chiles took that location title to thief nan Bruins, while sophomore Riley Jenkins has besides had immoderate occurrence successful nan event.

Bars mightiness beryllium nan x-factor for each nan teams successful nan tournament. In nan location semifinal, UCLA’s 49.225 was its play low. LSU and Oklahoma person besides struggled connected nan adaptable bars regular during nan tournament.

Top-seeded Oklahoma is nan defending champion, claiming its seventh U.S. nationalist collegiate title past April.

The semifinals besides service arsenic individual finals, pinch nan nationalist champions being wished successful nan all-around and connected each 4 events aft nan 2 semifinal sessions connected Thursday.

The Bruins person a bully chance to triumph a fewer individual titles, and Chiles is simply a favourite for nan all-around, but a squad title would beryllium immense for a programme that came truthful adjacent past season.

“We sewage to nationals, and that is nan apical 8 retired of nan full country, for illustration we’re there,” Alipio said. “Getting to Day 2 is gonna beryllium our extremity for Day 1. But if we spell retired location and do what we’ve been doing each season, location should beryllium nary uncertainty successful our heads that we’ll make it to Day 2.”