2025 Season Rank: 2nd
Who they’re losing: Chae Campbell, Brooklyn Moors, Frida Esparza, Emma Malabuyo, Emily Lee, Mia Erdoes, Paige Anastasi
Who they’re gaining: Tiana Sumanasekera, Ashlee Sullivan, Nola Matthews, Jordis Eichman, Ava Marie Callahan, Kai Mattei, Lauren Little
The New Faces:
After a couple of rocky seasons — either missing the NCAA Finals or the NCAA Championships altogether — the Bruins made quite the statement in 2025. In her third season as head coach, Janelle McDonald led UCLA to its first Big Ten title in its inaugural year in the conference and guided the team back to the NCAA Finals for the first time since 2019, where the Bruins finished second in the nation.
Although UCLA is losing half of its lineup on each event, a stellar freshman class is poised to soften the blow immediately. 2024 Olympic alternate Tiana Sumanasekera and 2025 Winter Cup all-around champion Ashlee Sullivan both have true all-around potential and are expected to be names we talk about for the next four years. Jordis Eichman and Nola Matthews also come from the elite ranks and are comfortable competing on the big stage. Both have all-around upside, though Matthews particularly shines on bars, beam, and floor, while Eichman — returning from a toe injury — could make a push for the bar and beam lineups this season. Ava Marie Callahan brings a clean, polished look on bars that could strengthen UCLA’s depth, and Kai Mattei could be a pleasant surprise on beam.
The Bruins also picked up Lauren Little, a former elite gymnast and transfer from Alabama. Little didn’t consistently make lineups at Bama, but did compete on vault and bars at points during her time with the Tide. In her first season with the Bruins, we think bars is the event fans are most likely to see Little.
Vault Breakdown:
Losing from postseason lineup: Chae Campbell, Brooklyn Moors, Emily Lee
New faces to watch for: Tiana Sumansekera, Ashlee Sullivan, Nola Matthews
Outlook: Vault was an event the Bruins struggled with last season in terms of consistency and depth, so it will be key for some of their freshmen to step up and compete with confidence right out of the gate. Ashlee Sullivan is likely to make the biggest impact in this lineup, as she competes a massive Yurchenko 1.5 that can score big in the later half of the lineup. There’s also Tiana Sumanasekera, who competed a double-twisting Yurchenko on the elite stage but seems to be opting for a very clean yet powerful Yurchenko full that could easily step into the “we need a hit — enter Chae Campbell” spot. There’s also Nola Matthews, who competed a Yurchenko 1.5 as an elite, but only did a full at UCLA’s most recent intrasquad; so while she’s an option, we don’t know how realistic her chances are at this time unless the Bruins need to dip into their depth. .
In terms of who they return from last season, Jordan Chiles has the highest average (9.871), and head coach Janelle McDonald confirmed that she will likely stick with the half-on, front-tuck half-off vault (instead of the DTY) since the landing is more consistent. Chiles is, however, training this vault in the laid out position, which we envision will be more aesthetically pleasing and could potentially score higher. Katelyn Rosen’s vault has looked more confident in preseason, and she averaged 9.875 last season despite not competing during the first half of the year. Mika Webster Longin has a stunning Yurchenko 1.5 that is incredibly clean and, in our opinion, capable of perfection (9.712). Riley Jenkins also returns, having averaged 9.756 last season and is in the mix again in 2026.
Assuming that Ashlee Sullivan is in, that leaves one spot remaining, and we’d obviously put in a healthy Macy McGowan (9.817). But because she hasn’t trained for most of the preseason, we aren’t confident she’ll be ready to go in January. Therefore, we’d go with the clean Yurchenko full from Tiana Sumanasekera.
Uneven Bar Breakdown:
Losing from postseason lineup: Chae Campbell, Frida Esparza, Emma Malabuyo
New faces to watch for: Nola Matthews, Ashlee Sullivan, Tiana Sumanasekera, Sasha Fujisaka, Sydney Barros, Ciena Alipio, Lauren Little
Outlook: The Bruins should have a bit more depth on bars this season, which will allow them to play around with lineups to find the most consistent options. Locked into the lineup is the 2025 NCAA uneven bars champion, Jordan Chiles (9.79). We’d also expect Mika Webster Longin (9.845) and Katelyn Rosen (9.833) to remain in this lineup due to their consistency. Freshman Nola Matthews should also be in the mix; this was her best event as an elite, and she has the long lines and wide range of skills that should translate easily into a strong college routine. (Based on the most recent intrasquad, it looks like she’s going for a pak + toe hand + Van Leeuwen with a double layout dismount.)
From here, you have a plethora of new faces in contention. Tiana Sumanasekera and Ashlee Sullivan weren’t known for their bar work in elite, but with fewer skills required and a focus on execution, we think they can both put together lineup-worthy routines. Sasha Fujisaka is a beautiful bar worker returning from an ACL injury that sidelined her during her freshman season; if healthy, there’s no reason she shouldn’t be in this lineup. Sydney Barros is another possibility — Janelle mentioned her as an option for the leadoff spot, and she competed in the lineup once last season.
There’s also Ciena Alipio, who has looked fantastic on this event in preseason. Although we’ve never seen her on bars as a Bruin, she has definitely made herself an option in her senior season. The final new face realistically contending for a lineup spot is senior transfer Lauren Little. After taking some time away from the sport, she’s back and looking amazing on bars, historically her best event from her elite days. Don’t count her out! Similar to vault, a healthy Macy McGowan (9.846) is also an option.
Beam Breakdown:
Losing from postseason lineup: Chae Campbell, Emma Malabuyo, Emily Lee
New faces to watch for: Nola Matthews, Ashlee Sullivan, Tiana Sumanasekera, Sydney Barros, Mika Webster Longin
Outlook: Beam has long been a strength for the Bruins, and although they are losing a handful of top athletes from last season’s postseason lineup, they are gaining a few superstars who can keep the event among their best. Tiana Sumanasekera was known for her beautiful, consistent beam work in elite, making her not only a lock for the lineup but likely a contender for a position later in the lineup. Ashlee Sullivan is also a steady beam worker who should fit seamlessly into the lineup, along with Nola Matthews, whose stunning lines were made for college gymnastics. With a lower difficulty level than she competed in elite, her consistency on this event is expected to rise.
Returning staples include Jordan Chiles, a clutch performer who averaged a 9.859 last season, and Ciena Alipio, who averaged a 9.819 and earned her first perfect 10 on beam. Alipio truly found a confident, consistent stride last year, and expectations are high for her senior season. Then there’s Katelyn Rosen, who missed several weeks of competition and had a few shaky sets, so her 9.569 average is a bit misleading — she’s fully capable of delivering big numbers for the Bruins.
There are also a few newer faces who could make a splash. Sydney Barros has yet to compete beam for the Bruins, but don’t let that fool you — she’s clean, solid, and exactly the type of athlete who could lead off this event. Mika Webster Longin competed just one beam routine last season, scoring a 9.8, but her technique is pristine. If she can deliver that consistently, she’ll be hard to keep out of the lineup.
Floor Breakdown:
Losing from postseason lineup: Chae Campbell, Brooklyn Moors, Emma Malabuyo
New faces to watch for: Ashlee Sullivan, Tiana Sumanaskera, Sydney Barros, Nola Matthews
Outlook: The Bruins were the best team in the nation on floor last season, and we don’t expect that to change anytime soon! While they lose some heavy hitters, they gain equally talented athletes who should be able to score at a comparable level. It wouldn’t be a UCLA floor lineup without Jordan Chiles. Jordan was the No. 1 floor worker in the nation last year (9.937 average), and there isn’t a world in which she’s not in this lineup.
Katelyn Rosen’s average from last season (9.662) is a bit misleading, as she only competed floor a handful of times. Her scoring potential is much higher going into her junior season. Mika Webster Longin (9.79) was stunning on floor last year and is also likely in this lineup. Freshman Ashlee Sullivan was one of the best floor workers in the U.S. in 2025, performing a high level of difficulty with the confidence of a seasoned veteran. Tiana Sumanasekera brings a gorgeous, sky-high double layout that will make jaws drop in Pauley (her second pass is a 1.5 punch layout).
With the athletes above, that leaves one more spot in the lineup. Someone we’re particularly excited about this season is Sydney Barros! Barros has a huge double layout opening pass and the sass and charisma that will fit right in at the Bruin floor party. Other options include Nola Matthews, who is sure to bring the drama! (We’ve been dreaming of a Nola Matthews x BJ Das mashup and the time has finally come!) Our only hesitation with putting her in the lineup at the moment is with the consistency of her floor passes (and the depth of the Bruin lineup) but we’d be shocked not to see her throughout the season on this event. And of course a healthy Macy McGowan (9.856) will likely be in.
Final Outlook:
2026 looks bright for the Bruins! With such a strong freshman class and people like Jordan Chiles and Katelyn Rosen leading the charge, we expect the Bruins to not only be the favorites in the Big Ten, but a top contender to get back to the NCAA Finals and fight for the trophy at the end of the season.
For our lineup predictions, become a Gold-level Patreon (or purchase this post) to get access to our 2026 Fantasy Gym Routine Tracker, which shows event-by-event averages, lineup predictions, and more!Listen to our 2026 Coaches Corner interview with UCLA head coach Janelle McDonald!