Thrilling Upsets and Historic Firsts: NCAA Gymnastics Semifinals Recap
FORT WORTH, Texas — The atmosphere at Dickies Arena was electric on Thursday as eight teams battled it out in the NCAA gymnastics semifinals, each vying for a coveted spot in Saturday’s final. The day was filled with jaw-dropping performances, unexpected upsets, and historic achievements, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the 2025 season.
In a shocking turn of events, defending champion LSU was ousted from the competition, leaving four teams standing: Oklahoma, Utah, UCLA, and Missouri. The Tigers, who had finished the regular season ranked No. 1 and recently clinched the SEC title, were edged out by UCLA by a mere .2125 points. The final scores flashed on the arena’s screens, sealing LSU’s fate and leaving the team visibly devastated. Utah emerged as the session winner, with LSU trailing by 0.2375 points.
UCLA coach Janelle McDonald summed up the intensity of the competition, saying, “Tonight’s competition was absolutely everything you can hope for in a national championship. It was so neck and neck and just such a fight for every single event and every single routine. It was an incredible meet to be a part of.”
Florida, another top contender ranked No. 3 in the regular season, also faced an early exit after finishing third in the first session.
Oklahoma’s Jordan Bowers shone brightly, clinching the all-around title with a score of 39.7125, narrowly defeating Utah’s Grace McCallum, fellow Sooner Faith Torrez, and Oregon State’s Jade Carey.
For those who missed the action, here’s a detailed breakdown of the day’s highlights and standout performances.
Return of the Sooners
The Oklahoma Sooners entered the semifinals with a point to prove. Last year, they were the favorites but suffered a shocking upset due to landing errors on vault. Coach K.J. Kindler had spent 364 days reflecting on that moment, determined to avoid a repeat.
In a twist of fate, the Sooners had to finish Thursday’s meet on vault. However, this time, Torrez and Bowers, the team’s two all-arounders, were unfazed. Their confidence paid off, as Oklahoma recorded a session-best 49.2750 on vault, securing the first semifinal with a score of 197.5500. Bowers, a senior and the anchor on the event, achieved a team-high 9.8875, the second-highest score in the first semifinal.
Bowers and Torrez also impressed with 9.95s on their floor routines, propelling the team closer to their seventh national championship.
Jordan. Bowers. 9.95. pic.twitter.com/gaGrYiWEeX
— Oklahoma Women’s Gym (@OU_WGymnastics) April 17, 2025
Reflecting on last year’s disappointment, Kindler stated, “I don’t ever want to see TV footage of Oklahoma falling over again on vault. That dragon is slayed and we’re past it.” She acknowledged the team’s performance wasn’t perfect but expressed confidence in their potential.
History for Missouri
Missouri made history by advancing to the final for the first time, surpassing their previous best result of fifth place at the NCAA championships. The team’s success was fueled by standout performances, particularly from Helen Hu.
In a nail-biting final rotation against Florida, Missouri’s fate rested on Hu’s beam routine. Trailing by a quarter-tenth of a point, Hu delivered a nearly flawless performance, earning a 9.9875 and securing the team’s second-place finish. Her efforts also earned her the NCAA beam title.
— NCAA Gymnastics (@NCAA_Gymnastics) April 17, 2025
The Missouri team erupted in celebration as Hu’s score appeared on the video board, and their joy continued long after the meet concluded. Hu admitted she was unaware of the score she needed until after her routine, saying, “I just go in, this is my beam routine, whether we need it or we don’t, I’m going to go up and do what I always do.”
Coach Shannon Welker, joking about renegotiating his contract, expressed pride in the team’s achievement, stating, “I really felt like this was a special team this year, and we had an opportunity to be the best team in the University of Missouri gymnastics history.”
Battle for the Night
The night session was a nail-biter, with Utah, UCLA, LSU, and Michigan State all within .1875 points entering the final rotation. Utah, UCLA, and LSU were separated by just .0750 points, keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats.
Ultimately, Utah and UCLA emerged victorious, thanks to Utah’s strong performance on bars and UCLA’s impressive beam routines. McCallum closed it out for Utah with a 9.9625, while Emma Malabuyo secured UCLA’s spot with a 9.975.
— UCLA Gymnastics (@uclagymnastics) April 18, 2025
Utah’s Amelie Morgan emphasized the team’s confidence, saying, “I think it is always a thing in gymnastics, ‘Keep your eyes on your own team and don’t care about anyone else,’ but at a certain point, you realize it’s pretty close.”
Both Utah and UCLA, with their storied histories, are now poised to compete for the championship on Saturday. Utah, a nine-time NCAA champion, hasn’t won since 1995, while UCLA last claimed the title in 2018.
Event Champions
In addition to Bowers’ all-around victory and Hu’s beam triumph, three other gymnasts claimed individual NCAA titles:
- LSU’s Kailin Chio, despite the team’s disappointment, won the vault with a 9.975 for her Yurchenko 1.5.
- UCLA’s Jordan Chiles, a two-time NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist, took top honors on the uneven bars with a near-perfect 9.975.
- Brooklyn Moors, Chiles’ teammate, earned her first national championship with a sensational floor routine, scoring 9.9625.
Moors described the individual honor as a “cherry on top” but emphasized the importance of the team’s success, saying, “We’re here to do it for the team.”
All is right with the world! Queen B @brooklynmoors is the NCAA floor exercise champion! pic.twitter.com/3I70NtlJIx
— UCLA Gymnastics (@uclagymnastics) April 18, 2025
Originally Written by: D’Arcy Maine
