Saturday, April 5
Salt Lake City, Utah
4:00 PM PT
UCLA
vs
NCAA Regional Final
UCLA advances to the NCAA Championships
Photo by: Jan Kim Lim
UCLA Secures Trip to NCAA Gymnastics Championships
April 05, 2025 | Gymnastics
Salt Lake City, Utah - No. 5 seed UCLA booked its ticket to the NCAA Gymnastics Championships after finishing in second place at the NCAA Regional Final. The Bruins scored 197.625, just two-tenths behind first-place and No. 4 seed Utah, who scored 197.825. Denver placed third with a score of 197.350, and Minnesota was fourth with a 196.825.
UCLA was in second place after each rotation and maintained their hold on the Top 2 throughout, clinching the NCAA berth after scoring 49.425 on balance beam in the final rotation. Denver led the competition after both the first and second rotations after strong showings on balance beam (49.550) and floor exercise (49.500), but a sub-49 score on vault dropped them into third going into the final rotation, where they were unable to catch either the Bruins or Utes.
"I was really excited about how this meet went," said The R.C. Rothman UCLA Head Gymnastics Coach Janelle McDonald. "It's one of the most nerve-wracking competitions that we get to go to, so today the team wanted to stay dialed-in and stay focused and intentional about everything we were doing. I thought they did that beautifully. It wasn't a perfect day for us, but they just really stayed in it and stayed fighting each and every step of the way. I couldn't be more proud of them. I'm really excited to have this box checked and be heading to Fort Worth."
The Bruins started the meet on floor exercise, totaling three scores of 9.900 or higher and finishing with a 49.450. UCLA received a strong opening routine from sophomore Katelyn Rosen that scored 9.850. Freshman Mika Webster-Longin followed with a 9.900, and senior Emma Malabuyo hit for a 9.850. Graduate student Chae Campbell hit a strong and secure full-twisting double back to open her routine and nailed her double tuck final pass to score 9.900. Brooklyn Moors hit a beautiful routine for a 9.950, once again earning a perfect 10 from one of the four judges. Junior Jordan Chiles leaned back on her landing of her double layout but managed to stay in bounds and finished with a stuck double back scored 9.825. The Bruins' score was good for second place, one-tenth of a point behind first-place Denver, who scored 49.550 on beam, and a quarter of a point ahead of third-place Utah, who scored 49.425 on uneven bars.
Senior Emily Lee got the Bruins started on vault with a stuck Yurchenko full that scored a career-high-tying 9.900. Freshman Riley Jenkins got her first taste of post-season action and hit a Yurchenko 1.5 with a hop forward to score 9.800. After Moors' 9.775, Webster-Longin executed a gorgeous Yurchenko 1.5 with just the tiniest scooch on the landing, scoring a career-high 9.950. Campbell's Yurchenko full was flared and stuck for a 9.925. Chiles finished with a 9.900, bumping UCLA's score to a season-high 49.475, marking the third meet in a row that the Bruins have scored a season-high on the event. The Bruins' score was not enough, however, to move ahead of Denver, who increased their lead slightly after scoring 49.500 on floor. UCLA did, though, stay ahead of Utah, increasing that lead to a tenth after the Utes scored 49.400 on beam.
In rotation three, the Bruins were steady on uneven bars, scoring 49.275. All six Bruins scored 9.825 or higher, but just one scored in the 9.9 range. Campbell kicked off the rotation by sticking her double front dismount and receiving a final score of 9.850. Rosen scored 9.825, Webster-Longin finished her night with a 9.850, and Malabuyo also scored 9.850. Frida Esparza contributed a 9.825, and Chiles closed with a 9.900. The Bruins maintained their hold on second place with a 148.200, however, as Denver scored just 48.900 on vault to drop to third place with 147.950. Utah took over the lead afte scoring 49.625 on floor, holding a three-even score of 148.450.
UCLA's balance beam rotation started with an unusually unsteady 9.750 from Lee, but her teammates had her back and followed with five strong routines. Rosen stuck her dismount and scored 9.850. Chiles delivered a strong routine of her own, scoring 9.900. Campbell drilled her backhandspring-two-foot layout and stuck her dismount to add a 9.875 to the team total. Ciena Alipio, in her only routine of the night, was marvelous on the beam and stuck her dismount to score 9.900. Malabuyo, needing a hit routine for the Bruins to secure their trip to Fort Worth, scored 9.900 to give UCLA a final score of 197.625, which was enough to hold off Denver.
The NCAA Championships will take place April 17 and 19 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
UCLA was in second place after each rotation and maintained their hold on the Top 2 throughout, clinching the NCAA berth after scoring 49.425 on balance beam in the final rotation. Denver led the competition after both the first and second rotations after strong showings on balance beam (49.550) and floor exercise (49.500), but a sub-49 score on vault dropped them into third going into the final rotation, where they were unable to catch either the Bruins or Utes.
"I was really excited about how this meet went," said The R.C. Rothman UCLA Head Gymnastics Coach Janelle McDonald. "It's one of the most nerve-wracking competitions that we get to go to, so today the team wanted to stay dialed-in and stay focused and intentional about everything we were doing. I thought they did that beautifully. It wasn't a perfect day for us, but they just really stayed in it and stayed fighting each and every step of the way. I couldn't be more proud of them. I'm really excited to have this box checked and be heading to Fort Worth."
The Bruins started the meet on floor exercise, totaling three scores of 9.900 or higher and finishing with a 49.450. UCLA received a strong opening routine from sophomore Katelyn Rosen that scored 9.850. Freshman Mika Webster-Longin followed with a 9.900, and senior Emma Malabuyo hit for a 9.850. Graduate student Chae Campbell hit a strong and secure full-twisting double back to open her routine and nailed her double tuck final pass to score 9.900. Brooklyn Moors hit a beautiful routine for a 9.950, once again earning a perfect 10 from one of the four judges. Junior Jordan Chiles leaned back on her landing of her double layout but managed to stay in bounds and finished with a stuck double back scored 9.825. The Bruins' score was good for second place, one-tenth of a point behind first-place Denver, who scored 49.550 on beam, and a quarter of a point ahead of third-place Utah, who scored 49.425 on uneven bars.
Senior Emily Lee got the Bruins started on vault with a stuck Yurchenko full that scored a career-high-tying 9.900. Freshman Riley Jenkins got her first taste of post-season action and hit a Yurchenko 1.5 with a hop forward to score 9.800. After Moors' 9.775, Webster-Longin executed a gorgeous Yurchenko 1.5 with just the tiniest scooch on the landing, scoring a career-high 9.950. Campbell's Yurchenko full was flared and stuck for a 9.925. Chiles finished with a 9.900, bumping UCLA's score to a season-high 49.475, marking the third meet in a row that the Bruins have scored a season-high on the event. The Bruins' score was not enough, however, to move ahead of Denver, who increased their lead slightly after scoring 49.500 on floor. UCLA did, though, stay ahead of Utah, increasing that lead to a tenth after the Utes scored 49.400 on beam.
MIKA WEBSTER-LONGIN! The freshman scores a career-high 9.950 on vault!
— UCLA Gymnastics (@uclagymnastics) April 5, 2025
??: @ESPNPlus #GoBruins | #NCAAGym pic.twitter.com/SF6Tcy6uxR
In rotation three, the Bruins were steady on uneven bars, scoring 49.275. All six Bruins scored 9.825 or higher, but just one scored in the 9.9 range. Campbell kicked off the rotation by sticking her double front dismount and receiving a final score of 9.850. Rosen scored 9.825, Webster-Longin finished her night with a 9.850, and Malabuyo also scored 9.850. Frida Esparza contributed a 9.825, and Chiles closed with a 9.900. The Bruins maintained their hold on second place with a 148.200, however, as Denver scored just 48.900 on vault to drop to third place with 147.950. Utah took over the lead afte scoring 49.625 on floor, holding a three-even score of 148.450.
UCLA's balance beam rotation started with an unusually unsteady 9.750 from Lee, but her teammates had her back and followed with five strong routines. Rosen stuck her dismount and scored 9.850. Chiles delivered a strong routine of her own, scoring 9.900. Campbell drilled her backhandspring-two-foot layout and stuck her dismount to add a 9.875 to the team total. Ciena Alipio, in her only routine of the night, was marvelous on the beam and stuck her dismount to score 9.900. Malabuyo, needing a hit routine for the Bruins to secure their trip to Fort Worth, scored 9.900 to give UCLA a final score of 197.625, which was enough to hold off Denver.
The NCAA Championships will take place April 17 and 19 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
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