University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA’s Jordan Chiles Named AAI Award Finalist
March 18, 2026 | Gymnastics
Chiles, one of just four women to win Olympic, World and NCAA championships, has been dominant in 2026, holding the No. 1 national ranking in the all-around for eight of the season's 11 weeks and the No. 1 spot on floor exercise for the last five consecutive weeks. She has scored six perfect 10s on the year, including a stretch of five-straight weeks with a perfect 10 from Jan. 17 through Feb. 14. She has totaled 17 perfect 10s in her career, which rank third-all-time at UCLA and 10th in the NCAA. She leads the Bruins with 37 individual victories this season, including 10 in the all-around and nine in a row. She has competed in the all-around in every meet this year and is averaging a national-best 39.705, with a high of 39.875 achieved twice. Her season average is over 9.900 on every event – 9.948 on floor, 9.927 on vault, 9.925 on bars and 9.905 on beam. She has not scored below 9.800 once this year and has 22 scores of 9.950 or higher; 34 of her 44 routines have scored 9.900 or above. Chiles has won the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week a record 10 times in 11 weeks this season, and her 16 career Big Ten Gymnast of the Week awards in just two seasons rank second-all-time.
Her accomplishments extend beyond the competition floor. The three-time NCAA champion was a finalist on "Dancing with the Stars" this fall, competing on the show while training for the gymnastics season and taking a full set of classes at UCLA. She was named a Time Magazine Woman of the Year in 2025, is a New York Times Best-Selling author and volunteers her time and voice for many causes, including mental health, global poverty and children's health. She also lends support to underserved communities and launched a mentorship platform designed to empower young female athletes.
The AAI Award celebrates the nation's top senior athletes for their leadership, dedication, and excellence in the sport. Four Bruin gymnasts have won the award – Vanessa Zamarripa in 2013, Jamie Dantzscher in 2004, Mohini Bhardwaj in 2001 and Donna Kemp in 1984. This year's winner will be announced at the 2026 NCAA Gymnastics Championships in Fort Worth, Texas.
Players Mentioned
