University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Alipio, Chiles Nominated for AAI Award
March 02, 2026 | Gymnastics
Alipio, who had competed on just balance beam for her first three seasons, has turned into a three-event star as a senior, earning season-high marks of 9.950 on uneven bars and floor exercise, along with a 9.975 on balance beam. She ranks No. 4 in the nation and leads the team with six individual victories on beam. She also has one win on floor exercise. Alipio has been incredibly consistent this season, hitting all 23 of her routines without a fall. She averages 9.939 on beam, 9.838 on bars and 9.834 on floor and has not scored lower than 9.900 on beam all season. Alipio has been named the Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week three times this season, most recently on Feb. 3 after recording career-highs on bars (9.950 in the leadoff position) and floor (9.900) and winning beam with a 9.950. She topped that floor mark on Feb. 14, scoring 9.950 and receiving a 10.0 from one judge. Alipio is a two-time first-team All-American on beam and the reigning Big Ten balance beam champion. She won that title after scoring her a perfect 10 on the event.
Chiles, the Olympic and World gold medalist and three-time NCAA champion, has been dominant in 2026, holding the No. 1 national ranking in the all-around for eight consecutive weeks and going five straight meets with a perfect 10 from Jan. 17 through Feb. 14. She has scored five 10s this year โ four on floor exercise and one on vault - and has 16 in her career, which ranks third all-time on UCLA's career perfect 10 list. Her 10 career perfect 10s on floor rank No. 2 in school history. Chiles leads the team with 31 individual victories this season โ eight in the all-around and on floor, six on vault, five on bars and four on beam. She has competed in the all-around in all nine meets this year and is averaging a national-best 39.694, with a high of 39.875. Her season average is over 9.9 on every event โ 9.953 on floor, 9.925 on vault, 9.914 on bars and 9.903 on beam. She has not scored below 9.800 once this year. Chiles has won the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week award every week this season, setting a new Big Ten single-season record with eight awards. Her 13 career Big Ten Gymnast of the Week awards in just two seasons rank second-all-time.
Four Bruin gymnasts have won the AAI Award โ Vanessa Zamarripa in 2013, Jamie Dantzscher in 2004, Mohini Bhardwaj in 2001 and Donna Kemp in 1984.
Players Mentioned
