15 Apr Fort Worth Loading! 2025 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships Preview Semifinal I
2025 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
By Megan Roth, Nate Salsman and Christy Sandmaier
From 36 to eight, Fort Worth promises an NCAA Women’s Championship to remember! Will six-time (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023) National Champion Oklahoma capture their seventh crown after missing the Final Four on the Floor last year? Will No.1 LSU defend their title? Or will Michigan State, who will be competing for the crown for the first time since 1988, add their name to the exclusive club of champions?
Eight teams, a lifetime of goals. So many stars and storylines. If you listen closely, you can already hear the crowd building, get swept up in the wave of colors around the arena, and see the flashes of sequins under the lights. It’s about to be Go-Time in Fort Worth and right now, it’s anyone’s game.
Here’s how to watch it all play out, along with our look at the field of eight including quick takes from commentators Samantha Peszek and John Roethlisberger, who spoke with the media on Friday.
HOW TO WATCH
Thursday, April 17th
- NCAA Championships Semifinal I | Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida, Missouri | 4:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2
- NCAA Championships Semifinal II | Michigan State, LSU, Utah, UCLA | 9:00 p.m. ET | ESPN2
Saturday, April 19th
- NCAA Championships Finals | 4 p.m. ET | ABC
Both Semifinal competitions are scheduled to be televised on ESPN2 with Samantha Peszek, John Roethlisberger, and Aly Raisman on the call. ABC will broadcast the final “Four on the Floor” on Saturday.
The ESPN+ “Stream Team” for Fort Worth will be comprised of 2008 Olympic Silver Medalist Bridget Sloan, and former collegiate stars Kennedy Baker, Trinity Thomas and Anastasia Webb.
New to this year’s coverage is rather than the standard apparatus streams, fans can follow their specific squad in action throughout the arena with a dedicated stream and commentators. Streams will be split up with two teams and commentators per feed.
Peszek’s Quick Take:
“I think this is one of the tightest fields in a really long time, maybe ever. I think all eight of these teams are extremely competitive and have shown moments of greatness this year that could contend with any team in the country. For me, it’s like I look at all eight teams and I could make a case for all of them to qualify to the final day of competition. We just wrapped up most of our coaches’ interviews, and that’s really the plan for all of these teams. Their goal is to be competitive on the final day of competition and be the best team in the country.”
Roethlisberger’s Quick Take:
“I think the favorites are Oklahoma and LSU. Because they have the most consistency at putting up championship performances the highest percentage of times. If you’re going to roll the dice 10 times, they’re going to put up a championship performance eight or nine out of 10 times. And I think that is a higher percentage than anybody else. But to Sam’s point, it does feel more wide open. It’s exciting. If Alabama and Missouri and Michigan State made it to the finals, we’d be all going, holy cow. But at the same time, we shouldn’t be surprised.”
Semifinal I
The Tide Keeps On Rolling!
Seeded No.11: Alabama
Season High: 197.650
NQS: 197.205
First Event In Fort Worth: Vault
Inside Coleman Coliseum, the Alabama Crimson Tide did something many would have thought impossible midway through the regular season: they advanced to the 2025 National Championships and they did it BIG. Once in danger of not even making it to the SEC Championships, the Tide not only advanced to Fort Worth in the Tuscaloosa Regional Final, they came within 0.25 of the Florida Gators, and defeated the Cal Bears who finished the regular season ranked No. 6.
“First of all, I am just so proud of this group for qualifying to the Elite Eight,” head coach Ashley Johnston said. “This has been a huge goal in front of us and week after week, we have talked about never losing the hope, belief or confidence that this team can do it. No matter what anybody on the outside was telling us, they continued to work relentlessly to figure out any, and all, ways to get better and find our edge.”
It’s been a roller coaster ride for the Tide all season. Struggles with inconsistency, a young team building back experience and finding their voice, and so many “almosts” in dual meets all added up to early uncertainty on just where this storied program would finish their 2025 season.
One of only eight teams in Women’s NCAA Gymnastics to win the national title, owners of 10 SEC Championships, along with an NCAA-record 32 Regional Championships, the program’s legacy and what lies in front of them is not lost on Johnston. As a 10-time Crimson Tide All-American and member of back-to-back NCAA Championship teams, she knows what’s at stake.
“Walking away from SECs was a huge confidence boost,” Johnston said before Regionals. “They’re really believing in themselves and ready to take on this next gauntlet of a Regional Championship and then hopefully, a National Championship as well.
“I think, finally, the team was really ready to make a statement, to come together, and have a revenge tour. I think they’ve learned some hard lessons all season long, and that’s really prepared them to be resilient and to go into the toughest environments and be ready to kick down doors,” she noted. “So, while it hasn’t been as normal of a season as one might hope for — we’ve had some injuries and setbacks and things along the way – I think all of that has prepared them to really shine on these stages at this time of year.”
In Tuscaloosa at the Regional Final, the Tide turned out routine after routine with confidence and by the time they reached their final event – floor (49.525) – the fans were on their feet. And stayed there.
In Fort Worth, they’ll especially look to senior Lilly Hudson and junior Gabby Gladieux, as well as freshman Paityn Walker, sophomore Chloe LaCoursiere, graduate student Shania Adams, senior Corinne Bunagan and sophomore Jamison Sears to keep their momentum going as they chase their first National Championships since 2012. This is an exciting team to watch when they’re on and with momentum on their side, if one of the favorites for the title shows any signs of inconsistency or mistakes, The Tide could step right in.
Sooners Never Satisfied: “This is a whole new team.”
Seeded No.2 Oklahoma
Season High: 198.475
NQS: 198.040
First Event In Fort Worth: Bars
No current NCAA women’s coach has had more success than KJ Kindler. Now in her 19th season at Oklahoma, Kindler has claimed six NCAA titles and finished in the top three 12 times. In her time at helm, Kindler has taken the Sooners from average to excellence, and her 2025 team once again finds itself poised on the brink of greatness.
“Every single year our goal is to win a National Championship, and I have no problem saying that. I don’t know of any reason to go for runner-up,” Kindler said. “I can’t imagine anyone else in our position feeling any differently, and I think that’s good. It’s good to want to win.
“People like to challenge us—like, their goal is to beat Oklahoma. I wear that fact like a badge of honor. You can say whatever you want about us, put whatever motivations on us you imagine, but at the end of the day that’s something we’ve earned by being the best. “
Ranked No.2 in the regular season behind defending National Champion LSU, the Sooners went absolutely LIGHTS OUT at the Seattle Regional, perhaps fueled by a second place finish at their first-ever SEC Championship since joining the conference this season. With a 198.450, they captured their 15th straight NCAA Regional title to advance to the programs 21st straight and 24th overall NCAA Championship.
Senior Jordan Bowers earned a 39.900 in the All-Around with perfect 10s on vault, bars and floor and is one of just two athletes in 2025 to earn a 39.900 or better, joining Oregon State’s Jade Carey. With the top score across every Regional Final, the Sooners show no signs of stopping and you get the feeling that they’ll almost accept nothing less than the title in Fort Worth.
Oklahoma’s extra drive this year is, in part, inspired by a disappointing – some would say shocking – finish to their 2024 season. The Sooners, ranked No.1 the entire season and known for their almost unbeatable consistency, collapsed with three major landing mistakes on vault in the first rotation of the second National Semifinal. They rallied on bars, only to have two falls on beam one rotation later, ending any chance of advancing and competing for their seventh national title.
When asked how she and the team overcame that disappointment, junior Faith Torrez, who won the 2024 National Championship on beam, wasn’t afraid at all to tiptoe around the answer.
“I’ve always believed everything happens for a reason. After Nationals, a lot of people found a new drive in them. Things aren’t always going to go your way. You live, you learn from that. Moving forward throughout this preseason, we did reflect on it, obviously. A lot of people outside of our bubble like to tiptoe around the fact, but we always talk about it. We looked back and asked, ‘alright, how are we going to move forward? This preseason, everybody really used that as motivation. Knowing that we can do so much better than that, it’s really driven us this season.”
“You know, I think you dwell on it for, like, a day, and then move on,” Bowers said. “It’s over, you can’t do anything about it. You can’t change it. That’s the downside of sport, but also its beauty.
“The wins and the losses all make you better. You use it as a fuel, as motivation. So, while it was hard in the moment, I do think it’s made us better. This is a whole new team. New girls, new attitude, new goals, new focus. New everything. Everything resets in August. It’s in the past, and we’re just not focusing on that anymore.”
It’s the team culture, and never-being-satisfied approach that keeps the Sooners at the top of the conversation each season and for the foreseeable future. “I’m very proud of our team culture,” Kindler said. “I’m proud of many things, but I don’t think I ever feel completely satisfied. There’s always more to do, elements to improve upon. Maybe that’s the key to success—never being satisfied.”
Bowers wasn’t at all shy about saying they’ll be in Fort Worth to win. “That’s the goal,” she said. “That’s the fairy tale ending.”
In addition to Bowers and Torrez, the Sooners are more than stacked with standouts including graduate student Audrey Davis (one of the NCAA’s very best EVER on bars), and a freshman trio including Elle Mueller, Addison Fatta and Lily Pederson all hitting their stride. Their floor lineup is the best in the business and their superpower is simply being OU and doing what they have all season — never stopping, never being satisfied. And get ready for what could be the ultimate test for the Sooners after last year’s shocking Semifinal finish. In Semifinal I in Fort Worth, the Sooners will close out their competition on vault – exactly where they started in 2024. Will they rewrite the script in 2025 and capture their seventh National Championship? We’ll soon find out.
Gators Ready to Chomp!
Seeded No.3 Florida
Season High: 198.625
NQS: 197.935
First Event In Fort Worth: Beam
The Florida Gators are heading into their fifth National Championship appearance in a row and are eyeing their fifth consecutive final four. But that’s not the only goal the Gators have coming into the week. They, of course, are targeting their first National title since 2015!
“Obviously, we’d like to take the title home,” said senior Leanne Wong. “That would be really special, since the last national title was in 2015. It would be a really special moment for us to just come together and put all the routines together, and just use everything that we’ve built and trained and practiced for all season long.”
The Gators have a dynamic combination of new and returning athletes on their 2025 roster that has helped them flourish this season and kept them ultra-competitive, even when injuries could have kept them down. Wong has been the leader of the team and even after a slower start to her season than she may have liked, she’s on a mission in her senior year, especially during postseason. She earned three perfect 10s, one on each event except vault and also finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the All-Around.
Perhaps the secret weapon to Florida’s success this year is the introduction of UCLA transfer Selena Harris-Miranda. She’s brought in three perfect scores, two on vault and one on beam. Freshmen Ly Bui, Skye Blakely and Taylor Clark have helped to add depth across the four events. Veterans Victoria Nguyen and Anya Pilgrim have also been major contributors.
Florida has showcased moments of brilliance throughout their season. On senior night, they recorded a huge 198.625, the highest score of the NCAA season thus far. For us, the highlight of Florida’s season comes from their show-stopping 49.85 scoring bar rotation at the SEC Championship. The rotation included perfect scores from Wong and Riley McCusker.
“I was just super happy for the last three routines,” Wong said. “Just, stick after stick, and we were just really building momentum off of each other, and really just going out there, doing our routines and just doing them how we practice, and really just having a lot of fun together. Having Riley go up on our last routine, we’re like, ‘Okay, how much better can this bar rotation get’ and when the 10s came up, I knew it was her first 10. I mean, just like the emotions, the whole team was going crazy and it was so exciting.”
If the Gators can bring the same energy they did to the uneven bars at SECs, the National title could certainly be within reach.
Ly Bui: Taking Florida By Storm
With Experience On Her Side, Leanne Wong Leads Florida Gators
Undeniable
Seeded No. 7 Missouri
Season High: 198.100
NQS: 197.510
First Event In Fort Worth: Floor
Throughout the season, Missouri gymnastics simply could not be denied. They are in the midst of a season of firsts: the first time scoring a 198, the first time competing in the night session of the SEC Championship and getting a trip back to Nationals for just the first time since 2022.
“Some of our main outcome goals were above 500 in the SEC, which we did, night session, which we did, and a return trip to Dallas,” Missouri head coach Shannon Welker said. “Those were our three main outcome goals. We’ve checked those off, and I should have put final four up there! I think this year we got an opportunity, and we’re going to seize the day here, because this is tough to get to this point.”
Missouri has a roster stacked with outstanding returning athletes including Jocelyn Moore, Amari Celestine, Kennedy Griffin, and Mara Titarsolej who have been strong all season. Freshman Olivia Kelly, Railey Jackson and Kaia Tanskanen together with transfers including Elise Tisler and Amy Wier have also been key to the lineups. The biggest surprise to the Missouri roster is the return of Helen Hu, who initially retired in 2023.
“She came into the gym and she just hopped up on the beam and did her old beam routine,” Welker said. “And I’m like, ‘Man, that looks good still.’ And I said, Why don’t you let us take care of your schooling, right there? Then at the end of that practice, she goes. ‘Are you serious about the classes?’ And I felt like, at that point I might have had her.”
Hu has been nothing short of excellent in her comeback season. She currently owns three perfect 10.0s on beam in 2025, the most of any gymnast on the event. Hu anchored the final rotation at the Seattle Regional for the Tigers. and clinched the team’s trip to the NCAA Championship Semifinal, scoring a 9.925.
Mizzou trailed No. 15 Auburn by 0.850 heading into Hu’s beam routine, where she earned 9.925 to give MU the win over AU, 197.425-197.325.
The deep roster and the dedication this team has helped bring a level of competitiveness directly to Mizzou’s gym.
“Iron sharpens iron, right?” Welker said. “I think when we have the talent that we have, they just get pushed by their teammates. I think that the biggest competition is right here in this facility.”
A major factor to Missouri’s success is the environment they are able to create as a team. They are able to bring a familial element to their roster and ensure that the culture of the team is always a top priority.
“There were a lot of newcomers this year,” Tisler said. “Four transfers, five freshmen. When we arrived, everyone was here, open arms. How can we help? There were already nicknames being thrown out within the first week. I feel like this group of girls is so special, and with that, it just molded over time and created what we have now. It’s just incredible.”
“I mean, the bond we all have, the fun we have together, the goofiness that’s that we can have together is just, I’ve never been on a team like that, like we just vibe so well, and you can see it back in the meets,” Titarsolej said.
ESPN analyst Samantha Peszek feels teams should pay attention to Mizzou.
“I’m scared of them, because they’re one of those teams that has nothing to lose at NCAA championships,” Peszek said. “I think Regionals, they competed a little tight. You could see a little bit of nerves, but Missouri in particular, I think they’ve got something really special this year. And they have the high-flying gymnastics, they have the difficulty, and it’s just, can they get those landings?”
Mizzou is certain to bring their signature flair to the competition floor in Fort Worth and hope to unite to create even more history.
Look for Nate’s NCAA Notes and Della’s Inside the MatchUp each week and stay tuned to InsideGym.com and Inside Gymnastics magazine for spotlight features and interviews throughout the 2025 season!
Nate Salsman, Della Fowler, Megan Roth and Christy Sandmaier provide NCAA coverage for Inside Gymnastics.
Photos by Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics magazine.
For More
Leanne Wong Eyes National Title For the Gators
WCGA Regular Season All-Americans Announced
Behind the Mic with Olivia Karas and Cory Tomlinson
2025 AAI Award Finalists Announced
Mackenzie Estep People First, Gymnastics Second
Ashlee Sullivan: Seizing Every Opportunity
Skylar Killlough-Wilhelm Victory Lap
Ly Bui Taking Florida By Storm
Aurelie Tran Answers the Call for the Iowa GymHawks
How Katelyn Jong Fits Right In
Helen Hu’s return to gymnastics
Brooklyn Moors Shines Early In Her Senior Season
In His Own Words: Nikolai Kolesnikov
Wendy Hilliard’s 10 Tips for 2025
Brooklyn Moors Shines Early In Her Senior Season
In His Own Words: Nikolai Kolesnikov
Breaking Down the Men’s Code of Points
Men’s NCAA Coaches Address Changes
For our Men’s NCAA Preview Part 1, Click Here
For our Men’s NCAA Preview Part 2, Click Here!
For the 2025 NCAA Season Schedule, Click Here!
For our 2025 NCAA Women’s Preview, Click Here!
For the 2025 WCGA Coaches Poll, Click Here!
For our feature on Utah’s Jaylene Gilstrap, Click Here!
For our feature on Lily Smith and the Georgia GymDogs, Click Here!
For our look at Mizzou, Click Here!
Why Paul Juda Is Ready for 2025!
Brody Malone to Compete in 2025!
Four Up, Four Count. John Roethlisberger’s Take!
Missing the Olympics? NCAA Gymnastics Could Be Your Fix!
Stay tuned to InsideGym.com and follow us @InsideGym for all the latest!
For our look at the Class of 2026, Click Here!
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