Oklahoma Tops 2025 Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Coaches Poll

Per a release by the WGCA:

Marlboro, NJ (December 10, 2024) – The University of Oklahoma is the top women’s gymnastics team heading into the 2025 season, as voted on by the members of the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association. K.J. Kindler is the head coach for the Sooners, and she is assisted by Lou Ball, Tom Haley, and Ashley Kerr. Oklahoma will open the 2025 season at the Music City Collegiate Championship in Nashville, Tennessee on the weekend of January 3rd. 

1: Oklahoma (1963 points) (42 first place votes) 

2: LSU (1871 points) (6 first place votes) 

3: Florida (1806 points) (5 first place votes) 

4: California (1785 points) (1 first place votes) 

5: Utah (1733 points) (1 first place votes) 

6: Alabama (1641 points) 

7: Kentucky (1455 points) 

8: Arkansas (1453 points)

9: Missouri (1407 points) 

10: UCLA (1406 points) 

11: Michigan State (1397 points) 

12: Denver (1341 points) 

13: Michigan (1338 points) 

14: Georgia (1264 points) 

15: Stanford (1144 points)

16: Ohio State (1117 points) 

17: Auburn (1069 points) 

18: Minnesota (1062 points) 

19: Oregon State (966 points) 

20: Arizona State (902 points) 

21: Penn State (853 points) 

22: Illinois (681 points) 

23: Nebraska (645 points) 

24: Maryland (630 points) 

25: North Carolina State (598 points)

26: Washington (592 points) 

27: BYU (591 points) 

28: Clemson (564 points) 

29: Iowa (531 points) 

30: Arizona (520 points) 

31: Southern Utah (389 points) 

32: Iowa State (375 points) 

33: Boise State (341 points) 

34: Towson (250 points)

35: Kent State (166 points) 

36: North Carolina (143 points) 

Also receiving votes: Ball State (136 points), San Jose State (109 points), Pittsburgh (82 points), George Washington (59 points), Central Michigan (52 points), Utah State (46 points), Illinois State (35 points), Pennsylvania (22 points), West Virginia (19 points), Western Michigan (19 points), Rutgers (15 points), Bowling Green (12 points), Alaska (10 points), New Hampshire (9 points), Eastern Michigan (6 points), Temple (5 points), UC Davis (5 points) 

The WCGA is the advocate for women’s collegiate gymnastics.

See below for our Season Preview and stay tuned for our interviews with Utah’s Grace McCallum, Georgia’s Lily Smith, Arkansas’ Joscelyn Roberson, and an inside look at Mizzou!

2025 Women’s NCAA Season Preview

By Nate Salsman

Coming off a rollercoaster 2024 that saw one of the most spectacular NCAA seasons to date, the 2025 NCAA gymnastics season will have no shortage of drama, intense match-ups and incredible, highflying gymnastics. Here are five key storylines to look for in the upcoming season!

Oklahoma’s Comeback

SEC Loading! Last season, Oklahoma was the definition of domination. They earned a score of over 198 twelve times and finished the season ranked first on every event besides floor, where they ranked second. The Sooners entered the National Championships expecting to defend their national title for the third consecutive time, but after multiple falls on vault and beam, they were eliminated in the semi-final. On paper, the team should easily have the opportunity to return to the top, including the return of fifth-year Audrey Davis, and seniors Jordan Bowers and Faith Torrez. They’ll also be introducing 2020 Olympic Trials qualifier Addison Fatta and five star recruit according to CGN Elle Mueller.

The Sooners should also once again be able to produce some of the highest scores of the season, but will they be able to put behind the disappointment of last year’s National Championships? We say a huge “yes” to that and expect they’ll be back better than ever.

Their schedule is stacked as the six-time National Champs compete in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for the first time in 2025 and they”ll be featured seven times on the ESPN family of networks during the 2025 regular season. The slate includes the highly anticipated Sprouts Farmer’s Market Collegiate Quad which takes place in Oklahoma City in 2025.

LSU’S Rise

Got there! LSU is coming off a history making 2024 season. After coming close so many times, the Tigers won their first National title. With the Sooners out, the door was open in the National final, and LSU bounced right through. Focused on their season theme “Get There” the LSU became only the 8th program ever to win the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics National Championship. Having placed second four times and a top contender and favorite for the win for years, tremendous energy and excitement lit up the entire arena as the Tigers entered the history books on top.

LSU enters the 2025 season with most of their roster returning. Fifth-year Haleigh Bryant, senior Aleah Finnegan, sophomores Konnor McClain and Amari Drayton will all return. They also gain a star-studded freshman class including World Champion Lexi Zeiss, Olympic alternate Kaliya Lincoln and five star recruit according to CGN Kailin Chio. These gymnasts will help LSU maintain strong lineups across all four events. With a loaded roster, LSU’s biggest challenge may be maintaining their status with the added pressure of being national champions. They’ve proven over and over their ability to rise under every adversity, and we expect they’ll be right there to make another run for the title.

LSU and Oklahoma will have the opportunity to compete against each other twice in the regular season. On Jan. 11 at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad and in a dual meet on Feb. 14.

Changes in the Big Ten

This year will be the first season with many teams leaving the PAC-12. This will come with changes in many conferences around the country. UCLA has now joined the Big Ten and will face new competition. Dual meets against Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois will be something new for gymnastics fans and promise to be exciting matchups across the board!

Olympic gold medalist and fan-favorite Jordan Chiles will return for the Bruins, adding back an additional layer of excitement, anticipation, and star-status to the Bruins, who will be looking to rebound after missing out on the Regional Final last season. Outside of UCLA, Michigan and Michigan State will bring stiff competition. Michigan State was a team on the rise last season and they should be able to continue that momentum in 2025. The Spartans maintain standout gymnasts junior Nikki Smith and senior Skyla Schulte that helped them to finish the season ranked fourteenth. Despite a disappointing end to their season last year, Michigan will come into the season with the number one ranked freshman according to CGN’S class rankings. The class includes six five star ranked recruits that will surely make a difference in the upcoming season.

Fabulous Freshman

If there is one thing NCAA gymnastics has become accustomed to, it’s having incredibly talented freshmen entering the ranks the year after the Olympics. This is due to the fact that many gymnasts defer their freshman year of college to train for the Olympics. The strong freshman class has been spread across many different teams. World medalist for Great Britain Ondine Achampong will join California, two-time World Champion Skye Blakely joins Florida, World Champion Lexi Zeiss and Olympic alternate Kaliya Lincoln will compete for LSU, Olivia Kelly of Barbados and Kaia Tanskanen of Finland become Missouri Tigers, 2020 Olympic Trials qualifier Addison Fatta will compete for Oklahoma, and Olympic alternate and World Champion Joscelyn Roberson will compete for Arkansas.

These athletes have every potential to have an immediate impact on each of these teams and are sure to wow the nation with their spectacular gymnastics and unique skill sets. This incredible class has the potential to change the tone of NCAA gymnastics and we can’t wait to see the excitement they bring to an already star-studded field!

SEC Underdogs 

Many fans are focusing on Florida, LSU and Oklahoma when sizing up the SEC and who will be the 2025 champ. However, there are many SEC teams that shouldn’t be underestimated!

The Georgia GymDogs will be a team on the rise this season. After the conclusion of the 2024 season, the GymDogs completely transformed their image. They hired Simone Biles’s coach Cecile Landi as their new co-head coach, along with Ryan Roberts. If the two’s joint recruiting game has given any indication on how the upcoming season will go, then it should be a successful one. Superstar sophomore Lily Smith will return to the roster. and in the offseason, the team also picked up former Utah gymnast and Olympic alternate, Kara Eaker, as well as Olympian Csenge Bácskay. These factors could help Georgia boost their status and rise back to the top.

Despite qualifying to the National Championship last year, the Arkansas Razorbacks still enter the season with something to prove. Their up and down season ended with a magical regional performance at home to qualify for the National Championship. The introduction of World Champion Joscelyn Roberson will easily boost their lineups, especially on vault and floor. Veterans Frankie Price and Lauren Williams will also be key in the Razorbacks maintaining their status and getting them back to Texas.

The Missouri Tigers will also be looking to improve in the 2025 season. The Tigers completed their season ranked eleventh, but weren’t satisfied with sitting at home during Nationals. The introduction of new Missouri gymnasts is key in their potential success this year. In the offseason they picked up four transfers, San Diego State’s Lauren Macpherson, Oklahoma’s Amy Wier, Towson’s Elise Tisler and Illinois’ Abby Mueller. They will introduce strong freshmen including World Championship competitors Kaia Tanskanen and Olivia Kelly, and five star recruit according to CGN’S recruit rankings Railey Jackson. The combination of new athletes and veterans, Amari Celestine, Jocelyn Moore and Hannah Horton will certainly make a difference in Mizzou’s performance this year. And with Helen Hu, a two-time NCAA All-American and three-time All-Southeastern Conference gymnast, returning to use her final year of eligibility, the Tigers will be a force.

Look for the full schedule coming soon to InsideGym.com!

If there is one thing to know is that this year’s college gymnastics is not one to miss. From freshman to fifth years these gymnasts will be putting on quite a show. The 2025 season kicks off on Jan. 3.

See the full schedule coming soon to InsideGym.com!

Stay tuned to InsideGym.com and follow us @InsideGym for all the latest!

For our look at the Class of 2026, Click Here!

Photos by Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics