Jordan Chiles and UCLA Fall Short of NCAA Gymnastics Final in a Shocking Outcome
UCLA Gymnastics Faces Early Exit from NCAA Semifinals
FORT WORTH — The UCLA gymnastics team concluded its NCAA semifinal competition with a disappointing third-place finish, falling short of a championship berth. The Bruins scored 197.2750, trailing behind No. 1 seed Oklahoma and No. 13 seed Minnesota, which secured their spots in Saturday’s final with steady performances.
The night’s troubles began when star gymnast Jordan Chiles experienced an early fall on the uneven bars, prompting a costly restart in her routine that led to a half-point deduction. This misstep put UCLA behind from the start, forcing the team to count a low score of 9.7625 from Nola Matthews in the first rotation.
"We’re embracing that today," said senior Ciena Alipio, emphasizing the team’s determination despite the setback after their floor routine. Chiles redeemed herself with a strong beam performance later, earning a score of 9.9500, but the Bruins remained just out of reach of the advancing teams.
Throughout the evening, the Bruins struggled on the vault, highlighted by Katelyn Rosen’s missed landing, resulting in a score of 9.2125. Despite some recovery from Riley Jenkins and Ashlee Sullivan, it ultimately proved insufficient for a comeback.
Chiles secured the individual floor title with a score of 9.9750, marking her second NCAA floor championship. However, the overall team performance was not enough to advance, leaving the Bruins without a national title since 2018.
Earlier in the day, LSU and Florida also advanced, setting the stage for an exciting Final Four alongside Oklahoma and Minnesota.
