College gymnastics is exciting, nerve-wracking, and often unpredictable. With the 2025 season behind us, let’s take a look at some of the moments that shocked fans and busted brackets.
Penn State freshmen stepping up in a big way
The Nittany Lions’ lineups took a massive blow after season-ending injuries to upperclassmen Ava Piedrahita, Amani Herring, and Jessica Johanson. It fell to the freshmen to fill those gaps, and they proved themselves up to the task. All five freshmen made lineups and contributed big scores throughout the season, with Elizabeth Leary making a major name for herself as an all-around threat. Despite adversity, the team qualified to regionals and put in a solid performance to finish the season ranked No. 25, confirming that Penn State’s future is in good hands.
After adversity, a record-breaking season for Rutgers
After head coach Umme Salim-Beasley was placed on administrative leave in January, things were looking uncertain for the Scarlet Knights. However, Anastasia Candia stepped up from her role as assistant coach to be acting head coach for the season, and the team thrived under her leadership. Rutgers finished eighth in a challenging Big Ten championship, qualified to regionals, and finished the season ranked No. 36 – its best result…
