The 2025 season brought a rebrand to one of college gymnastics’ most unique championships. Formerly known as USAG nationals, the event for programs with fewer than seven and a half full scholarships introduced a new name and a refreshed identity: the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championship (WCGNIC). Though the Ivy League stepped away from participation and Air Force was absent, the competition retained its signature format thanks to the additions of Alaska and Greenville. With two four-team semifinals feeding into a four-team final, the structure stayed the same—but the stage felt renewed.
Among the teams rising to the moment was Texas Woman’s, a perennial powerhouse that returned to the championship with high expectations and a deep sense of purpose. Joining TWU in the final were SEMO, Bridgeport, and West Chester, all eager to make a statement in the inaugural edition under the new branding.
Despite entering as the favorite, TWU found itself in an early battle. After vault and floor rotations that head coach Lisa Bowerman described as “good but not our very, very best,” the Pioneers were only narrowly ahead, with SEMO close behind. A fall in the third rotation added even more pressure, but no team member flinched. “In the…
