One wouldn’t typically call a top-five team in the nation a “Cinderella story,” but for the UCLA Bruins, it’s an accurate description.
The last few years have been difficult for NCAA gymnastics at large and the Bruins in particular, culminating in their just missing out on a berth to nationals for the second year in a row to cap off a 2022 season fraught with controversy and tension.
Now, a year later following a change in coaching staff and a massive cultural overhaul, UCLA’s renaissance is in full effect and the team heading back to nationals for the first time since 2019.
First-year head coach Janelle McDonald said of the Bruins’ triumphant performance, “I was incredibly proud of our team today. Not everything was perfect, but they fought for every single routine and they came together in a way I could only dream of. I couldn’t be prouder of them for hitting this milestone and making it to nationals.”
At this point, McDonald was interrupted by sophomore phenom Jordan Chiles letting out a scream of pure delight, causing the head coach to double over in laughter. Chiles, an Olympic and World Championship silver medalist, has long been known for her exuberance, but it’s hard to imagine McDonald’s predecessors having a similar…
