As we move through the spring sports season, there is so much excitement surrounding the NCAA and college athletics. Although March Madness has come to an end, a new championship just around the corner is set to shed light on another group of incredible female athletes; the 2023 Women's Gymnastics National Championships. As we enter an exciting round of competition with the Top 8 Universities – Cal Berkeley, LSU, Michigan, Utah, Denver, Florida, Oklahoma, and Kentucky – along with more than two dozen individuals, these gymnasts are stepping into this week ready to compete for the title of champion.
Let's take a look at 5 trailblazers who are bound to come out of the NCAA Championships with notable recognitions:
1. Sierra Brooks – University of Michigan
From the start, Sierra Brooks has been dominating at all levels of the sport. With career bests of 10.0 on vault, 9.975 on bars, 9.9625 on beam, 9.975 on floor, and 39.750 all-around, she has proven herself to be a competitor. This season, Brooks was named the 2023 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year for the second time in her collegiate career and became the 13th Wolverine in program history to earn First-Team All-Conference honors on four different occasions. As this all-around senior enters the semi-finals, with a recent perfect score and first-place title on floor, she is anticipated to win the floor event at the NCAA Championship.
Related: Looking Back on Women's History Month: 8 of the Best Rivalries in Women's College Sports
2. Haleigh Bryant – Louisiana State University
All-around gymnast Haleigh Bryant is no stranger to the competition–as a junior, she has achieved high accolades for her performance on vault. Throughout her time at LSU, Bryant has set multiple career highs and scored a 9.950 in bars. Not only that, but Bryant was a member of the 2022 All-SEC Team as well as a 2022 WCGA Regular season All-American, and was named the 2021 NCAA Vault Champion. This season, with five perfect scores–three on vault, one on bars, and one on the floor–Bryant was recognized as the 2023 Central Gymnast of the Year and is set to take it all and become the NCAA Champion in the vault.
3. Maile O'Keefe – University of Utah
Senior Maile O'Keefe has been claiming titles throughout her entire collegiate career. During her time at the University of Utah, she has been an 11-time All-American, 4-time Pac-12 Champion in the all-around, bars, beam, and floor, is a school-record holder for most 10.0s on beam in one season, and was named the 2021 Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year. This year, O'Keefe has proven time and time again that she is here to compete and even bested her own school record for most 10.0s on beam in a single season in her career after claiming her fourth 10.0 on beam. Her performance and skills have made her the perfect contender to claim the NCAA title on beam this year.
4. Maddie Williams – Cal Berkeley
Sophomore Madelyn (Maddie) Williams has continued to make a name for herself at a young age. During her freshman year, she received the All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention for the uneven bars, clutched 4th place on bars at the NCAA Regional Semi-Finals (9.90), notched a score of 9.825+ on all 13 bar routines, and secured a silver medal on bars at the Pac-12 Championship (9.925). To keep the momentum going, this 2022-23 season, Williams has continued to score high 9's all-around, making her the top choice for securing the bars title.
5. Jordan Chiles – UCLA
Throughout this last season, Olympian and UCLA sophomore Jordan Chiles has brought the heat to all her events. Chiles has scored a total of 39+ in all 13 contests, securing an average of 39.679 points. With multiple high 9s and perfect scores, she ranks number 4 nationally in three events, was a First-Team Regular Season All-American and an All-Pac-12 honoree in the vault, floor, all-around, bars, and all-around. Chiles can do it all, making her the top prediction to become the All-Around NCAA Champion this year.
Related: Athlete Feature: Jordan Chiles
Want to follow along for the ride? Here is a set schedule for this exciting week of competition:
1st Semi-Finals:
- Competing Teams: Cal Berkely, LSU, Florida, and Denver
- Individual Competitors: Courtney Blackson (Boise State), Elexis Edwards (Ohio State), Delanie Harkness (Michigan State), Payton Harris (Ohio State), Emily Lopez (Boise State), Ava Piedrahita (Penn State), Cassidy Rushlow (Penn State), Alisa Sheremeta (Missouri), Gabrielle Stephen (Michigan State), Chloe Widner (Stanford)
- Date & Time: Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 12 p.m PST | 3 p.m. EST
- Where to Watch: ESPN+ or ESPN2
2nd Semi-Finals:
- Teams: Kentucky, Oklahoma, Utah, and UCLA
- Individuals Competitors: Luisa Blanco (Alabama), Sierra Brooks (Michigan), Jade Carey (Oregon State), Norah Flatley (Arkansas), Derrian Gobourne (Auburn), Abby Heiskell (Michigan), Naomi Morrison (Michigan), Hannah Scharf (Arizona State), Lauren Williams (Arkansas), Natalie Wojcik (Michigan)
- Date & Time: Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 6 p.m. PST | 9 p.m. EST
- Where to Watch: ESPN+ or ESPN2
Finals:
- Teams: Top 2 from each semi-final
- Date & Time: Saturday, April 15 at 1 p.m. PST | 4 p.m. EST
- Where to Watch: ABC
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* Originally published on April 13, 2023, by Daesha Harper
