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The Bruin Gymnasts’ annual “4s Up” pic by the Bruin Bear statue. Photo courtesy of twitter.com

UCLA WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS – 2023 SEASON AT A GLANCE

Record: 20-8-2, 4-1-2 and tied for first place in the Pac-12 Conference

  • PAC-12 CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON CO-CHAMPIONS
  • Finished in second place at the Pac-12 Championships
  • Finished first in the second round of the NCAA Los Angeles Regionals with a score of 198.275
  • Finished second in the NCAA Los Angeles Regional Finals with a score of 197.925
  • Finished third in the NCAA National Semi-Finals (second session) with a score of 197.9125

Final National Rank: Fifth

Season Average Score: 197.774

Season High Score: 198.275, vs Iowa State on March 11th and in the second round of the NCAA Regionals on March 30th

Total number of scores of 9.95 and above: 66, led by Jordan Chiles’ 33

Number of perfect tens: SIX – Jordan Chiles with five and Selena Harris with one

2024 PRESEASON RANK: Fifth

Coach: Janelle McDonald, second season

First Meet: Saturday, January 6th at Mean Girls Super 16 Gymnastics Championships in Las Vegas, NV vs Alabama, Auburn, & California

First Home Meet: Saturday, January 27th vs Washington

Other Home Meets:

  • Sunday, February 4th vs Arizona
  • Monday, February 19th vs Utah
  • Sunday, February 25th vs California
  • Saturday, March 16th vs Clemson

Key Gymnasts:

Selena Harris (Soph):

With 15 scores of 9.95+, including seven of them on the balance beam and a perfect ten on the vault at the Regional Finals at Pauley, this number recruit did not disappoint in her first season in Westwood as she will be counted on even more this year.

Chae Campbell (Sr):

This senior dazzled on the floor in particular in 2023, scoring 9.95 six times in that event as well as being stellar on the vault as well; her leadership will be essential, as will this next Bruin Gymnast…

Margzetta Frazier (Gr):

I was happily shocked when this charismatic Bruin – who is the last UCLA gymnast from the “Miss Val”, (Valorie Kondos Field) era – returned to Westwood last year. And I’m even more happily shocked at her return this year as her 9.95s on the floor in the Regional Finals and the National Semifinals showed that she still has quite a bit left in the tank. With her longevity, she will be another coach out there.

Emma Malabuyo (Jr):

This member of the Philippines’ National Team – she has announced that she will be missing the Utah and Cal meets in February to participate in their meets – has been dependable on the beam with her three scores of 9.95, two of them coming in the postseason.

Brooklyn Moors (Jr):

Though she was hurt nearly all last season until the Regionals and Nationals, this Canadian’s two 9.90 scores on the vault during the L.A. Regional showed that she is more than capable, and will be counted on this season on the vault and the floor.

Ciena Alipio (Soph):

She was steady on the beam last season, posting scores of 9.80+ in all but two meets, and she will be depended on for a steady presence this year.

Chloe Lashbrooke (RS Sr):

After missing all but three meets last season and being injured for much of the previous two years, this Bruin is chomping at the bit to show what she can do and to contribute, and I expect her to impress, much like this next red shirt senior….

Emma Andres (RS Sr):

Missed all of last year due to injury. Her prowess on the floor in particular makes me quite optimistic about her bounce back, however.

Frida Esparza (Sr):

Like Andres, Esparza missed all of last year due to injury, but she’s ready to contribute this season and I expect her to do well.

Emily Lee (Jr):

This Bruin did a good job on the beam, scoring 9.90 or better eight times in that event, including a 9.95 against Iowa State. She will be counted on to provide good scores on that apparatus this year.

Nya Reed (Gr):

Transferring from national power Florida, this new Bruin impressed at the “Meet The Bruins” event with a floor routine that honored her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta. She will undoubtedly dazzle there as well as provide leadership for the team.

Early preparation for a meet. Photo courtesy of twitter.com

More 4’s Ups during practice. Photo courtesy of twitter.com

THOUGHTS:

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was unfortunately unable to attend the preseason “Meet The Bruins” event in Pauley Pavilion last month.

However,

I did have the fortune to witness a preseason practice this past October,

And though it was the preseason and those Bruin gymnasts were immersed in their “Spring Training” and “Training Camp” mode,

The routines they were performing looked quite good; I was very impressed.

Particularly on the vault as unlike last season, they have added new routines with a 10.0 start value that will no doubt help them, the vault having been somewhat of a weak link throughout much of 2023.

Janelle McDonald was exactly what those Bruins needed in her first year as head coach, her enthusiasm did much to propel UCLA to a Pac-12 co-championship and a berth in the Nationals for the first time since 2019.

Of course I expect to see more of that youthful enthusiasm from her and her staff this year,

Especially since both Jordan Chiles and Ana Padurariu will be sitting this college gymnastics season out to prepare for the Olympic Trials in hopes of becoming Olympians for the U.S. (in Chiles’ case) and Canada (In Padurariu’s case),

Which was why Nya Reed was a Godsend as she’s set to fill in for Chiles, which I expect her to do rather neatly.

The freshmen – Sydney Barros, Katelyn Rosen, Alex Irvine, and Paige Anastasi – are also expected to significantly contribute to the Bruins as they being their final season in the Pac-12, UCLA slated to become a Big ten Conference school next year.

As for their chances this season – at least in my view…

Much like in other years, it comes down to this,

The healthier those Bruin Gymnasts are, the better their chances for a national championship.

They certainly have the talent to be one of the teams in the “Four on the Floor” finals at Nationals, and they are certainly talented enough to take on and beat Utah, Florida, and (especially!) Oklahoma;

They just have to stay healthy as the last time that happened, they won the 2018 “natty” in an epic fashion.

Go to YouTube and type “UCLA Gymnastics 2018 Nationals” on the search bar for proof.

As always, I’m very much looking forward to watching this honor to Bruin Nation and my favorite team in sports this year, as I have been for the past twenty-plus years.

I regret missing the “Meet The Bruins” event,

Which is why I’ll be sure to see at least one of their meets in Pauley, preferably against Utah and Cal.

Giving the crowd an “8-Clap” after the recent “Meet The Bruins” event. Photo courtesy of twitter.com