Do you love gymnastics? Suppose you are talented at it and want to compete at the college or university level. In that case, you should attend a top-ranked Division 1 NCAA institution with the best gymnastics athletes and coaches. Below we have listed the best colleges for gymnastics.
Best Colleges For Gymnastics In USA
1. UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins women’s gymnastics team competes in the Pac-12 Conference representing the University of California, Los Angeles. The Bruins are notable for attracting top competitive gymnasts from all over the world, including Austria, Germany, Guatemala, and Ireland. They are also recognised among the best colleges for gymnastics in USA. They are presently competing in Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California.
Janelle McDonald’s team has won 21 Regional championships and 7 NCAA National Championships, most recently in 2018. On January 31, senior Gracie Kramer became the first of two gymnasts this season to get a perfect 10 on the floor exercise; her performance received millions of views online. Grace Glenn, a senior, got the first leadoff 10.0 on the balance beam in NCAA history on February 23.
Among the noteworthy past and current UCLA gymnasts are U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Michelle Giuda, psychologist Onnie Willis Rogers, stuntwoman Heidi Moneymaker, and Olympic gymnasts Jamie Dantzscher, who competed in the 2008 Olympics.
2. Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma gymnastics team was formed in 1981 by Paul Ziert, who led the Sooners to three regional titles and two NCAA tournament berths. The Oklahoma Sooners women’s gymnastics team competes in the Big 12 Conference and represents the University of Oklahoma in an NCAA competition. The Sooners have won thirteen Big 12 championships, seven NCAA Regional championships, and 15 NCAA National Championships.
In the first-ever NCAA gymnastics championships tie, the Sooners won the program’s first-ever team national title in 2014, tied with Florida with a score of 198.175. The Sooners won five individual national champions, 86 NCAA All-Americans, and two Honda Awards (both to Kelly Garrison).
The Oklahoma Sooners have repeatedly demonstrated that they are in it to win it, with two consecutive undefeated seasons in the last two years. The shorter 2020 season saw this powerful club finish with the greatest average team score of 197.91.
The University of Oklahoma’s gymnastics center features a state-of-the-art gym, locker rooms, training rooms, and award rooms. Coaches at the University of Oklahoma have produced great gymnasts, the most recent being Maggie Nichols, a two-time NCAA all-around winner with a career total of 22 perfect 10 scores. From the cutting-edge facilities at the University of Oklahoma to several success stories throughout the years, opponents know they’ll put the heat on their opponents.
3. Florida Gators
The University of Florida’s women’s gymnastics team competes in the sport of gymnastics. The squad participates in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Gators play their home matches at the O’Connell Center on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and are presently headed by head coach Jenny Rowland.
The Gators women’s gymnastics team has won nine SEC titles and four national championships, including the 1982 AIAW national tournament and the NCAA championships in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
The University of Florida is regarded for having one of the best routines on the floor, leaving the judges and audience in awe. The University of Florida’s gymnastics facility was recently refurbished with new gymnastics equipment, video recorders, a new training room, and a nutrition bar. The coaches assist gymnasts at the University of Florida in balancing training and academics.
4. Utah Red Rocks
The Utah Utes women’s gymnastics team, popularly known as the Red Rocks, is a member of the Pac-12 Conference and plays at the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, hosts home meets. By the end of the 2021 season, the Red Rocks had won 10 national championships, including nine NCAA Gymnastics titles, and had finished second nine times.
The Red Rocks are the only team to have competed in every NCAA Championship and have never finished worse than a tenth place. Following Megan Marsden’s retirement in 2019, Tom Farden is the current head coach.
The gymnastics facility received substantial improvements in 2014, including a sound system and improved lighting, as well as a considerably larger practice space with locker rooms and a training room.
Aside from athletic aspirations, the gymnasts strive academically as well, having six Academic All-Americans in 2020. With unwavering focus, this crew has no intention of slowing down anytime soon.
5. LSU Tigers
The LSU Tigers women’s gymnastics team competes in NCAA Division I women’s gymnastics for Louisiana State University. The squad participates in the Southeastern Conference and is presently led by Jay Clark, who is coaching in his first season. The Pete Maravich Assembly Center serves as the team’s home venue. The Pete Maravich Assembly Center, located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has a capacity of 13,215 people. The LSU Tigers gymnastics team plays at the arena, which debuted in 1972.
In 2016, the gymnastics team acquired a brand-new training facility. The 38,000-square-foot facility has a big practice field as well as a brand-new exercise room, training room, and locker room. The University of Louisiana does not accept anything less than a win, from their cutting-edge training facilities to the steady coaching leadership they’ve enjoyed for years. Louisiana has competed in 17 of the previous 18 NCAA championships and will continue to do so.
6. Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastics team competes in NCAA Division I competition for the University of Alabama. The Alabama team plays home games at Coleman Coliseum on the university’s Tuscaloosa, Alabama campus.
Under head coach Dana Duckworth, the University of Alabama has won six NCAA championships. Duckworth was the first coach in history to win a title as a first-year head coach. The gymnastics facilities at the University of Alabama were last refurbished in 2012, providing the team with a significantly larger practice field, locker rooms, training rooms, and hot and cold treatment pools to aid in preparation and rehabilitation.
7. Denver Pioneers
The Denver Pioneers are the University of Denver’s athletic teams. They compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. The gymnasts at the University of Denver are noted for their high academic and athletic performance. They are recognized among the best colleges for gymnastics in USA.
The coaches are concerned with both the team’s and the individual’s growth. Head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart has guided the squad for the past 22 years, including its first trip in the NCAA final in 2019. In 2019, Kutcher-Rinehart was again named National Head Coach of the Year.
8. Washington Huskies
The University of Washington’s intercollegiate sporting team is known as the Washington Huskies. They are based in Seattle. As a member of the Pac-12 Conference, the institution competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level.
Even in the shortened 2020 season, the University of Washington ended with a higher team score than their 2019 season average. The University of Washington coaches encourage having a supportive attitude toward teammates, which adds to a strong and dynamic team. Team members believe that coaches and other team members care about them more than simply their teammates.
Head coach Elise Ray-Statz took the team to Nationals for two consecutive years out of four, a feat accomplished just once before in the school’s history. Academics are also highly important to the gymnasts at the University of Washington. They had the highest team GPA in their conference and set a program record by having all 13 members named Academic All-Americans in 2020.
With thousands of supporters cheering them on night after night, the University of Washington gymnasts know how to stay focused and convert their nerves into good energy in order to win it all.
9. Georgia Gymdogs
The Georgia Gymdogs (formally the Georgia Bulldogs) is the University of Georgia’s women’s gymnastics team. The squad participates in the Southeastern Conference and is an NCAA Division I. (SEC) member. The Gymdogs compete in Athens, Georgia, at Stegeman Coliseum.
They know what it’s like to be successful, having won more NCAA championships than any other women’s gymnastics team, with ten crowns to their name. The level of love and support that gymnastics supporters have for their team is tremendous. The loud yells and applause heard within their arena will leave you dumbfounded.
The squad does more than simply practice all day; they also emphasize academics, which is monitored by coaches. The gymnasts use a tutoring center near their training facility to study and make the most of it. Courtney Kupets Carter, their head coach, participated in the 2004 Athens Olympics, winning one silver and one bronze medal.
10. Michigan Wolverines
The University of Michigan’s women’s gymnastics team competes in the Big Ten Conference as the Michigan Wolverines. The team has won 25 Big Ten titles and progressed to 25 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships under head coach Bev Plocki, including sixteen consecutive visits from 1993 to 2008. The Wolverines earned the program’s first-ever team national championship in 2021.
The University of Michigan has some of the top facilities in the country. They have all of the necessary equipment and plenty of room to practice. However, Michigan has yet to win its first NCAA title; 14 All-Americans makeup 82% of their 2020 team and will undoubtedly help them win their first championship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard To Get Into College Gymnastics?
Gymnastics recruitment is particularly competitive, as only 81 NCAA universities offer women’s gymnastics in the United States. As a result, coaches are selective and begin as early as middle school.
What Conference Is Michigan In Gymnastics?
The University of Michigan’s women’s gymnastics team competes in the Big Ten Conference as the Michigan Wolverines.
Do Gymnasts Get Full-Ride Scholarships?
NCAA Division I gymnastics scholarships are few. Each college grants 12 full-ride scholarships based on headcount. There are 732 Division 1 scholarships across the US, with 62 Division 1 gymnastics teams.
References
- https://www.collegemagazine.com/top-10-collegiate-gymnastics-programs/
- https://www.helptostudy.com/best-college-gymnastics-team/
- https://usagym.org/pages/home/college/2020/rankings/preseason.html
- https://asmscholarships.com/gymnastic-scholarships/
