Sat Apr 19 10:30:00 UTC 2025: **Gymnastics Upsets Rock NCAA Semifinals; Oklahoma, Utah, UCLA, and Missouri Advance to Finals**
FORT WORTH, TX – The NCAA Gymnastics semifinals delivered dramatic upsets and thrilling finishes Thursday at Dickies Arena, leaving four teams vying for the national championship on Saturday. Defending champion LSU, ranked No. 1 throughout the regular season, suffered a stunning defeat, finishing behind UCLA by a narrow margin of 0.2125 points. The loss sent shockwaves through the arena, leaving the LSU team visibly devastated.
Oklahoma, despite a shaky start marred by landing errors on the vault, ultimately secured their spot in the finals with a comeback performance, scoring a session-best 49.2750 on vault. Jordan Bowers of Oklahoma won the all-around title with a score of 39.7125.
Missouri, a first-time finalist, secured their historic advancement thanks to a clutch performance by Helen Hu on the beam. Hu’s near-flawless routine, scoring a 9.9875, edged out Florida and propelled Missouri to their first-ever national championship final appearance. Hu also earned the NCAA beam title.
Utah and UCLA, both gymnastics powerhouses, also advanced to the finals. A tight competition between the four teams in the second semifinal saw Utah and UCLA prevail, with Utah winning the session and UCLA securing second place by a hair’s breadth over LSU. Utah’s Grace McCallum and UCLA’s Emma Malabuyo anchored their teams’ performances with impressive scores.
Individual event titles went to: Kailin Chio (LSU) on vault, Jordan Chiles (UCLA) on uneven bars, Brooklyn Moors (UCLA) on floor, and Helen Hu (Missouri) on beam.
The final will feature Oklahoma, Utah, UCLA, and Missouri, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the 2025 NCAA Gymnastics season on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+.
First Piper 