Meet The Four Teams Fighting For The NCAA Gymnastics Title
TL;DR
The NCAA Gymnastics Championship will take place on April 18 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, featuring the top four teams in the nation. The event starts at 4 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ABC.
Key points
- NCAA Gymnastics Championship on April 18, 2026
- Event held at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas
- Top four gymnastics programs competing
- Starts at 4 p.m. ET
- Broadcast live on ABC
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - APRIL 16: Sophie Swartzmiller of the Minnesota Golden Gophers competes in floor exercise during the National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championship held at Dickies Arena on April 16, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Swann/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
NCAA Photos via Getty Images
It all comes down to one meet, four teams. On Saturday, April 18, at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, the nation’s top four gymnastics programs will clash in the NCAA Gymnastics Championship.
Beginning at 4 p.m. ET and broadcast live on ABC, the event features the nation’s top-three seeds alongside the sport’s newest ‘Cinderella’ program.
No. 3 Florida and No. 2 LSU were the first to punch their tickets to the final, edging out Georgia and Stanford in the first of two national semifinals on Thursday. Later that evening, the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners and No. 13 Minnesota Golden Gophers filled the final two spots in the “Four on The Floor.”
Though the Sooners arrived in Fort Worth as the defending champions and title favorites, the Gophers’ rise has reiterated gymnastics’ cardinal truth: anything can happen. With stacked Florida and LSU rosters and a seemingly unstoppable surge from Minnesota, the 2026 NCAA Gymnastics Championship is a must-watch.
Let’s meet the contenders.
No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners
Top Event: Vault (No. 1) | Worst Event: Bars & Floor (No. 4) | Rotation: Vault, Bars, Beam, Floor
As is often the case in Fort Worth, the Oklahoma Sooners are the favorites to win the national title. Coming into this week, many anticipated a tight race between the Sooners, the Gators, and the LSU Tigers. But after the Sooners posted a whopping 198.300 in the semifinal round – defeating the rest of the field by nearly six tenths – OU’s competitors should be shaking in their cowboy boots.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - APRIL 16: Faith Torrez of the University of Oklahoma competes on vault during the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship at Dickies Arena on April 16, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Alicia Malnati/Getty Images)
Getty Images
The Sooners opened Thursday’s competition with one of the best vault efforts in NCAA history and the program’s highest in more than six years. What’s more, they weren’t perfect for the rest of the night. The Sooners missed multiple landings on uneven bars, leaving points on the table that could have bolstered their massive score. When asked about the number of stuck dismounts on bars, Kindler was coy but clear: “not enough," she said.
It feels comical to denote a “worst” event for the Sooners. Realistically, there isn’t one, but the Sooners are less dominant on the floor than the remaining three events. However, with the newly crowned all-around champion Faith Torrez fully in lineups, the already dominant Sooners just got one athlete better.
Coach K.J. Kindler told the media on Thursday that she is looking for “consistency” across the four events in the final, and if the Sooners can achieve Kindler’s goal, they will likely claim the program’s eighth NCAA title in just 11 years.
Athletes to Watch: Faith Torrez (Sr.), Lily Pederson (So.), Ella Murphy (Fr.)
No. 2 LSU Tigers
Top Event: Floor (No. 1) | Worst Event: Bars & Beam (No. 3) | Rotation Order: Floor, Vault, Bars, Beam
The LSU Tigers snuck through to the NCAA final over the red-hot Georgia GymDogs, and Head Coach Jay Clark’s team is looking to avoid another anxiety-inducing outcome on Saturday. The Tigers were uncharacteristically shaky on bars and balance beam, salvaging their efforts with huge routines on vault and floor.
“We made interesting,” Clark said, chuckling. “It was not our best meet by a long shot.” However, the 2024 NCAA Champions did what they always do: fight.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - APRIL 16: Kailin Chio of LSU performs on the balance beam during the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship at Dickies Arena on April 16, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Alicia Malnati/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Their imperfect performance could come to their advantage this weekend. With their nerves expended in the semifinal round, Clark hopes his team will perform more confidently in the championship.
The same wish extends to phenom Kailin Chio, who was particularly emotional after the Tigers clinched their spot in the final four. Even with disappointing results on bars and beam, the sophomore clinched silver medals in the all-around, on vault, and on floor exercise.
After missing the 2025 championship final in a heartbreaker, Clark also hopes Thursday’s accomplishment brings “relief" to his team. “Hopefully, they will be free of mind and fearless,” Clark said on Thursday. When the Tigers compete to the best of their abilities, they can contend for a national title.
They’ve gone as high as 198.325 in 2026. They’ll likely need a similar performance on Saturday to clinch the program’s second NCAA crown.
Athletes to Watch: Kailin Chio (So.), Kaliya Lincoln (So.), Konnor McClain (Jr.)
No. 3 Florida Gators
Top Event: Bars & Beam (No. 1) | Worst Event: Vault (No. 9) | Rotation Order: Beam, Floor, Vault, Bars
It should be Florida’s year. The Gators have an embarrassment of riches on their roster, including three world champions and a duo of top transfers, Selena Harris-Miranda (formerly of UCLA) and Emjae Frazier (formerly of California). At March’s SEC Championships, the Gators proved their potential with a dramatic win over the Sooners, claiming the program’s first SEC title since 2023.
Though the win was a good indicator of the team’s postseason potential, the Sooners outscored the Gators by nearly six-tenths in Thursday’s semifinal round, a sizable margin. If the Gators want to claim their first NCAA title since 2015, they will need to return to the 198-scoring range.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - APRIL 16: Selena Harris-Miranda of the Florida Gators competes in floor exercise during the National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championship held at Dickies Arena on April 16, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Heading into Fort Worth with major momentum, they were the only team to record five consecutive scores of 198 or higher. Though the Gators are No. 1 in the nation on bars and balance beam, their biggest test will come in the third rotation, on vault. The Gators are in a distant ninth place in the national standings on the event and have consistently struggled with their landings.
Jenny Rowland’s squad will need an above-average vault effort to contend for the title. If they can put forward their best effort on that event and deliver their usual excellence on beam and bars, the Gators will be in solid position to return to the top of the podium for the first time in over a decade.
Athletes to Watch: Selena Harris-Miranda (Sr.), Riley McCusker (Sr.), Skye Blakely (So.)
No. 13 Minnesota Golden Gophers
Top Event: Beam (No. 12) | Worst Event: Bars (No. 17) | Rotation Order: Bars, Beam, Floor, Vault
Meet the NCAA’s newest “Cinderella Story”: the rise of the No. 13 Minnesota Golden Gophers. Minnesota’s rampage of upsets began early in the postseason, and the Gophers have collected a long list of victims in their journey to the national championship. The latest and greatest was the No. 4 UCLA Bruins.
The Gophers upset the Big Ten Champions in Thursday’s second semifinal by over two tenths to qualify for the first Final Four in program history. The result also guarantees Minnesota its best finish in history. Senior Brooklyn Rowray helped the Gophers to the final with a 9.9625 on balance beam, winning the first NCAA title for the program since 1990.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - APRIL 16: Arianna Ostrum of the Minnesota Golden Gophers competes in vault during the National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championship held at Dickies Arena on April 16, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Though Minnesota enters Saturday’s final four as clear underdogs, they’ve proven their ability to use the designation to their advantage. Though Rowray’s beam routine is a highlight, Minnesota will need key contributions from Big Ten Freshman of the Year Arianna Ostrum. Ostrum was clutch in the semifinal round, finishing as a first-team All-American in the all-around.
With a 9.925 on vault in the semifinal round, Ostrum will be especially crucial on Saturday. The Gophers will finish their night on vault and will need exceptionally clean landings from their squad.
In 2025, fans watched as the underdog Missouri Tigers edged the Utah Utes to claim 3rd place. In 2026, the Gophers are in prime position to replicate the successes of their fellow Cinderellas.
Athletes to Watch: Brooklyn Rowray (Sr.), Arianna Ostrum (Fr.), Jordyn Lyden (Jr.)
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
Q&A
What teams are competing in the NCAA Gymnastics Championship 2026?
The championship features the top four gymnastics programs, including the top three seeds and a new 'Cinderella' program.
When is the NCAA Gymnastics Championship scheduled?
The NCAA Gymnastics Championship is scheduled for April 18, 2026, starting at 4 p.m. ET.
Where is the NCAA Gymnastics Championship being held?
The championship will be held at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
How can I watch the NCAA Gymnastics Championship live?
The event will be broadcast live on ABC.
