FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 19: Danae Fletcher of the Oklahoma Sooners hoists the national champion trophy alongside teammates after winning the Division I Women’s Gymnastics Championshipss held at Dickies Arena on April 19, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
NCAA Photos via Getty Images
The Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) released its annual preseason poll on Tuesday, and the defending NCAA champion Oklahoma Sooners topped the list.
The Sooners received 39 first place votes to top the leaderboard, followed by the 2024 champion LSU Tigers in second with 5 first place votes, and the Florida Gators in third with four first place votes. UCLA (4) and Missouri (2) also received first place votes, finishing fifth and seventh in the overall standings, respectively.
The poll results reflect the Sooners’ NCAA Gymnastics dominance in recent history, with Head Coach K.J. Kindler’s squad winning the title seven times since 2014. In 2024, Oklahoma also topped the WCGA poll. The Sooners have topped every WCGA preseason poll since 2022.
While the 2026 squad loses NCAA all-around champion Jordan Bowers and uneven bars phenom Audrey Davis, Kindler’s team adds the top-ranked recruiting class, according to College Gym News.
The Sooners’ roster boasts the No. 1 and No. 2 incoming freshmen in the nation (College Gym News), Mackenzie Estep and Kamila Pawlak, and add a third five-star recruit in former elite gymnast Ella Murphy. Led by senior Faith Torrez – a three-time NCAA Champion – the Sooners have the goods to claim their third-straight national title.
Though the LSU Tigers ranked at a distant second in the WCGA’s poll, Head Coach Jay Clark’s team enters 2026 with a stacked roster of returning athletes, impressive freshmen, and valuable transfers.
Though the Tigers graduated all-time great Haleigh Bryant, they will return newly- minted NCAA vault champion Kailin Chio and 2024 SEC beam champion Konnor McClain. The Tigers gained four five-star recruits, and added key transfers in Emily Innes (Washington) and Courtney Blackson (Boise State).
The No. 3 Florida Gators are still chomping for their first title since 2015, and 2026 looks to have significant potential for Head Coach Jenny Rowland’s team. While the Gators lost star senior-leader Leanne Wong, they gained two five-star freshmen and return multiple stars key to their success.
2025 SEC vault champion Selena Harris-Miranda looks to lead the Gators in her senior season, and will be helped by a pair of World medalists in Skye Blakely and Kayla DiCello, who have returned to strength from injuries. The Gators also add Cal Berkeley transfer eMjae Frazier in a bombshell commitment. Frazier is a 10-time All-American and should contribute significantly for the Gators on all four events.
Jordan Chiles and the UCLA Bruins finished just off the preseason podium at No. 4, not far from their NCAA Runner-Up finish at March’s NCAA Championships. With Chiles at the helm alongside a supremely talented freshmen class, the Bruins head into 2026 with the confidence – and the ability to win it all.
Perennial powerhouse Utah ranked at No. 5 in today’s poll, following a disappointing fourth place finish at this year’s NCAA championships. The Utes edged out rising contender Michigan State in No. 6, and ‘Cinderella’ program Missouri in No. 7. The Missouri Tigers claimed a program record third-place in 2025, and look to build on the massive momentum in 2026.
SEC programs Alabama, Kentucky, and Arkansas rounded out the top 10.
2026 WCGA Preseason Poll:
- Oklahoma (1960 points) (39 first place votes)
- LSU (1859 points) (5 first place votes)
- Florida (1804 points) (4 first place votes)
- UCLA (1784 points) (4 first place votes)
- Utah (1751 points) (1 first place votes)
- Michigan State (1638 points)
- Missouri (1589 points) (2 first place votes)
- Alabama (1518 points)
- Kentucky (1434 points)
- Arkansas (1433 points)
- Auburn (1367 points)
- Georgia (1332 points)
- Stanford (1256 points)
- Michigan (1200 points)
- Minnesota (1199 points)
- Denver (1132 points)
- Oregon State (1004 points)
- Arizona (990 points)
- Clemson (985 points)
- California (880 points)
- Ohio State (871 points)
- Iowa (779 points)
- North Carolina State (739 points)
- North Carolina (634 points)
- Arizona State (627 points)
NCAA Women’s Gymnastics begins on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. Fans can access the full schedule and streaming information on Road To Nationals.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolineprice/2025/12/16/oklahoma-claims-dominant-no-1-ranking-in-ncaa-gymnastics-preseason-poll/
