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Black History Month 2025

Olympic veterans, decorated freshmen to leap into 1st UCLA gymnastics season meet

Jordan Chiles poses on floor in Pauley Pavilion at Meet the Bruins in December. (Darlene Sanzon/Assistant Photo editor)

By Finn Karish

Jan. 3, 2025 3:31 p.m.

Jordan Chiles was competing in the Paris Olympics just months ago. Now, the junior’s long-awaited return to NCAA competition is finally here.

In the first session of the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic, No. 10 UCLA gymnastics will kick off its 2025 season at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California, on Saturday. UCLA will face off against former Pac-12 rivals No. 4 California and No. 19 Oregon State, while No. 30 Arizona, Rutgers, No. 31 Southern Utah and Wilberforce will compete in Session 2.

“It’s always good to get on the floor with top teams in the country,” said coach Janelle McDonald. “Regardless of how things fall this weekend, we’re going to learn a lot from it, and we’re going to be able to build from it.”

After missing out on a bid to the national championships at NCAA regionals last year, the Bruins will begin their quest once again. In the Golden Bears, which were the 2024 runner-ups, the Bruins face another contender for the 2025 title.

UCLA will not only face nationally ranked competition, but it will also simulate postseason conditions, with the event being held on podium – something McDonald, now entering her third year as head coach, said the team likes to start the season with.

“We get to get experience on podium like we would have at the national championships, and that is our goal,” McDonald said. “We want to build as much experience as we can so that when we get to those moments at the end of the season, we’re fully prepared.”

Chiles is set to make her return to competition for UCLA after deferring last season to train for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Senior Emma Malabuyo also returns to the NCAA after representing the Philippines alongside fellow collegiate gymnasts Aleah Finnegan and Levi Jung-Ruivivar.

On Saturday, Chiles will reunite with Olympic teammate and Oregon State gymnast Jade Carey. Chiles and Carey were part of the “Golden Girls” in Paris,

“People think us and Cal are … crazy rivals, but we know a bunch of the girls on the team. … We give them the same energy that they give us as well,” Chiles said. “Same with Oregon, having those same quote-unquote ‘rivals.'”

This familiarity between competitors includes California’s eMjae Frazier, whose sister Margzetta Frazier graduated last year from UCLA after six years with the program.

A positive and supportive environment has been at the heart of the team’s philosophy this year, with Malabuyo and UCLA’s other veteran gymnasts taking charge of preparing the freshmen for their collegiate debuts.

“I want them to know that you don’t have to be perfect right away,” Malabuyo said. “What matters to us most is you show up every day, you give 100%, and you keep working really hard.”

UCLA welcomed five freshmen to its 2025 roster. Sasha Fujisaka joins the team having scored a perfect 10 on bars at last year’s Delta Classic Invitational. Both Macy McGowan and Mika Webster-Longin won three national titles in high school before coming to Westwood. Bronwyn Hoffman, a Los Angeles local, competed at two Level 10 national championships. Riley Jenkins won the 2024 Level 10 SoCal State all-around, vault and floor titles.

Malabuyo also attributed the team’s cohesion to the energy Chiles brings.

“You (Chiles) shake everybody up, and you’re like, … ‘We can dance, we can have fun, and we can enjoy what we’re doing,’” Malabuyo said.

UCLA is set to debut a relatively new look this season with the addition of two new assistant coaches, Mark Freeman and Lacy Dagen. The meet also marks UCLA’s first competition since Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year Selena Harris was dismissed from the team in May, leaving voids on all four events.

Despite a shake-up in the coaching staff and transfer portal departures, graduate student Chae Campbell expressed high hopes for the team.

“This is the most connected team I’ve ever been a part of,” Campbell said. “I feel very, very confident and good about the season ahead of us.”

Session 1 will begin Saturday at 12:30 p.m. in Oceanside.

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