Saturday’s meet did not play out how coach Janelle McDonald anticipated.

Falls from seasoned veterans, a new judging system and competing on podium may have added to No. 12 UCLA gymnastics’ typical first-meet nerves. But after finishing last in its session at the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic, McDonald instilled one motto in her team – “control the controllables”.

“It’s definitely taken away some stressors for us,” said graduate student Frida Esparza. “Not having to focus on things that we know we can’t control, it just leaves us with, ‘I put my all into this. Regardless what happens, I am satisfied with how we did.’”

UCLA will face a myriad of uncontrollable factors this season. As they head into their inaugural season in the Big Ten, the Bruins will endure longer travel schedules and unfamiliar opponents.

Additionally, several key pieces to last year’s program have departed. Selena Harris – the 2024 Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year – transferred to Florida after being dismissed from Westwood. Meanwhile, beam coach Autumn Grable and vault coach Kyle Grable left with the latter joining Iowa’s coaching staff.

“Our message really has just been, turn the page and focus on the things we can control in every moment, and just really get excited about bringing the work that they’ve put in in the preseason out to the competition floor,” McDonald said.

In addition to a new conference, UCLA is adapting to the new NCAA judging system.

Under the new Collegiate Judging Issue, developed by the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association, routines are rescored by an official panel of judges, with that new score becoming the “target” score. Judges that scored a routine close to that target score receive better evaluations from the WCGA and, therefore, are given priority to high-profile judging assignments like NCAA nationals – all designed to foster more consistent scoring across the board.

The new system may have affected the Bruins – earning them their lowest team score since 2022 on Saturday. Additionally, not a single perfect 10.0 was awarded in the first week of NCAA competitions.

“This judging system is the first time that the judges are really being evaluated on the job that they do,” McDonald said. “I think that’s why you saw a little bit tighter scores, and that’s good. It’s going to push us to really be detail-oriented and perform the best and highest level that we’re capable of doing.”

McDonald returned to Yates Gym reminding her team to focus on the factors in its control. Competitors and coaches have no power over the judges’ scores, and unlike sports like football or basketball, gymnastics has no defense.

Sophomore Katelyn Rosen said she noticed more confidence among the team in practice this week as the Bruins shift their focus.

“Once you start worrying about how the other teams look, how the judges are judging, that really takes away your control of your own gymnastics,” Rosen said. “You could see the immediate flip from the competition to our last two practices. Like really, once we dial in on ourselves and on our teammates, things go a lot smoother. We look a lot better, we look stronger, we look more confident.”

UCLA will look to carry this mindset to its next competitions as they prepare to face a trio of formidable opponents – including Big Ten foe Ohio State – this weekend at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad.

It’ll be the Bruins’ last chance to fine-tune their routines before competing in their first conference dual meet Jan. 18.