Scouting report: UCLA gymnastics vs. Washington

By Finn Karish
Feb. 6, 2025 12:28 a.m.
This post was updated Feb. 6 at 11:33 p.m.
UCLA
Ranking: No. 6
Strength: Floor
Weakness: Bars
X-Factor: Jordan Chiles
UCLA gymnastics’ floor lineup has been its backbone this season, with its highest-reaching performance coming in Saturday’s win over Michigan State, earning a nation-leading floor 49.800 total.
Graduate student Brooklyn Moors, who represented Canada at the 2020 Olympic Games, leads the nation with a 9.935 floor average and hasn’t dipped below 9.900 on a single routine this season. She managed this consistency while also branching out into vault and beam – averaging 9.770 and 9.805 marks, respectively.
Another veteran – senior Emma Malabuyo – has notched three 9.900 or higher floor marks in 2025, a feat that she only accomplished once in 2024.
Furthermore, the two-time balance beam All-American has improved on her signature event in her final year. Her 9.925 season average places her fourth in the nation and almost three-hundredths of a point above her 2024 average. While she has not scored a perfect 10 on beam since her first year at UCLA, her 9.975 season-high puts her close to repeating that accomplishment.
The Bruins’ all-around efforts have been spearheaded by junior Jordan Chiles and graduate student Chae Campbell.
Campbell has been an integral part of all four events this season. She is the No. 3 ranked floor worker in the Big Ten, while averaging a 9.862 tally on vault.
However, it was Chiles – now returned from her break to train for the Olympics – who earned the first 10 on floor this season. The Olympic gold medalist has posted two perfect scores this season – the other coming on bars – to tally 10 total perfect scores in her UCLA career.
Chiles has been lights-out on vault in 2025, posting four scores of 9.900 or higher and helping the Bruins gradually improve their vault score this season.
On bars, graduate student Frida Esparza leads the team with a 9.880 average, an improvement from her 9.748 average in 2024. Having only competed on bars this season, Esparza’s three 9.900 or higher scores have been crucial for Bruin success on the event.
Washington
Ranking: No. 39
Strength: Beam
Weakness: Bars
X-Factor: Emily Innes
Despite posting a season-high team score last weekend, Washington gymnastics lost in its meet against Minnesota.
Beam proved to be the Huskies’ strongest event against the Gophers, posting their only 49.000 or higher total on the event. Washington earned three 9.850 or higher scores against Minnesota, with Taylor Russon tying her 9.875 season-high. The apparatus has been Washington’s highest-ranked since 2022, peaking at No. 15 that same year.
The Huskies have struggled to return to their previous form this season under first-year head coach Jessa Hansen Parker, dropping from their No. 23 rank last year to No. 39 in 2025. Beam is the only event in which multiple athletes are averaging 9.800 or higher, starkly contrasting last year when multiple gymnasts put up 9.800 or higher averages on all four events.
Part of that struggle can be attributed to the loss of Skylar Killough-Wilhelm in the transfer portal. As a senior in 2024, she was named a First Team All-American on bars – now Washington’s worst event, where it sits at No. 48 nationally.
No Huskies have reached averages of 9.700 or higher on bars so far this season. Individuals like Mary McDonough and Russon have showed bright spots, scoring 9.825 and 9.850 season-highs respectively, but these high ceilings have yet to be replicated weekly.
The Huskies have potential for success on floor. Emily Innes and McDonough both own season-high marks of 9.900 or higher and three other gymnasts have breached the 9.800 barrier.
While Innes maintains a team-leading floor average of 9.844, McDonough’s inconsistency has placed her at a 9.581, the team’s second-lowest, despite her ability to hit 9.900 marks.
Washington’s vault squad includes new faces, such as Caitlin McWilliams. But with the loss of Killough-Wilhelm – a leader on vault last year – the lineup’s final form is still evolving.