A team filled with Olympians and former elite gymnasts didn’t seem like one that would finish 17th in the nation.

But that’s just where the Bruins found themselves a year ago.

And after missing out on a bid to the national championships last year, the self-proclaimed “core four” – seniors Emma Malabuyo, Mia Erdoes and Emily Lee, alongside graduate student Brooklyn Moors – sought advice from alumni on how to build a more connected team and flip the switch.

“We’ve been through some tough years and some transitions and coaching changes,” Malabuyo said. “We wanted to have one great amazing year together.”

The alumni recommended that the seniors split up their leadership efforts. Each worked with and became a role model for the younger gymnasts they were closest to. And after the senior class talked with the team and bonded at the team’s preseason retreat, the Bruins bought into a new vision.

Now, as senior night approaches on Sunday, UCLA sits at No. 3 in the country and is ranked in the top 10 across all four events, with many seniors leading the way.

Moors leads UCLA on its trademark event: floor. The 2020 Olympian owns a 9.944 season average – the highest in the nation – having scored a 9.900 or higher on every routine this year. In her final year, she has also stepped up as a regular on vault and beam.

Meanwhile, Malabuyo has improved on all of her events this season. The 2024 Olympian has been ranked top 10 in the nation’s on beam all season long and currently sits at No. 6 with a 9.920 NQS. Against Maryland on Jan. 18, Malabuyo notched a season-high 9.975 mark on the event.

“I remember as a freshman, everything was happening so quickly that I did not take everything in,” said Malabuyo. “Now, every single competition and every time we travel, I try to take everything in.”

Malabuyo’s team-leading beam standing has helped the Bruins climb to the No. 4 spot in the event ranking – five spots higher from their team-worst No. 9 finish last year.

Lee, who has donned the nickname “Lee-doff” for her starting role in UCLA lineups, has been a rock on beam throughout her career, never falling once. Lee’s beam NQS of 9.900 is second only to Malabuyo’s in the UCLA lineup, and she earned a career-high 9.900 mark on vault against Illinois on Jan. 25.

Erdoes has only competed exhibition routines on bars and beam throughout her career, and graduate student Carissa Clay only logged one exhibition beam routine this year, but coach Janelle McDonald recognized their impacts off the competition floor.

“(Clay is) positive, she’s happy, she’s so grateful in everything she does,” McDonald said. “Having somebody in your corner like that is such a benefit to the team.”

Junior Clara Wren is set to graduate early this year, having been sidelined for much of her three years at UCLA with injuries. McDonald said she is impressed with Wren’s perseverance through injury roadblocks and achieving academic success outside of gymnastics.

UCLA’s two fifth-year returners, graduate students Chae Campbell and Frida Esparza, will also say their goodbyes to Pauley Pavilion on Sunday.

Campbell is currently No. 3 in the Big Ten all-around standings and posted the conference’s highest all-around score with a 39.625 total against Washington on Feb. 7.

Esparza is arguably having her best year yet on bars, setting a new career high on the event with a 9.975 on Feb. 14. The two-time World Championships competitor is currently ranked No. 9 in the country on the event after never sitting in the top 100 last season.

“Each of them has a different kind of energy, so I can go to each of them for different things,” said freshman Mika Webster-Longin.

With a potential opportunity to compete for a championship on the horizon, many veteran Bruins seem to be positioned at the perfect spot – at the top of their game.