As the 2026 season approaches, UCLA gymnastics coach Janelle McDonald sat down with members of the Daily Bruin gymnastics beat to discuss the state of the program and its goals for the year ahead.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Ella Dunderdale: After such a strong postseason run last year, how are you approaching a new season, in terms of maintaining that momentum but also setting fresh goals?

Janelle McDonald: It was really easy to reset going into this preseason, because our team looks so different. We graduated a lot of really impactful seniors, and we got this freshman class that came in. We knew heading in that it was going to be a different team in a different year. But I think that’s what’s also made it so exciting. So it’s been really fun getting to know this team, and they’re very experienced in gymnastics and competition-wise, and so that’s been really cool to see them transition into NCAA and really start to make some big team goals surrounding that.

Finn Karish: Have any of the underclassmen or the new upperclassmen taken on extra leadership responsibility coming into the season?

JM: Absolutely. Two that really stand out to me are junior Katelyn Rosen and senior Ciena Alipio. Both of them are natural leaders, very different. Katelyn is all passion and heart, and she wants to inspire people to do things the right way, and to teach them the way we do things and what it means to be a Bruin and wear those four letters. And Ciena is like a warm hug. She is there to support everybody who needs it. She checks in on people. She makes sure that everybody’s doing okay. And I think the combination of those two have really helped a lot. Junior Sydney Barros also has taken on that role. She’s stepped into a leadership role, which was very cool, because we didn’t get to see as much of that from her before. She’s also somebody we’ve leaned on for asking about the tone of the team and things like that. Really proud and impressed with those three for sure.

FK: With alumnus Emma Malabuyo returning as an assistant coach, how is that adjustment for that new role?

JM: It’s been really great, because we graduated a lot, but they’re still kind of around. Alumnus Brooklyn Moors is working in the department. Alumnus Chae Campbell lives close by and stops by quite often. And then having Emma in the gym with us, it’s been really positive, because she can see it from both sides now, and she can give us advice, and she can give the team advice about communicating and things like that that they really take to heart, because she was just walking in their shoes.

FK: What has been the biggest thing you’ve seen in terms of how quickly the freshmen have been integrating, and have you seen a difference between this freshman class and previous ones?

JM: This freshman class is very steady. They’ve added this steadiness as a whole to our team, where they come in and they’re very steady in the way they approach their work. They’re intentional, they’re very hard working and they’re very detail oriented. The biggest thing is just transitioning to life in college and everything that comes with it, that every college freshman goes through. Overall, they’ve transitioned beautifully – probably better than I even expected. They communicate really well, which is something that you don’t often see from freshmen coming in. Their transition has been quite smooth, and I’m really excited to see them get to take on NCAA. Throughout our preseason and throughout our intrasquads we’ve had, I’ve seen them grow a little bit more confident each time, owning how they show up for the team in those moments. It’s been exciting to watch them grow throughout this preseason.

ED: What have you kind of seen from freshman Ashlee Sullivan – her journey, her transition, and how did the elite experiences shape what you expect from her this year?

JM: She holds herself to a really high standard, and she wants to be dialed in in everything she does. She comes in with great energy. She’s really great at communicating, she loves to talk. That was really exciting, because with the preseason she’s had looking different, she was able to come in and blend in with what we’re doing, because she is very adaptable. She communicates well, and she holds herself to a high standard. I also think she has a good perspective on things. If she’s having an off day in the gym, she’s like, “OK, but my whole life just changed two weeks ago by moving to college. So I’m going to take a breath.” Her perspective is in a good place, usually freshmen coming in right out of the gate don’t have that perspective yet, maturity. It’s been a really fun transition, having her back in and having the whole team back together finally.

ED: How is the overall health of the team like looking going into the season?

JM: Everybody’s in a good place. We have no more boots in the gym, which is great. Everybody’s in a place where they’re building their gymnastics back, which is good. Freshman Tiana Sumanasekera is full go, so there’s no limitations with her. Freshman Jordis Eichman is now full go, she has no limitations. Freshman Ava Callahan has now been cleared to start building back, which is great. Sophomore Macy McGowan is building back as well. She’s out of her boot now too. We are in a good place moving forward. Timelines are just going to depend on making sure that they’re strong enough to handle the level of gymnastics we need them to. We’re working closely with our athletic trainer and our strength and conditioning coach, and making sure that we’re all on the same page to help them be able to head into season strong and ready to go.

FK: How are the lineups looking?

JM: At this point there’s a lot of competition going on for the lineup spots. We have some events that have multiple athletes that are fighting to get into the lineups. And that’s a great place for us to be in at this point in the year where we have a lot of athletes that are ready to go to help the team, and we’re going to be able to maybe even switch some things out throughout season, just to keep people feeling 100%. We’re still dialing in lineups, and we try to evaluate things week by week to make sure we’re making the choices that are best for the team.

FK: Are there any specific individuals that have stepped into the lineup on floor?

JM: I would say Sydney Barros is one that has her floor routine together. She’s doing the double layout on floor. She really lights up the room when she performs her routine. So that’s definitely one. Freshman Nola Matthews, her routine is just jaw dropping. It is incredible choreography. And the way she performs, it really stands out. Those are two that are going to step into those roles to get the floor party going. Tiana’s puts a smile on your face as well. She’s really known for her artistry. And so I think that’s going to be another one that stands out.

ED: What are your points of emphasis this season to stabilize bars?

JM: We have a lot more depth on bars this year, which is great. There’s a little bit more competition to make the lineup. When you have that environment, you start to see them fighting for the little details. Right now, our cast and our built in deductions are as good as they’ve ever been at this point in the preseason, and we’re just working on getting the stuck landings at the end of the routines. That’s going to be the avenue that is going to let this be one of our strengths this year. They’re working hard to do just that, and I’m very excited about where bars is at.

ED: Senior Jordan Chiles has had a very unique preseason with her “Dancing with the Stars” run. How do you think she handled the schedule?

JM: It’s incredibly inspiring what she did. If you actually knew what her days looked like, the amount of work she had to show up for throughout a normal day, it’s inspiring that someone could do that and also do it at such a high level and be so successful. She managed things really well. We’d practice in the morning, she’d focus on school in the afternoon, and then she would do “Dancing with the Stars” in the evening. The last few weeks, dancing became six hours long, so we scaled back in the gym a little bit to let her be able to finish that to the best of her abilities – which she did, which was amazing to see. Now she’s back in the gym and trying to build back up. Because she was so locked in already, she’s in a good place right now. It’s been really fun to see the support she’s gotten from the community. Our team is just so proud of her, and she came in and taught us part of her freestyle her first day back, which the girls loved. It was really fun getting to cheer her on and see her live her dreams doing that show.

ED: How would you describe the culture and the overall vibe of this year’s team?

JM: This year’s team, they feel steady. They’re intentional about what they come in and do. They’re having a lot of fun together. Right out of the gate, they connected closely. A lot of them knew each other previously, and through the recruiting process, they stayed in touch. Right out of the gate, our returners made sure to get to know the freshmen, spend time with them and get to know how to show up for each other in the right way. That’s one of the things that our team is doing so well in our culture, making sure that they’re paying attention to what each other needs. And when you have that environment that feels supportive, they’re able to push and grow in their gymnastics. It’s been fun to see them connect and build some great gymnastics.

FK: What message or philosophy are you trying to push for the team this season?

JM: I try to message being really intentional about what we do. We want to have joy in what we do. We want to love what we do. We want to love who we do it with. Those are the things that I continually try to message to the team, because if you can enjoy what you’re doing, and you can be intentional about what you’re doing, the sky’s the limit to what you can accomplish. I’m really excited about this team. I think that they’re in a good place to have a great season and build off what we did last year. It’s going to be a different team, but I think they can be just as strong.