The clock hits midnight, and the ball drops.

The new year brings a fresh start – and with it, the beginning of the 2026 women’s gymnastics season.

No. 4 UCLA gymnastics will open its season at the Best of the West Quad against host team Washington, No. 20 California and No. 17 Oregon State at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle on Jan. 3.

The Bruins gave a preview of what’s to come at their annual Meet the Bruins showcase Dec. 13. Seven newcomers made their debut donning the blue and gold, including 2024 United States Olympic alternate Tiana Sumanasekera.

Despite a roster packed with underclassmen, the Bruins bring experience across the roster, with freshmen Nola Matthews and Ashlee Sullivan among multiple former U.S. National Team members.

“We were able to get quite a few jitters out at Meet the Bruins,” Sumanasekera said. “We do our best when we’re our calm, confident selves and focusing on having fun and supporting each other.”

The Pleasanton, California, local competed club gymnastics at the World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas – whose alumni include fellow Bruins senior Jordan Chiles and freshman Jordis Eichman. Sumanasekera and Chiles were named to the Big Ten’s Gymnasts to Watch list Dec. 16.

The importance of blocking outside noise ahead of their debut is not lost on the Bruins. UCLA notched a 195.250 at last season’s opener at the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic – by far its lowest score of the season. But the squad is brushing off early season worries as it turns the page to 2026.

“We do better when we’re engaged with one another, pulling each other in and having fun together. I want everyone to go out there, be relaxed, know that everything they’ve done in preseason is going to pay off,” said senior Ciena Alipio. “We have time to slowly build to get to where we want to be, and so we don’t need to put that much pressure on ourselves to be absolutely perfect this weekend.”

Despite beginning their season on the road, some members of the program will be staying close to home. Chiles and sophomore Macy McGowan along with coach Janelle McDonald and associate head coach BJ Das are all from Washington. They will compete in a familiar environment – albeit 1,133 miles away from UCLA.

And while the setting may feel familiar for some, success is equally familiar for the Bruins’ returning core. Chiles took the 2025 NCAA uneven bars title and was 2025 Big Ten floor co-champion, as well as 2023 NCAA uneven bars and floor champion. Alipio scored a perfect 10 to take the 2025 Big Ten beam title.

Their experience is being put to use helping guide the freshmen through the transition to collegiate sports, with several freshmen saying Alipio and junior Katelyn Rosen have particularly stepped up to the plate.

“The upperclassmen made it so easy. They were so welcoming,” Sumanasekera said. “It was really easy for us to get used to everything and not have to stress out. … I couldn’t be more grateful for our upperclassmen, our coaches and our whole staff around UCLA.”

During the 2025 season, UCLA outscored Washington head-to-head by 1.825 points but fell to Cal and Oregon State by 1.025 and 0.525, respectively.

Bolstered by new additions, the Bruins prepare to kick off competition with a rematch and build upon their Meet the Bruins showcase.

“Overall, we just want to get out there, and we want to have a steady competition,” McDonald said. “It’s important for us to start the season getting out there, feeling all the things you feel at the first meet of the season – but being able to be steady and confident through it all.”