No. 9 UCLA gymnastics will head to Pauley Pavilion on Saturday for its season-opening showdown against Nebraska. Daily Bruin contributor Kate Bergfeld breaks down the Cornhuskers ahead of Saturday’s contest.

Nebraska:

Strength: Vault

Weakness: Beam

X-Factor: Whitney Jencks

Nebraska has showcased dominance in some of its women’s sports such as volleyball and indoor track and field. But its gymnastics squad worked hard to reflect this trend, finishing the 2025 regular season as the No. 28 squad in the nation.

But this year’s squad will have to compensate for the graduation of Emma Spence, who finished her senior season as the No. 28 all-arounder in the country with a NQS of 39.420.

The Cornhuskers tallied a 194.600 in their season-opening meet – a mark slightly higher than their season opener last year but still two points below their 2025 NQS of 196.535. They failed to reach a score higher than 9.850 on any event.

Although beam was Nebraska’s highest-ranked event at No. 18 last season, it held the squad back Sunday. The Cornhuskers notched a 48.000 in their opening meet – good for No. 40 in the nation. No athlete surpassed a 9.800 score, as falls from Whitney Jencks and Allie Gard disrupted the rotation, despite the crew having hit all routines in practice the previous day.

Opening-meet jitters affected Nebraska in other events as well. Gard, who is one of few athletes to boast three tumbling passes in her floor routine, slipped on the third pass, falling and landing out of bounds. While her score of 8.725 was dropped from the final tally, she held the lead-off lineup position, which put more pressure on her teammates.

Isabel Sikon also struggled on the bars, falling short when she failed to grasp the high bar in transition. She completed the skill on her second attempt, earning a 9.125. Despite the bars blunder, she recorded a 9.825 on floor and a 9.850 on vault.

The Cornhuskers had their strongest performance on vault, with two 9.850 marks and a 9.800 tally. Nebraska has not historically stood out on this rotation, falling in the middle of the pack in past season rankings. After the first meet, the team stands at No. 15 on vault – its highest rank.

Jencks bounced back after her struggles on beam. She finished first in the all-around at the Ameritas Master’s Classic with a 38.575 score. The Madison, South Dakota, local came off of a significant sophomore season – when she competed the all-around at every regular season meet. She also hit career-high scores of 9.900 on both bars and floor last year. Jencks will likely be a key competitor against the Bruins, provided she can overcome the mistakes from the season opener.

UCLA

Strength: Beam

Weakness: Floor

X-Factor: Jordan Chiles

She’s back and already showing us why she is “that girl.”

Senior Jordan Chiles claimed back-to-back Big Ten Gymnast of the Week honors and stands at No. 1 in the all-around with a 39.650 average. Of her eight routines, she has only dipped below the 9.900 mark once and recorded an opening-week beam score of 9.975, which is tied for highest in the country.

Beam is the Bruins’ highest-ranking event at No. 7. Even with last week’s wobbles – including a fall from freshman Nola Matthews – the Bruins have an average of 49.325 on the apparatus. Senior Ciena Alipio anchored the Bruins in their last meet, posting a 9.9250 and a stuck dismount to help solidify their team score.

Although the numbers suggest beam is the squad’s strongest event, many fans still claim it is the floor.

Floor parties are a key part of UCLA gymnastics. Chiles has notched six perfect 10s, and the rest of the team has recorded consistent high scores. They are known for artistic choreography and fun moves, including references to Chile’s run on Dancing with the Stars.

And Tiana Sumanasekera and Matthews are particularly embracing the spirit of floor parties. Sumanasekera’s routine involves traditional music that demonstrates her Sri Lankan heritage, while Matthews calls upon Mother Monster – Lady Gaga – for her routine. Alipio also debuted her floor routine last meet, with dramatic music punctuated by split jumps, wolf turns and hit poses to the beat, giving a prelude to what we might see this weekend.

However, the Bruins are currently ranked No. 20 on floor – a stark contrast from their top-10 rankings in the other events. Smattering scores between 9.700 and 9.800 marked their first two rotations, which was likely related to the loss of high-caliber floor workers Brooklyn Moors, Chae Campbell and Emma Malabuyo.

UCLA ended 2025 as the No. 1 floor team in the nation, averaging a 49.519 – the equivalent of a 9.900 from every athlete. The rest of the season may provide room for the Bruins to regain their floor dominance.

As they gain more competition experience, the Bruin freshmen may become key contributors to the team scores. Sumanasekera is already competing all around and averages 9.900 on bars and 9.9500 high on beam, while Ashlee Sullivan and Matthews have both competed in three events.

UCLA brings steady talent to each meet. Coming off a national runner-up showing, the squad’s veterans know what it takes to mount a postseason push. Mixed in with a freshman class that is already making its collegiate mark, the Bruins seem poised to put on a show in their home opener.