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Who are next season's must-watch gymnasts?

ndowd
Apr 21, 2024, 05:07 PM ET

FORT WORTH, Texas — The 2024 NCAA gymnastics season officially concluded on Saturday with LSU winning its first national championship in dramatic fashion.

It was a memorable and historic season filled with record-setting scores, surprising upsets and epic performances. While this year won’t soon be forgotten, we can’t help but to already look ahead to next season.

It remains to be seen whether stars like LSU’s Haleigh Bryant, who won the all-around title on Thursday in addition to the team trophy, Oklahoma’s Audrey Davis, who won a share of both the bars and beam titles, and UCLA’s Chae Campbell will be returning for fifth years in 2025, but even with those questions, there are still so many individuals to watch for.

Here are six gymnasts you can already get excited about for next year:

Konnor McClain, LSU: The 2022 U.S. national champion had a freshman season to remember for the Tigers, winning the SEC beam title and earning three perfect 10.0s on the year. An integral member of the team on beam, bars and floor — and scoring a 9.90 or better on all six events she competed on in Fort Worth — McClain could very well be an all-around threat in 2025 as the Tigers will look to run it back.

McClain, 19, has previously said she hopes to elite training and competition following the season in hopes of making the 2024 Olympic team but she has given no indication that would prevent her from returning to Baton Rouge next year.

eMjae Frazier, California: It’s hard to truly put the Golden Bears’ sophomore season in proper perspective. Frazier broke her own record — set previously in the season — for the highest all-around score in program history (39.825), earned two perfect scores and she helped lead the team to its first NCAA championship appearance and its runner-up finish. Frazier competed on every event for Cal in 2024 and earned a 9.9125 or better on all four during Saturday’s final. Alongside now-junior Mya Lauzon, Frazier will look to take the program to even higher heights in 2025.

Leanne Wong, Florida: The 2024 NCAA bars co-champion and all-around co-runner-up has been the Gators’ star and consistent standout for the past three seasons. During her time on the team, she’s balanced competing at the elite level — representing the U.S. at the last three world championships and earning a total of four medals — in addition to competing for the school.

Like McClain, she will now turn her focus on making the Olympic roster this summer before presumably returning to Gainesville for her senior season. Having competed in the NCAA Championship meet now three times — and having finished in second place during her freshman and sophomore seasons — Wong will likely want to lead the team to a title more than ever during her final year of eligibility.

Selena Harris, UCLA: The Bruins sophomore was a bright spot during a challenging season in Westwood. The Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year won the all-around title at the conference championships with a record score of 39.825 and finished the regular season tied with Bryant as the top-ranked vaulter in the country. Competing in Fort Worth as an individual as UCLA failed to advance, Harris scored a 9.95 on balance beam, her lone event, and finished in third place. Already a 12-time All-American, Harris’ star will likely only continue to rise in 2025 — especially if the Bruins can find some magic in their debut season in the Big Ten.

Grace McCallum, Utah: The 2020 Olympic silver medalist had an impressive overall performance during Saturday’s team final, scoring 9.90 or better on all four events and tying for the highest score of the day on bars with a 9.95. The junior, who was the NCAA runner-up on bars in 2023, has been instrumental in the Red Rocks’ success over the past three seasons and will surely be more motivated than ever to lift the team to its first NCAA title since 1995 during her senior season.

Lily Smith, Georgia: In a tough season for Georgia, which saw the dismissal of head coach and former star athlete Courtney Kupets Carter on Friday, the freshman gave GymDogs fans something to cheer for every week, no matter the team’s final result. The SEC Freshman of the Year was the program’s lone representative in Fort Worth and she impressed in her debut with a 39.475 all-around score and earned four All-American honors as a result. While a coaching change could result in Smith transferring, she will be a factor no matter where she competes in 2025.


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