In an unforgettable night at Pauley Pavilion, No. 3 UCLA gymnastics delivered a commanding 197.675-197.100 victory over No. 12 Stanford, marking an emotional sendoff for the team’s graduating members.
Graduate student Brooklyn Moors took center stage in the Bruins’ final home meet of the season, closing out the floor lineup with a stellar 9.925. Though she didn’t achieve a perfect 10, the performance held deep significance as she bid farewell to Pauley Pavilion.
“They have, literally every single day, shown up to be amazing leaders for our team, to lay a foundation that we’re going to be able to continue to build on,” said coach Janelle McDonald. “Today was just a celebration of all of that, and I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”
Dominance on Floor and Beam
UCLA’s floor rotation was a highlight of the evening, securing a 49.525 total. Junior Jordan Chiles led the way with a 9.950 to claim the event title, while freshman Macy McGowan added a 9.925, marking her second score above 9.900 this season.
On beam, the Bruins delivered their second-highest score of the season with a 49.575. Every gymnast scored a 9.900 or higher, including four stuck landings. Senior Emily Lee and Chiles kicked off the rotation strong, tying their season-highs at 9.925 and 9.900, respectively. Moors, in a touching moment, stuck her acrobatic series to earn a career-high 9.900.
“When I was on beam, I took a breath,” Moors said. “I’m like, ‘This is the last time I’ll do it in Pauley,’ and it was really special.”
Junior Ciena Alipio and senior Emma Malabuyo sealed the rotation with a pair of 9.925s, capping off an outstanding beam performance.
Standout Performances on Bars and Vault
Graduate student Chae Campbell led off the bars rotation but posted a 9.750 after a hop on her dismount. Similarly, graduate student Frida Esparza took a small step on her landing, scoring a season-low 9.775. However, Chiles anchored the lineup with another near-perfect 9.950. Freshman Mika Webster-Longin rebounded from a tough vault rotation to score a career-high 9.925 on bars, while Malabuyo contributed a solid 9.875.
UCLA finished bars with a 49.350, improving on last week’s performance.
On vault, Campbell regained momentum for the Bruins with a 9.900, while Chiles closed out the event in dominant fashion, tying her season-high of 9.950 to secure the vault title. Despite some lower scores from the freshmen, the Bruins finished with a 49.225.
With three 9.950 scores across different events, Chiles achieved an all-around score of 39.750, the highest in the Big Ten this season.
A Record-Breaking Night for UCLA Gymnastics
The night was made even more special as the Bruins performed in front of the largest gymnastics crowd in Pauley Pavilion history, with 12,918 fans in attendance.
“It was very special to look around and just see the stands filled and people all the way at the top here to support the girls,” McDonald said. “They love coming to watch gymnastics – that they love what we’re doing, they love our sport.”
With this victory, UCLA not only capped off an impressive home season but also honored their seniors in an unforgettable fashion, setting the stage for a strong postseason run.
