LOS ANGELES -The No. 4-seeded UCLA Gymnastics team rallied in the final two rotations to qualify to the NCAA Championships with a second-place finish at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional. The Bruins scored 197.925, just behind Utah's 198.050, and ahead of third-place Missouri's 197.600. Washington finished in fourth place with a 195.650. Trailing both Utah and Missouri heading into the third rotation, UCLA blasted a season-high 49.700 on floor exercise, led byJordan Chiles'perfect 10, to move into second, and the Bruins held their position by scoring 49.500 on vault in the final rotation, led by freshmanSelena Harris'first career perfect 10.
This will be UCLA's 36th NCAA appearance in program history and first since 2019.
"I was incredibly proud of our team today," said The R.C. Rothman UCLA Head Gymnastics CoachJanelle McDonald. "Not everything was perfect, but they fought for every single routine, and they came together in a way that I could only dream of, and I couldn't be more proud of how they went out there and fought to be able to hit this milestone and be able to be headed to nationals."
The Bruins began the night on the uneven bars and scored 49.400.Chae Campbellstarted the meet with a score of 9.800, followed by a 9.775 fromKalyany Steele.Ana Padurariucontinued with a 9.875, and Harris scored 9.900. AfterMargzetta Frazierput up a score of 9.850, Chiles closed out the rotation with a 9.975, her third in a row on the event. Missouri matched the Bruins' team total with a 49.400 of its own on balance beam. Utah took control of first place with a 49.575 on vault.
Two nights after scoring a season-high 49.675 on balance beam, the Bruins hit all six routines but could only get past the 9.850 mark once, with Harris' 9.95 being the top mark.Emily Lee, Padurariu, and Chiles scored 9.850,Emma Malabuyoscored 9.825, andCiena Alipiorecorded a 9.800. Missouri, meanwhile, closed their floor exercise rotation with four scores of 9.9 or higher to total 49.525, moving into a tie for first place with Utah with a two-event score of 98.925. The Bruins trailed by two-tenths, at 98.725, while Washington faded further behind with a 98.300.
In the third rotation, UCLA proved why it was the top-ranked team in the nation on floor exercise, flexing a season-high 49.700, the eighth-highest floor score in school history. Lee started out with a 9.800, but the Bruins rattled off five consecutive 9.9+ routines. Malabuyo and Harris hit back-to-back 9.9s. Frazier, a fifth-year senior competing for the last time at home, scored a career-high-tying 9.950, receiving a perfect 10 from one judge. Campbell matched her score with a 9.950, and Chiles recorded her second floor perfect 10 of the season to push UCLA past Missouri into second place with a three-event score of 148.425. After a 49.450 on vault, Missouri's three-event total was 148.375, just .050 behind the Bruins. Utah, meanwhile, scored 49.525 on beam, holding a slight .025 lead over UCLA with a 148.450.
With the Top 3 teams all within a tenth of a point, the two qualifying spots all came down to UCLA on vault, Missouri on bars and Utah on floor. Frazier and Lee got UCLA off to a solid start with a pair of 9.85s.Brooklyn Moors, on just her second vault of the year, scored a 9.900 to give the Bruins a good bump. Campbell scored just 9.825 on her vault, but Harris' perfect 10, the first of her career, shifted the momentum back to the Bruins, and Chiles closed with a 9.900 to give the Bruins a 49.500, their second-highest score of the season. Meanwhile, Missouri on bars could not break 9.900 and finished with a score of 49.225, finishing in third place. Utah finished on floor with a 49.600 to claim first place overall.
Harris finished the meet with a career-high-tying first-place score of 39.750. Chiles took second place with a 39.725.
The Bruins will compete next in the NCAA Semifinals in Fort Worth, Texas on April 13 against Utah, Oklahoma and Kentucky. The top two finishers from the semifinals will advance to the NCAA Final on April 15.
Jordan Chiles' perfect 10 on floor
ARE WE EVEN SURPRISED⁉️@uclagymnastics’ Jordan Chiles secures the 10 on floor.#Pac12Gym | #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/VW8mb6S6BC
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) April 2, 2023
Selena Harris' perfect 10 on vault
Selena Harris recorded a perfect 10 on vault for @uclagymnastics.#Pac12Gym | #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/70wA4Udqsy
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) April 2, 2023
Jordan Chiles, UCLA celebrate berth toNCAA Gymnastics Championships
“My heart is full of joy and happiness!”
Jordan Chiles can’t wait to get to Fort Worth where @uclagymnastics will compete in the NCAA National Semifinals.#Pac12Gym | #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/0MqDtmnEB5
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) April 2, 2023
This will be UCLA's 36th NCAA appearance in program history and first since 2019.
That moment when your team qualifies to the #NCAAGym Championships! 🥹#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/7awcMCR979
— UCLA Gymnastics (@uclagymnastics) April 2, 2023
