April 7, 2025 -The Seattle Regional Final. The meet had Oklahoma Sooners and  Missouri trying to secure a spot in the NCAA finals. This is when Price took to X, posting a video of Elle Mueller from OU and Hannah Horton from Mizzou,  featuring their vault performances. It’s clear in the video itself that Mueller had a clear landing hiccup, while Horton just glided down the Vault. Technically, the scores should be different. But that was not the case!

Gymnastics journalist Caroline Price pointed out and appealed, “One judge gave the same score to these two vaults. Reform is needed…yesterday. ” And fair enough. Muller was awarded 9.900, with a single judge giving her a 9.90. Horton got 9.950 due to her getting a 9.90 by the same judge, too. Similar scores for different executions are quite hard to understand. Price, though, has raised questions, but she has also made sure that no athlete’s skill is targeted. But now, she is being criticized and accused of racist remarks as well. But she hit back at them. What did she say?

“Somehow my post about inconsistencies in judging has now had me called racist against white people for pointing out a scoring discrepancy. That’s a new one!” said Caroline Price on X. Price is a prominent journalist with Forbes who covers Gymnastics & Women’s Sports for the Media Giant. Reactions to her pointing out the inconsistency made some fans call her out. However, some sensible arguments have also come forth.

“Mueller is less clean in the air, but Horton turns super early on the table. Judges get one look and no slow motion, and where judges sit can dictate what they see. One judge over/under scoring by 0.05 on a four-judge panel is not the problem.” This is what a former gymnastics judge said when the Forbes Journalist pointed out some defects with the NCAA scoring system. The scoring system of the NCAA gymnastics has been in controversy this year. But at times, those who voice out against it are criticized, just like this journalist.

Fans have varied opinions on this but this controversy is now new though. Be it 2025, 2024, 2023, or even a year or two before that, you will find one or the other controversy regarding NCAA and the scoring system.

Gymnastics followers and gymnasts have raised concerns over scoring in NCAA gymnastics

Following the criticism in 2024, the rules were changed to make the scoring more stringent and reduce the number of uncalled-for perfect 10s. And it worked out for a while. The 2025 season started, and no one scored a perfect 10 for the first two weeks. But not everyone was happy.

Olivia Dunne pointed out in January how important a perfect 10 is. She said, “People understand what a perfect 10 is and want people who do things that look great to be rewarded.” This was in response to an empty stand during the meet. “Too many deductions taken at a judge’s discretion feels the same as watching a basketball game that’s constantly interrupted with penalties or a football game with flags on every play,” Dunne continued. The social media sensation and LSU Tigers gymnast said that she has had enough people questioning her over this for her to raise her voice.

Then, on April 5, in the University Park Regional Final. Aleah Finnegan stepped on the beam, pulled one butter of a routine, all smooth and chill, and then a perfect landing. Score? 9.95. Next was Konnor McClain. She walked the first pass with a double layout that had the crowd holding their breath. Score? 9.90. This got a major backlash from the fans.

Oklahoma Sooners’ head coach K.J. Kindler, in a post-meet press conference after the Florida Gators meet on February 22, said, “Audrey Davis got the lowest bar score of her entire career today from one of the judges. And she is the best she’s ever been. And she is the national bar champion. And a 9.85 is an injustice. And she has how many over a 9? You have the stats. It’s like 38, no, 57.” Davis has 38 scores above 9.95 and 57 above 9.90, as pointed out by the coach, and yet she received 9.85 for her almost flawless performance. Kindler further said, “From this impeccable human, the best bar swinger in the country, and then she has to, I’ll be honest, she has to weather that emotion because she’s disappointed.”

The scoring system controversy and the NCAA now feel like a never-ending love story tragedy. What do you think about it?