UCLA showed up at Dickies Arena with more than glitter on their leotards. They came with fire in their eyes and history on their backs. Chasing what would be a record-extending eighth NCAA gymnastics title, the Bruins were fighting ghosts, expectations, and every hundredth of a point that dared to get in the way. And honestly? It didn’t start easily. Just days earlier, UCLA had clawed through a brutally tight regional. Second place behind Utah, sure—but it was the meet that reminded you how unforgiving this sport can be. Brooklyn Moors was her usual self with a 9.950 on floor. Mika Webster-Longin delivered the vault of her life. Jordan Chiles? She was her usual powerhouse self, steady under pressure. That was about Regionals! But how did UCLA go in nationals? Well, let’s find out.

UCLA reached its eighth NCAA gymnastics finals, and they did it in style. While UCLA head coach Janelle McDonald stood for her post-meet interview, the camera couldn’t help but pan to what was unfolding behind her. There was Jordan Chiles, an Olympian, overcome with emotion, crying into her teammates’ arms. It wasn’t sadness. It was the weight of the moment finally sinking in. After all, this wasn’t just another meet, and it had taken everything.

UCLA’s semifinal score of 197.7375 narrowly placed them behind Utah (197.7625), yet importantly ahead of LSU (197.5250). And this run was enough to make the Bruins emotional. “You know, this team was so close. It was like every little single tenth mattered,” McDonald said, visibly holding back her own emotions. “They knew they finished positions throughout the season, and they knew that they had the ability to just lock in and get it done.”

And that’s exactly what they did. UCLA closed on the beam—an event that, all season, had quietly become their stronghold. Emma Malabuyo nailed a stunning 9.9750 to seal their place in the finals. “Beam has actually been a really good event for us,” McDonald said. “They just leaned into the confidence they built throughout the season. They just went up there and attacked it like they know how to.”

The semifinal had been brutal. Less than two-tenths separated all four teams heading into the final rotation. LSU, the top seed and defending champion, was making a push. Utah looked strong. But the Bruins? They didn’t flinch.

Brooklyn Moors’ fire on floor to Mika Webster-Longin’s vault of a lifetime and Chiles’ 9.9750 on bars—it was a team moment stitched together by individual brilliance. “They showed up, worked hard for this moment,” McDonald added. “I’m so proud. One more to go. The job’s not done.”

And that’s just a page out of the history they wrote a few hours ago.

Jordan Chiles takes the uneven bars title

Honestly, it felt like a movie moment. As Jordan Chiles nailed her dismount on the uneven bars, she let out a scream that echoed through Dickies Arena. Tears welled up as she hugged her teammates, her eyes locking with the scoreboard. 9.975. Another NCAA title. Another moment where the Olympic gold medalist showed the world what she’s made of.

“I might cry again,” she told ESPN, grinning through the emotion. “I believed in this team from the very beginning. There’s so much pride, so much joy, so much fun in the atmosphere. I knew this was our year.”

It wasn’t just her night; it was UCLA’s too. With the pressure on and the beam looming, the Bruins delivered. Brooklyn Moors, the Canadian grad student, also had her moment, owning the floor with a 9.9625 to pick up her first NCAA title. Honestly, it was a meet for the ages. And when it counted most, Chiles showed up.