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CORVALLIS, OREGON - APRIL 3: An Alabama gymnast chalks up before a bar routine during an NCAA regional semifinal gymnastics meet at Gill Coliseum on April 3, 2026 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)
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NCAA Gymnastics’ 'Sweet Sixteen’ is official. After twelve weeks of regular-season competition and two rounds of postseason play, the final sixteen teams will face off this weekend in four high-stakes regional finals.
Thursday and Friday’s regional semifinals saw everything: razor-thin finishes, perfect scores, and postseason heroics, but only sixteen teams escaped to flip another day.
In the Regional Finals held March 4 and 5, the 16 remaining programs battle to determine the ‘Elite Eight.’ Only the top two teams from each regional final will advance to the NCAA Gymnastics Championships later this month in Fort Worth, Texas.
The good news? Scores do not carry over from this week’s semifinals, equipping all 16 teams with a clean slate.
With seasons and championship hopes on the line, here’s who’s in the fight:
Baton Rouge Regional
Regional Final: Saturday, April 4 at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+
Qualifiers: No. 2 LSU, No. 7 Stanford, No. 10 Michigan, No. 15 Clemson
No. 7 Stanford and No. 10 Michigan were the first two teams to advance to a regional semifinal this week. The Cardinal and Wolverines finished one-and-two in Thursday’s afternoon sessions in Baton Rouge, eliminating No. 22 North Carolina and Utah State University.
Later that day, the No. 2 LSU Tigers cruised to the top spot in the evening semifinal, posting a program-record 198.375 behind two perfect 10.0s from star sophomore Kailin Chio. The 2024 National Champions look ready to fight for the program’s second national title in three years.
LSU will be joined by fellow tigers from Clemson University in Saturday’s regional final. No. 15 Clemson added to its historic season on Thursday, finishing second to secure the team’s first regional final appearance. Together, the two Tiger-programs eliminated No. 17 Auburn and Nebraska.
The program’s first Sweet Sixteen appearance comes on the heels of its first ACC Championship and NCAA All-American honor (Brie Clark).
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Tempe Regional
Regional Final: Saturday, April 4 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+
Qualifiers: No. 3 Florida, No. 6 Georgia, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 16 California
The Big Ten Runner-Up Michigan State Spartans upset the No. 6 Georgia Bulldogs to secure the top spot in the afternoon regional semifinal held in Tempe, Arizona. After a season of inconsistency, the Green and White put forward one of their more consistent efforts and remain a contender for the ‘Elite Eight.’
Though the Georgia Bulldogs lost to Michigan State on Thursday, they defeated No. 24 BYU and Southern Utah University to qualify for their first Regional Final since 2023. Led by Cécile Canqueteau-Landi – Simone Biles’ former coach – the Gymdogs are hungry for more this weekend.
No. 3 Florida and No. 16 California will join the Spartans and Bulldogs in Saturday’s regional final. Florida enters Saturday’s competition on a hot streak, headlined by four consecutive scores of 198+ and their electric SEC Championship win over No. 1 Oklahoma. Sans-surprise, the Gators are the runaway favorites to win in Tempe.
California enters the final after edging out No. 20 Penn State and Arizona State to qualify behind the Gators. The Golden Bears finished as national runner-up in 2024 and hope to return to Fort Worth after missing the stage in 2025.
Lexington Regional
Regional Final: Sunday, April 5 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+
Qualifiers: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 8 Missouri, No. 9 Arkansas, No. 18 Ohio State
The Arkansas Razorbacks and Missouri Tigers were neck-and-neck in the national rankings, and that battle continued Friday afternoon in Lexington, Kentucky. Though the lead changed throughout the meet, the No. 9 Razorbacks prevailed with a 197.175, securing the first berth to Sunday’s regional final.
Missouri finished second with a 196.875, eliminating Maryland and No. 21 North Carolina State, who placed third and fourth, respectively. The Tigers finished an historic third-place at the 2025 NCAA Championships, but will need to hold off the surging Razorbacks once more to continue their season.
In Lexington’s evening session, defending NCAA Champions and No. 1 seed Oklahoma delivered winning style, dominating the field with a 197.875. Led by famed coach K.J. Kindler, the program seeks its eighth national title.
While the Sooners surged to first, the battle for second place was fierce, with Rutgers – NCAA Gymnastics’ unofficial 'Cinderella team’ – pushing No. 16 Kentucky and No. 18 Ohio State from the first vault to the final landing.
Though the Buckeyes started slowly on Friday, a season-high vault score catapulted Ohio State ahead of the Scarlet Knights and Wildcats. The Buckeyes tallied three-straight scores of 9.95 and four-consecutive stuck landings. Though they enter Sunday as a heavy underdog, the team has the talent to contend.
Corvallis Regional
Regional Final: Sunday, April 5 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+
Qualifiers: No. 4 UCLA, No. 5 Alabama, No. 12 Utah, No. 13 Minnesota
The Corvallis, Oregon regional is perhaps the most brutal of the four, and Sunday’s final will be no exception.
No. 12 Utah and No. 5 Alabama were the first to advance to the final on Friday. Although the Utah Red Rocks are only the third-highest-ranked team in Corvallis, they have the potential to finish on top.
After early-season struggles marred their national ranking, the team entered the postseason heavily underestimated and increasingly dangerous. Thus, the Red Rocks defeated No. 5 Alabama by .225 in Friday’s semifinal, eliminating No. 25 Oregon State and No. 23 Denver in the process.
The Crimson Tide had the opposite trajectory in 2026, starting strong and sputtering toward the end of the season. Though they managed to qualify for Sunday’s final, they will need to bring their best to finish in the top two.
The UCLA Bruins will be a tough opponent for the Utes and Crimson Tide. The Bruins won their second-straight Big Ten Championship in March and clinched their respective semifinal on Friday. Led by Jordan Chiles and a handful of star underclassmen, the Bruins seek to improve on their NCAA Runner-Up performance from 2025.
Though Utah, Alabama, and UCLA are the heavy-hitters in Sunday’s final, No. 13 Minnesota is also a formidable threat. The Golden Gophers overcame uncharacteristic errors on Friday to clinch the second spot, defeating No. 19 Iowa and Washington.
Led by Big Ten freshman of the year Arianna Ostrum and a nationally ranked beam team, the Gophers seek their first NCAA Championship appearance since 2022.
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This article was originally published on Forbes.com
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