Head coach Janelle McDonald couldn’t help but eavesdrop when she heard people talking about her UCLA gymnastics team near the student store, where she was picking up lunch earlier this week.
“I was hearing people actually talk about our meet, not knowing that I was standing right there,” McDonald told reporters with a smile. “Little moments like that, it feels really special just having so much support coming from the Bruin family.”
The team is feeling the love from its peers and beyond. No. 6 UCLA gymnastics (6-2 overall, 3-0 Big Ten), thanks to a massive performance from its floor lineup, is back in the national spotlight ahead of its meet at Washington (1-5, 0-3) on Friday.
The meet of interest at the student store was the Bruins’ most recent victory – 197.300-197.200 over No. 5 Michigan State. McDonald has also received congratulatory feedback from coaches and administrators and the 10,681 fans packed Pauley Pavilion on Saturday, spilling over into the upper bowl of the arena.
On top of that, 761,000 viewers tuned in to watch the meet on FOX, according to data from the Big Ten Conference. It was the first time the network had aired an NCAA women’s gymnastics meet.
“We were really hyped for this week,” Brooklyn Moors said after the meet. “We knew that there was going to be a Pauley party and we were really using that energy. Sometimes at this point in the season, the first few weeks of the season are over so we get a little tired, but using that energy today was absolutely incredible.”
It was the floor exercise that truly made the meet memorable and allowed UCLA to pull away from the Spartans. The Bruins were losing heading into the final rotation, but all six gymnasts scored a 9.875 or better to secure the necessary points.
Jordan Chiles scored a 10 while Moors and Chae Campbell each earned a 10 from one judge, which has the duo itching for a perfect score more than ever but also gives McDonald confidence in the lineup.
“The legacy and the tradition of that event in particular at UCLA is really special,” McDonald said. “And it’s something in our culture that every single year we’re going to be fighting to perform. To see the athletes that we have competing doing just that is inspiring and I know it’s something that all of us are really, really proud of.”
UCLA is the top-ranked floor team in the nation after recording a 49.800 team score against Michigan State.
Moors is the country’s No. 1 floor performer with an average score of 9.935. Chiles, who ranks third at 9.930 in a tie with Oklahoma’s Faith Torrez, is the only NCAA gymnast to receive a 10 in the event this season, and she did so while battling illness.
The Bruins close out every home meet on floor, but the event will be the second-to-last rotation for them in Washington. McDonald said her team is able to channel their “floor party” energy either way.
“It doesn’t matter if we’re in Pauley or if we’re on the road,” she said. “We want to put on a show and entertain the people that have come to the meet to watch and really showcase their individual personalities and the preparation they’ve done to be able to compete at a high level.”
While floor scores have been soaring, uneven bars is the event that UCLA has struggled with the most. Scores have dipped lower in both of the previous two meets and a season-low 49.00 against Michigan State put the Bruins in a precarious position.
McDonald has broken down routines into individual goals this week to help the gymnasts build up their individual scores.
“We made some goals that were things within their control,” McDonald said. “They’re not score goals, they’re really specific. Things like 90% of cast handstands hit or five out of seven stuck dismounts, things like that. And we did it on each event because those are things that they can work for.”
Being at Washington could serve as a source of motivation as well. McDonald is from the Seattle area and assistant coach/floor choreographer BJ Das competed for Washington in college gymnastics.
Freshman Macy McGowan also calls Seattle home and Chiles is from Vancouver, Washington.
“To be able to go back home per se and compete in front of our family and friends, it’s just going to add a little bit more special feelings to the competition,” McDonald said. “We’re excited to get up there and excited to just really make the most of it knowing that we have a lot of loved ones in the audience cheering us on.”
No. 6 UCLA (6-2, 3-0) at WASHINGTON (1-5, 0-3)
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Alaska Airlines Arena, Seattle
TV: B1G+