also, i guess yay for the returning 5th years? Can't get all that excited--I like it better when teams have to learn to do without their previous stars.
Just projecting my personal thoughts on all the eligible athletes for 5th years (in other words, if it was me), why the heck would you not take an opportunity to stay in a sport for one more year that you have been intimately involved with for probably 13+ years? The only reasons I could see someone not:
1. Injury
2. Burned out or dislike of program/staff and too much effort to transfer for one year
3. An opportunity to start your next phase of life that you cannot delay or is too good to delay
I mean even if you are never going to see the line-ups or rarely see the line-ups, its kinda a bonus year that you get to go out on your terms in a way.
For some it's definitely injury, but a few others it has to do with their intended major. Some are too intensive to manage sports too, especially med school. With how long that takes to do, how long do they really want to put it off?
This post was updated June 5 at 9:47 p.m. The 2025 UCLA gymnastics roster will host some of the biggest names in the sport – Olympians Emma Malabuyo, Brooklyn Moors and potentially Jordan Chiles.