NCAA 2026 Transfer Portal

[Hatsumomo]

What was interesting is that she says she’s not competing elite this year

That's probably for the best. Jade's return makes her redundant and with the way she rides the line of injury with her landings, she shouldn't be trying to do elite alongside NCAA.

 

[RichardL]

I can't believe we're still talking about the feasibility of a Roberson elite return mattering at all for future team composition. She's a lovely young woman but that ship has sailed.

 

[hmmmm]

I can't believe we're still talking about the feasibility of a Roberson elite return mattering at all for future team composition. She's a lovely young woman but that ship has sailed.

Yes.... but injuries do happen.

 

[Hatsumomo]

I mean, if it weren't for the fact that (on paper) Hezly had usable UB/BB, we would've been saying "Joscelyn Roberson, Olympic champion" thanks to the injury conga line at Trials.

 

[KristyJ]

I think Leanne Wong would've gotten that next spot, honestly

 

[makam]

I think Leanne Wong would've gotten that next spot, honestly

Yeah, I think Leanne was next up choice if Hezly went down. Maybe even any of the other 4 too. At trials, Josc outscored Leanne on FX and BB but Leanne was outscoring her on bars (duh) and vault (by a little) even though Josc was being sold as a mini Simone/Jade. But domestically it was basically a wash between the 5-7 spots; internationally, I'd bet on Leanne's scores holding up better.

 

[blake]

Amalia Ghigoarță just switched her commitment to Nebraska. I saw rumors on Reddit that Lilia Cosman is also in the portal.

This off-season for MSU seems similar to what happened for Cal after the Howells left and their top athletes graduated or transferred. It will be hard to replace the scoring potential of Nikki Smith, Sage Kellerman, and Olivia Zsarmani. June 15th is not far off. Hopefully MSU can find new ACs soon.

 

[irichluck21]

Sucks for Michigan State because they were on such an upward trajectory.

 

[cftmoonlight79]

Hopefully MSU can pull some transfers as well

 

[MaryClare]

 

[RedBirdie]

I think every recruit in that class de-committed from Auburn. Oof.

 

[RedBirdie]

Inside Gymnastics has a whole piece on Roberson transferring. But this popped out at me (bold emphasis is mine):

When Roberson moved to Arkansas for college in the fall of 2024, she started to lose a part of herself. She lost the version of herself that was a social butterfly, always having an activity to keep her busy and enjoying life even on her most difficult days in the gym. Most importantly, she began to lose her happiness.

“I’m the most social human being you’ll ever meet,” Roberson said. “I love going out, meeting people, and here I changed and I became someone who was always at home and I hate that.”

At the beginning of the 2026 season, Roberson sat down and really thought about her experience at Arkansas. She loved her coaches, the school, and bonding as a team, but was not feeling like Joscelyn. She told herself that she was just being dramatic when she considered transferring and that there was no reason to leave Fayetteville. She instantly finds joy in the gym, her love for her sport outweighs any negative feelings, but how did she feel when she was not flipping? Eventually, she came to the conclusion that her happiness was of utmost importance.

“I just wasn’t happy here, so I decided I have to tell them I’m gonna leave, because my happiness is worth more than anything else. That was the biggest reason I decided to transfer, and that’s why everybody’s freaking out saying, ‘Oh, you were going to Georgia from the jump, but I really wasn’t. I really wasn’t, because while I love Cécile[Landi] and Laurent [Landi], and they’re awesome and amazing, and I can’t wait to be coached by them again, they were not the deciding factor for me to transfer. The deciding factor was I wasn’t happy here, and I wanted to go somewhere where I felt like I would be happy.”

There's some other interesting tidbits, like she backed out of a visit to LSU because she felt they wouldn't provide the support she needs for elite. She's hedging about competing elite this season.

Joscelyn Roberson Opens Up About Her Transfer to Georgia

Following the NCAA Championships, Roberson entered the transfer portal. The news came just prior to Razorback head coach Jordyn Wieber announcing that she would step down from her position. “My decision comes from a place of love for all of you and respect for the University of Arkansas. Getting to

www.insidegymnastics.com

 

[irichluck21]

Roberson is taking a different approach to the 2026 Elite season. She plans to take the year off from competing, while letting multiple small injuries heal, including an injury sustained during podium training at the NCAA Championships in April. A trip during her leap series caused her to compete with two bruised metatarsals.

Smart of her to take this year off and get healthy.

 

[MaryClare]

I’m a little confused. She says she loved the school, her coaches and the team but didn’t feel herself? So what was the issue?

 

[Seyonne]

Doesn’t sound like she knows what she wants. I think she was unhappy and just needed to upend everything. Maybe the reset will do her good.

 

[Hatsumomo]

If her attending Arkansas was indeed at the direction of her father, I suppose her transferring elsewhere is her taking some power back in her life?

 

[Aizheng]

I’m a little confused. She says she loved the school, her coaches and the team but didn’t feel herself? So what was the issue?

To me, it really sounded like she did not find a social group to hang with. Maybe she expected to become best friends with her team mates, but it did not happen and she did not manage to find another friend group to have a good social life. I can imagine that even if you like your team (and what is she gonna say, I hated my team), she was very different in terms of prior experiences etc. from everyone on the Arkansas team.
As an athlete who’s also spending time training elite on the side, I expect this loneliness would have only intensified, because she probably could not easily sign up for other activities that tend to allow you in college to make friends (since she would have training and/or meets when they are happening).
I do think that the team probably was not all roses, considering how many are in the portal, but I don’t think it needs to be a “they all hate each other” situation. Maybe they just did not click…

 

[irichluck21]

It's all coincidence that Jordyn leaves coaching, Laurent gets hired at UGA, and Roberson enters the transfer portal.

 

[IratePanda]

To me, it really sounded like she did not find a social group to hang with. Maybe she expected to become best friends with her team mates, but it did not happen and she did not manage to find another friend group to have a good social life. I can imagine that even if you like your team (and what is she gonna say, I hated my team), she was very different in terms of prior experiences etc. from everyone on the Arkansas team.
As an athlete who’s also spending time training elite on the side, I expect this loneliness would have only intensified, because she probably could not easily sign up for other activities that tend to allow you in college to make friends (since she would have training and/or meets when they are happening).
I do think that the team probably was not all roses, considering how many are in the portal, but I don’t think it needs to be a “they all hate each other” situation. Maybe they just did not click…

Yes. When I was in college, I remember feeling lonely even when I was surrounded by people. The problem was that they weren't my people. I didn't transfer, but it took a good two years to find my niche.

Even so, like @irichluck21 , I find the timing oddly coincidental.

 

[Aizheng]

It's all coincidence that Jordyn leaves coaching, Laurent gets hired at UGA, and Roberson enters the transfer portal.

The thing that makes this weird to me is that she was in the portal before any of the other things had been announced. I find it highly unlikely that Jordyn would have given Josc a heads-up specifically before sharing it with the administration.

Now, does that mean Josc had no idea of some of these changes being a possibility when she entered the portal? Not necessarily.
I assume that Jordyn has been less in the gym in the last year, given she was on mat leave for a while, and there could definitely have been a rumor or impression going around that she was less happy and might not stick around.

And of course, when Josc committed, staying with her elite coaches in college did not seem possible, since it was before Cecile joined UGA, so maybe she also thought about possibly joining Cecile.

I do think the coaches had a big impact on where she’s transferring (in the video, she specifically stated that the coaches at UGA were not the deciding factor for her to enter the portal, not where she’s going).

I’m just wondering what the purpose of her actively lying would be if she was. Why would she not just say “for personal reasons that I dont feel comfortable sharing” instead of actively lying and coming out with a relatively elaborate story.