Why NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Suddenly Looks Like the Olympics

ESPN Daily

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4.6 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 14 April 2022

⏱️ 35 minutes

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Summary

The NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships begin today in Fort Worth, but you’d be forgiven if you mistook it for the Tokyo Olympics this past summer. That’s because no sport has been transformed by the Name, Image and Likeness revolution across college athletics as much as Women’s Gymnastics. Previously, Olympic stars like Tokyo All-Around Gold Medalist Suni Lee had to choose between cashing in on the lucrative endorsement deals that come with Olympic success, or competing in college. Now, under NIL, that is no longer an issue, meaning Lee will compete for an NCAA title this weekend as a freshman at Auburn. And Lee is not alone. Fellow US Olympians Jade Carey (Oregon St.), Jordan Chiles (UCLA), and Grace McCallum (Utah) will all be competing in Fort Worth, in what is shaping up to be perhaps the most competitive NCAA championships ever. Alyssa Roenigk breaks down how the sport is being transformed, as well as the names and teams you need to know before this weekend’s championship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Alyssa, I understand that this year's college gymnastics season has been unprecedented.
0:05.0	In many ways, is there a particular moment that demonstrates to you just how unique it's
0:10.4	been?
0:11.6	So in February 4th at a UCLA Utah meet.
0:14.9	Remember that silver medal winning team for USA in Tokyo?
0:18.3	Grace McCallum, one of our four Olympians at the Tokyo Olympics, who is competing for
0:24.0	Utah, takes to the bars and very quickly you can feel something exciting is happening.
0:38.0	She sticks her dismount and we learn that she earns her first perfect 10 of her collegiate
0:44.9	career.
0:45.9	Grace McCallum got a perfect 10 to start off this competition.
0:50.4	And as her score is being shown to the crowd, her Olympic teammate Jordan Childs, who
0:56.4	competes for UCLA, is stepping onto the floor.
1:01.1	She walks out with sass and attitude.
1:04.8	Her music is Toulizzo and Doja Cadd and Normani.
1:10.8	And her opening pass is a just sky high gorgeous double lay out.
1:16.0	And it's a big tumbling Sam double lay out to open this routine.
1:20.0	Her body is extended.
1:21.6	She does two full rotations in a laid out or extended straight leg position.
1:30.2	The entire routine is flawless.
1:32.0	She sticks every pass.
1:33.0	I think she's going to fit right into N.
1:35.8	Share Gymnastics.
	...

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