Unveiling the Imperfections: NCAA Gymnastics Scoring Procedures under Scrutiny
NCAA Women's Gymnastics' perfect scores made a comeback, albeit less frequent than in the previous year. On February 14, 2025, five perfect 10s were awarded in meets that unfolded between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. ET. This occurred after a sluggish start to the season, with only five perfection scores for the first six weeks, contrasting with the 31 tallied through the same period in 2024.
Was the 2025 season heading towards a score-filled future just like 2024? After a moderate beginning, the events of February 14 hinted at a potential reprisal of the 'judging of old.' In 2024, perfect scores had become a common occurrence, with two tens awarded during the inaugural week of college gymnastics and a staggering nine granted in week three. For the remainder of the 12-week regular season, every weekend witnessed at least five perfect scores. Had Friday's scoring spree paved the way for more? Time would tell.
Prolific Performances
Two of the five perfect scores on February 14 came from the Missouri Tigers' “Zou in the Lou” competition. SEC rival No. 14 Alabama fell to the Tigers, while senior Lily Hudson triumphed with a perfect 10 on floor exercises. Hudson's performance combined energetic dance with nearly flawless form and a stuck 2 1/2 twist, making it her third career-perfect score. Becoming one of the few gymnasts to achieve a coveted 'Gym Slam' (perfect scores on every event), Hudson needed a perfect 10 on the uneven bars.
Later in the evening, Missouri's Kennedy Griffin notched her first-ever perfect score on floor exercises to equal Hudson's achievement and become the second perfect score in Missouri's history. Griffin's Beyoncé-inspired routine included sky-high tumbling and engaging dance, which propelled Missouri to setting a floor record.
A Perfect Flurry
Utah's 2021 Olympic silver medalist Grace McCallum notched her first perfect score of the season in a Utah win over Arizona State. No. 2 in the nation on bars, McCallum's 10.0 came after a promising start to the season, scoring 9.9 or higher for six out of her seven attempts. In week seven, she reached the coveted 10.0.
Florida Gators senior Sloane Blakely continued to deliver for her team in her final season, becoming the first Gator to nail a full-twisting double-back in a regular-season meet, earning her second career-perfect 10 on the floor.
Twenty-two-time collegiate all-around champion Leanne Wong posted a 10.0 from one judge and a 9.95 from another on the bars, generating a near-perfect score of 9.975. Some fans felt her routine deserved a perfect score, but judgment skewed slightly. Nevertheless, minutes later, Wong put together another stellar routine on the balance beam, scoring her first perfect 10 of the season, the ninth of her career.
Oklahoma's NCAA champion Faith Torrez owned up to a slight error on the vault, earning her a perfect score from one judge despite a noticeable hop. This sudden wave of imperfect scores followed a debate in the gymnastics community recently, with LSU gymnast and social media influencer Olivia 'Livvy' Dunne voicing frustration with the judging. Criticism called for celebrating athletes who deliver jaw-dropping performances, embodying the essence of what the crowds adore.
Despite the controversy, the sport's popularity and viewership continued to soar, with record-breaking attendance at meets and a vibrant lineup of international stars thanks to NIL policies. Perfection could dictate the audience's attention, providing an intriguing perspective on the sport's future.
[1] source: *"Perfect 10s coming in bunches in SEC" by Alice Goldstuck, 12:00pm PST, 17 February 2025"[2] source: *"Perfect 10s in Short Supply in 2025 NCAA Gymnastics Season" by Alex Remnick, 17 February 2025"[3] source: *"NCAA Gymnastics Rides NIL Wave to New Heights" by Sarah Jacobs, 17 February 2025"
- In the NCAA Women's Gymnastics, Grace McCallum secured a perfect ten on bars, marking her first perfect score of the 2025 season.
- Meanwhile, in the NCAAs, Leanne Wong nearly achieved a perfect ten on bars, earning a near-perfect score of 9.975 due to slightly skewed judgment.
- Leanne Wong, however, made amends by scoring a perfect ten on beam later in the season, her ninth career-perfect score in college gymnastics.
- Despite the occasional imperfect scores, the 2025 NCAA Gymnastics results continue to draw record-breaking attendance and a vibrant lineup of international stars.
- The debates on judging in college gymnastics led by Olivia Dunne, a prominent college gymnast, have called for celebrating jaw-dropping performances that genuinely embody what the crowds adore.
- In addition to McCallum's perfect ten on bars, college gymnasts like Sloane Blakely and Kennedy Griffin also attained perfect scores, contributing to the intriguing prospects of the sport's future.
- The perfect ten gymnastics results in women's college gymnastics and the NCAA, though less frequent, still make for enticing and engaging spectacles for fans of the sport.
