Scoring 39.900 in the all-around of the regular season finale in NCAA is not an easy task. Not only that, this promising young gymnast also added some incredible accolades to her cabinet. For example, the former UCLA Bruins’ star was adjudged as the final Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year. She won the all-around, bars, and the vault in the Pac-12 Championships last year. Thus, with such a commendable performance, a program would surely want to nurture such an asset for the long term. Or is it? 

Well, Selena Harris-Miranda was not that lucky. In what was a shocker, Harris-Miranda was dismissed from the Bruins’ program! And that too, without disclosing the reason for the same! With no other options left, Harris-Miranda was compelled to get into the transfer portal. And while most of the athletes might have broken down, Harris-Miranda’s mental build is a bit stronger. 

Pursuing her dreams of making it big in the gymnastics realm, the former Bruins started sending out mails to different programs. And these included top SEC programs like Oklahoma, LSU, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. Experiencing a completely new side of NCAA gymnastics, Harris-Miranda was thrilled to have the freedom of choice. With the coaches giving her warm and welcoming feedback, it was now upto the gymnast to decide which program she would choose. A choice that she never had before. 

Quite expectedly, Harris-Miranda sounded excited as she narrated the story to ‘Gymnastics Now’. “Hearing everything from all the coaches I was like, ‘Oh, wow!’ It really is my choice,” said the gymnast. She further exclaimed, “I can be picky if I want to, and what I want, what I don’t want. I was asking all the questions.” Much to her delight, Harris-Miranda landed up with the Florida Gators and will now look to make her dreams come true winning the NCAA title. 

However, her ascension to the zenith will not be easy. LSU will be one of the biggest rivals as they will be looking to add to their last year’s golden run. Add to that, Oklahoma has joined the SEC this year too. And one cannot forget Georgia, who will be riding high having acquired Cecile Landi as their assistant head coach. Meanwhile, however, tough might the competition be, Selena Harris-Miranda will look to power through. After all, her dreams of competing in the SEC has finally been fulfilled. 

Selena Harris-Miranda’s dream finally takes shape of reality

Selena Harris-Miranda’s journey to collegiate gymnastics is a testament to unwavering determination and the pursuit of long-held dreams. Despite being the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2022 class, her initial aspirations to compete in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) were met with challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted recruitment processes, limiting her offers to just three schools, UCLA, Utah, and Iowa. 

During that period, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Harris-Miranda wasn’t heavily recruited like many other No. 1 recruits would have been. With no offers from SEC schools, she chose UCLA, influenced by a visit she took at the age of 13. While at UCLA, Harris-Miranda showcased her exceptional talent, becoming a 12-time All-American and earning the title of 2024 Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year. She achieved five perfect 10s during her tenure, four on vault and one on uneven bars, leading the nation in 2024 with three vault 10.0s. Despite these accomplishments, the desire to compete in the SEC remained. 

In May 2024, an unexpected dismissal from UCLA’s gymnastics program led her to enter the transfer portal, reigniting her pursuit of her once-unfulfilled dream. And this time, top SEC programs, including Florida, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Oklahoma, expressed interest. Ultimately, Harris-Miranda joined the University of Florida, fulfilling her aspiration to compete in the SEC. As a Gator, she continues to shine, bringing her expertise and passion to the team.