Jordan Chiles’ journey from the NCAA gymnastics floor to the Olympic podium has been nothing short of extraordinary. After securing team gold at the Olympics, fans eagerly anticipated her individual triumph. While she initially claimed the bronze medal, a subsequent Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling awarded it to her Romanian counterpart, Ana Barbosu, marking a bittersweet chapter in her career.

Despite this setback, Chiles has made a decisive choice about her future: she’s heading back to NCAA gymnastics with a clear vision for success. With the 2025 season fast approaching, Chiles is ready to bring her elite experience and determination back to UCLA. Teaming up with the Bruins, she aims to reclaim their dominance and challenge powerhouse programs like LSU for supremacy.

Jordan Chiles is all set to bring Natties home

The 23-year-old star temporarily put her studies and NCAA career on hold after the 2023 season to pursue her Olympic dreams. Her focus on the 2024 Paris Olympics paid off, culminating in a team gold medal on the sport’s grandest stage. Now, with her Olympic journey complete, Chiles is eagerly turning her attention back to NCAA gymnastics for the 2025 season, with a clear goal in mind: to finish what she started.

During a post-meet media interaction with UCLA gymnastics, Chiles opened up about her decision to return to collegiate competition. When asked why she chose to come back after achieving Olympic glory, she explained, “Because UCLA is always going to be in my blood; it’s always going to be in my veins, and I knew I had some things to finish here.”

Talking about her potential, she further added, “I didn’t want to leave UCLA knowing that I only went for a year, got two NCAA titles, you know, or two years, got in two NCAA titles, Pac-12 champ. I felt like I could give more, and I felt like that knowing that I could help the team bring home natties.”

Chiles clearly has her sights set on more championships and a legacy of excellence as she prepares for the 2025 NCAA gymnastics season. For Chiles, it’s not just about returning to UCLA—it’s about building on her already remarkable career and helping the Bruins bring home a national championship, or as she ambitiously puts it, multiple championships.

In a candid moment, Chiles emphasized the collective drive of the UCLA team, saying, “Everybody who stayed—no, for real, everybody who stayed—wants a Natty. Everybody, you know, who had the ability to kind of, you know, take their turns on whatever it may be in their life, they stayed, and because they want a Natty. So why not come back and help them bring home not just one, but two—yeah, three, four, or however many it is?”

With an impressive track record that includes two NCAA golds, one silver, and two Pac-12 titles during her tenure with the Bruins, Chiles is no stranger to success. However, she remains hungry for more, driven by the strong camaraderie and unyielding spirit of UCLA gymnastics. Chiles also reflected on what UCLA means to her and why she chose to return, “Because UCLA, again, it’s the vibes, it’s the high energy, and gymnastics isn’t always going to be with me. So I’d rather put it to the best ability that I can and see where my career takes me.”

Acknowledging that her time in gymnastics is finite, the Olympic gold medalist is determined to make the most of every moment while embracing the unparalleled energy and opportunities at UCLA. But, will it be easy to win the 2025 NCAA season?

Chiles and UCLA have to work hard to dethrone LSU

To win titles in the NCAA Championships 2025 season, Chiles and the UCLA team will have to dethrone Louisiana State University (LSU). During the 2023–24 NCAA season, Olivia Dunne competed in eight routines on floor exercise and matched her career high of 9.9 twice. At the NCAA Championships, the LSU Tigers won their first national championship title in program history. With that said, LSU will give a tough fight in the 2025 season as well.

Chiles’ return to NCAA gymnastics has ignited conversations not only about her remarkable athletic talent but also about the unfinished legacy she left behind at UCLA. While she and Livvy Dunne support each other off the mat, the competition between the two on the floor is bound to be intense, as both are fierce athletes in their own right.

Dunne has made a name for herself both as an elite gymnast and as a dominant force in the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) arena. With an impressive $4.2 million in NIL earnings, she ranks number one in the women’s category. Meanwhile, Chiles, while trailing behind in NIL earnings, has still made significant strides, helping increase the UCLA women’s gymnastics program’s revenue by $3.2 million this year.

As she sets her sights on adding to her already illustrious career, including a potential 2024 Olympic medal, Chiles remains focused on helping UCLA reach new heights. Currently, she is still fighting for her rightful medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics, as she appeals to the Swiss Supreme Court, a testament to her unyielding pursuit of success. With all eyes on her and the UCLA team, Jordan Chiles is determined to leave her mark. Do you think she will be successful? Drop your predictions in the comment section below!