Every collegiate gymnastics program has concocted a formula for success. More than the dedicated coaches and the state-of-the-art facilities, it is the individual talent of the gymnastic stars that leads to a paradigm-shifting performance on the mat. A gymnastics program that has enjoyed a hyperbolic ascent in recent days is due to exceptional athletes who have consistently pushed the boundaries of their sport. 

Olympians Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey are prime examples of this multi-faceted success. Chiles has elevated UCLA to new heights, while Jade Carey has exalted Oregon State Athletics with her dominance in the floor exercise. Similarly, LSU’s Olivia Dunne has brought untold success, recently calling 13,000 fans to attend their NCAA championship appearance. Shockingly, a polling authority overlooked their outstanding contributions, denying their alma mater one of the sport’s highest accolades. Here’s what happened. 

Arizona earns Coaches Award despite Olivia Dunne’s fame

The Gymnastics Assoc CollegeTeams announced the results of the coaches’ poll on their Instagram page. Olivia Dunne, who has reestablished NIL appeal in college gymnastics, could not act as LSU’s guardian angel. The voters overlooked her fame and voted for Arizona instead. The posts accompanied the caption, “GymACT Releases 2024 Pre-Season Coaches Poll”. The first picture was a standard image of the poll, which required a swipe to get at the results. In an almost zany approach, Gym Act declared Arizona as the winner of the 2024 Coaches Award. This was a repeat victory for the university after two of their athletes won similar recommendations in 2023. 

While no one would doubt the talent and worthiness of Emma Strom and Caroline Herry, many wondered if Olivia Dunne, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey made the cut. Now, their respective alma maters were scrolled over once again while other universities were raised for recognition. Washington and Minnesota were tied for the second position, Temple took the fourth, and Texas took the fifth position of honor on the winner’s list. The success of Arizona comes on the heels of a major achievement. 

Arizona’s mission to save men’s gymnastics

If considered from a retrospective lens, every university gymnastics program worth its salt would be represented by a legendary female gymnast. However, there are male counterparts to these athletes whose achievements are almost always neglected. Therefore, Arizona’s head coach, John Court, chose to breathe new life into men’s gymnastics. Amidst budget cuts, which reduced the number of NCAA men’s gymnastics teams from 270 to 16, Court has stayed by his men athletes. 

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Now, he can finally rest easy knowing that the men’s gymnastics team at Arizona has earned the coaches’ approval. In contrast, disappointment rippled through fans when Jordan Chiles, Olivia Dunne, and Jade Carey’s alma maters did not even make the top-10 list. 

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