Beige NCAA womens gymnastics balance beam at regionals

Your Guide to NCAA Women's Gymnastics Regionals

, 7 min reading time

The Road to the Title: 2026 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Regionals

The air is thick with chalk, the arenas are buzzing with anticipation, and the stakes have never been higher. As we move into the first week of April 2026, the elite world of collegiate gymnastics converges for the NCAA Women’s Regionals.

For fans of the "Perfect 10," this is the most stressful and exhilarating weekend of the year. It is the ultimate bottleneck: 36 teams enter, but only eight will punch their tickets to the National Championships in Fort Worth. Whether you’re a die-hard follower of the SEC powerhouses or pulling for a West Coast underdog, the Regionals are where legends are forged and dreams are—sometimes—decided by a single toe-hop.

The Format: How It Works

The NCAA Regional weekend follows a "bracket" style competition across four different campus sites.

  1. Opening Round (Play-In): Two lower-seeded teams compete for a spot in the semi-finals.

  2. Regional Semifinals: Eight teams compete in two sessions (four teams each).

  3. Regional Finals: The top two teams from each semifinal session advance to the final "quad" meet.

  4. The Prize: The top two teams from each Regional Final advance to the NCAA National Championships.

2026 Regional Schedule & Locations

The 2026 Regionals are hosted by four premier programs across the country. Mark your calendars for April 1–5, 2026.

Date Event Host Site Venue Broadcast
April 1–4 Regional Rounds LSU Pete Maravich Center (Baton Rouge, LA) ESPN+
April 1–4 Regional Rounds Arizona State Desert Financial Arena (Tempe, AZ) ESPN+
April 2–5 Regional Rounds Kentucky Memorial Coliseum (Lexington, KY) ESPN+
April 2–5 Regional Rounds Oregon State Gill Coliseum (Corvallis, OR) ESPN+

Note: Competition times usually vary by session (Afternoon vs. Evening). Check the host school’s official athletic site for specific session start times as the dates approach.

Key Storylines to Watch

1. The Home Floor Advantage

Hosting a regional is a massive advantage. LSU and Kentucky are known for their raucous, sell-out crowds. In a sport where "momentum" and "energy" can influence judging optics, competing in front of a home crowd is worth its weight in gold. Watch for the Tigers and Wildcats to use that energy to secure their spots in the Top 2.

2. The Battle for the Second Spot

While the #1 seeds are often favored to advance, the battle for the #2 spot in the Regional Final is usually a bloodbath. With the rise of parity in NCAA gymnastics, teams like Oregon State and Arizona State have proven they can play spoiler to higher-ranked programs if they hit 24-for-24 routines.

3. Individual Trailblazers

Even if a team doesn't advance, the Regionals serve as the qualifying path for individual competitors on Vault, Bars, Beam, and Floor. Keep an eye on the specialists from "unranked" schools who often produce the most emotional moments of the weekend.

Official Resources & Tickets

If you’re planning to witness the gravity-defying action in person or follow the live scores, use the links below:

What’s Next?

The survivors of this grueling weekend will head to Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX, for the National Championships on April 16–18, 2026.

The "Ones to Watch" at Each Regional Site

To help you prep for your watch parties, here is the "Short List" of the stars likely to dominate the four Regional host sites.

These athletes are currently at the top of the national rankings as of February 2026, many of whom have already posted Perfect 10s this season.

Regional Site Key Gymnast School Specialist Event Why Watch?
Baton Rouge (LSU) Kailin Chio LSU All-Around / Vault The reigning NCAA Vault Champion. She has already notched a Perfect 10 on Beam this season and is the engine behind LSU’s #2 national ranking.
Baton Rouge (LSU) Jordan Chiles UCLA All-Around / Floor An Olympic gold medalist in her senior season. She is chasing a "Gym Slam" (Perfect 10s on all 4 events) and has already scored four 10.0s in 2026.
Lexington (UK) Lily Smith Georgia Bars / Floor A "long-lines" stylist reminiscent of Nastia Liukin. She recently earned a Perfect 10 on Floor and is one of the most consistent high-scorers in the SEC.
Lexington (UK) Creslyn Brose Kentucky Floor / Beam Kentucky’s standout sophomore who anchors their most electric lineups. Expect the home crowd to erupt during her high-difficulty floor passes.
Corvallis (OSU) Jade Carey Oregon State Vault / Floor An Olympic floor gold medalist and the face of the Beavers. Her Yurchenko Double-Twist on Vault remains the gold standard for difficulty in college.
Tempe (ASU) Anaya Smith Arizona State Vault One of the most powerful vaulters in the Big 12. Her "stuck" landings are essential for ASU's hopes of an upset at home.

Individual Performance Leaders (Season Highs)

If you are tracking the Perfect 10 Tracker for 2026, these gymnasts are currently leading the nation:

  • Vault: Avery Neff (Utah) and Mackenzie Estep (Oklahoma) — both have already recorded 10.0s this year.

  • Bars: Courtney Blackson (LSU) — a graduate student who has returned from retirement to post massive 9.95+ scores.

  • Beam: Konnor McClain (LSU) — the former U.S. Champion who brings elite-level precision to the 4-inch beam.

  • Floor: Jordan Chiles (UCLA) — currently leads the nation with three Perfect 10s on this event alone in the first five weeks.

Quick Tips for Viewing

  • The "Rotation 4" Drama: If you are watching on ESPN+, keep an eye on the scores during the final rotation. Teams often "back-load" their best performers, meaning the 10.0-potential routines usually happen in the final 10 minutes of the meet.

  • All-Around Race: Keep a tab open for Katelyn Rosen (UCLA) and Makenna Smith (Utah); they are currently the dark horses for the individual All-Around title.

More Gymnastics News:

View All 

View All 

Featured Collection : The Powerhouse

High-Energy and Modern Gymnastics Floor Music custom cut to all competition lengths. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!

More Powerhouse 

More Powerhouse 

Is your floor music almost perfect, but just not "competition-ready"?

Whether your track is too long, the transition feels clunky, or the audio quality isn't hitting the rafters, we’re here to help. At Gymnastics Tracks, you don’t need to be a previous customer to benefit from our expertise. We offer professional gymnastics music editing services for any track, regardless of where you purchased it.

Learn More.

Login

Forgot your password?

Don't have an account yet?
Create account