CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The 2025 season of Atlantic Coast Conference Gymnastics begins this weekend with two teams in action, including ACC newcomer California and reigning ACC champion NC State.
California will make its ACC Gymnastics debut on Saturday, January 4, as the Bears travel to Oceanside, California, for the Pacific Coast Challenge. The challenge is a tri-meet with former conference foes Oregon State and UCLA.
The Bears earned their highest preseason national rankings in program history after finishing second in the 2024 NCAA Gymnastics Championships. California claimed the No. 4 spot, in the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Preseason Coaches Poll, earning the highest ranking among ACC members.
Cal returns two standouts in eMjae Frazier, who earned six All-America honors and broke the NCAA scoring record last year and senior Mya Lauzon, who earned seven All-America honors last year. Both were named to the 2024 ACC Preseason Watch List. and Seniors Ella Cesario and Maddie Williams, who competed in all 17 meets last season, also return for the Bears.
The reigning ACC champions NC State host Towson, reigning EAGL champions, on Saturday, January 4, to kick off another season in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Wolfpack is coming off one of the most successful campaigns in program history, claiming both the 2024 conference championship and a fourth-place finish in the 2024 Ann Arbor Regional.
NC State returns Chloe Negrete and Katie Harper, who were named to the 2025 Preseason Watch List. Negrete was named the 2024 ACC Specialist of the Year and was named to the 2024 All-ACC Gymnastics team after claiming the 2024 ACC Championship Individual title in Balance Beam and Floor. Harper was also named to the 2024 All-ACC Gymnastics Team for Bars.
California has been voted the favorite to claim the 2025 Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Gymnastics title following a vote of the league's six head coaches. Stanford came in second, followed by reigning ACC champion NC State in third.
Noting ACC Gymnastics
- Five of the six ACC gymnastics programs were named to the WCGA Preseason Rankings, headlined by Cal at No. 4. Stanford landed at No.15, NC State at No. 25, Clemson at No. 28 and North Carolina at No. 36. Pitt received votes.
- The conference has released the 2025 Preseason Watch List which features 12 gymnasts as nominated by the league’s six gymnastics programs, along with the Newcomer List, featuring one true freshman from each program.
- Cal and Stanford are in their first season in ACC Gymnastics after joining the conference on August 2, 2024. The Golden Bears were the national runners-up at the 2024 NCAA Championships, while Stanford was an NCAA Championships qualifier.
- ACC women's gymnastics will be featured on ACC Network and ESPN throughout the season, including the 2025 ACC Gymnastics Championships on Saturday, March 22, at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina
- The ACC announced in 2021 that women’s gymnastics would become the league’s 28th sponsored sport beginning with the 2023-24 academic year. The ACC previously sponsored a conference championship in women’s gymnastics in 1984.
- NC State comes into the 2025 season off its sixth straight and 33rd overall NCAA appearance. The 2024 Wolfpack squad recorded four scores of 197+ last season, marking the highest scores in program history.
The full preseason coaches poll and watch lists are below:
2025 ACC Gymnastics Preseason Coaches Poll
1. California (34)
2. Stanford (29)
3. NC State (21)
4. Clemson (18)
5. North Carolina (15)
6. Pitt (9)
2025 Preseason Watch List
eMjae Frazier, Cal
Mya Lauzon, Cal
Rebecca Wells, Clemson
Eve Jackson, Clemson
Julia Knower, North Carolina
Lali Dekanoidze, North Carolina
Chloe Negrete, NC State
Katie Harper, NC State
Hallie Copperwheat, Pitt
Jah’Liyah Bedminster, Pitt
Anna Roberts, Stanford
Brenna Neault, Stanford
2025 Newcomer Watch List
Ondine Achampong, Cal
Hannah Clark, Clemson
JoJo Valahovic, North Carolina
Ava Myers, NC State
Meika Lee, Pitt
Ui Soma, Stanford