The crowd chants, “M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A.”
The Minnesota Gophers. Rows of bright yellow wigs and striped maroon and gold overalls took over the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. The College Gymnastics National Championship on April 18 was raging with energy for the 13th - ranked national team — the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Gymnastics team.
The flames shoot up as the gymnasts run onto the floor, and excitement radiates from the stands and onto the athletes. After months of tracking and watching every gymnastics team from the comfort of my couch, my heart was racing in preparation to actually see the teams I know so much about in real time.
The atmosphere to watch Louisiana State University, University of Oklahoma, University of Florida and University of Minnesota compete for a national title was much more exciting than my brother usually begging me to change the channel.
Even through program closures, the engaging routines and elite-level athletes make gymnastics the best pastime.
From January to April, a double-sided whiteboard on wheels stands in the entrance of my room. A colorful six-by-eight grid tracks the team’s overall score for each meet. Then I navigate to virtuis.com to find the All-Around winner — the individual gymnast with the highest scores through all four events.
Every Friday, before the meet starts, I update the overall school ranking, which is calculated by NQS — essentially an average of team scores.
Looking closer at my board, you would see Iowa State University’s meets all scratched out. Leaving West Virginia and many teams without an opponent.
According to ISU athletics, the Athletic Director called off their season after only four meets on Feb. 7, — what about the athletes and their eligibility? The next few days, my Instagram feed was filled with ISU gymnasts and alums raging about the situation.
ISU hadn’t secured the gymnast’s eligibility — this four - meet season would take away a full year of athletics for the athlete. ISU gymnasts such as Haylee Hardin would definitely be able to qualify individually for postseason competitions such as regionals and nationals. It was safe to say the athletes and I were upset. Shortly after, the community was hit with another setback from ISU, as the school dismantled its gymnastics program as a whole.
This is not a lone scenario; it falls seamlessly into the pattern of discontinuing gymnastics programs. At the high school level, KSHSAA discontinued the Gymnastics program shortly after the Sunflower League shut the sport down. All the reports cited “lack of interest”and varying issues.
I just refuse to believe this is true.
While preferring to watch Friday Night Heights on ESPN 2 may not be the most common hobby for a high schooler, it's more common than one would assume. Most of my friends don't watch it as intensely as I do, but they'd still be interested if it were playing in the background.
Over spring break, I went to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to watch the SEC Championship. The crowded event center was filled with fans of the sport, not just people who came for a good time.
And while programs are shutting down, others are rising. Michigan State completely surpassed its attendance record, requiring it to move into the Basketball Arena for their Home Opener, according to the Sports Business Journal.
Olympians such as Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and alternates Joseclyn Roberson and Leanne Wong have made their mark on the collegiate stage, bringing in more fans and entertainment to the sport.
LSU gymnastics had an average attendance of 12,389 fans in the 2026 season, surpassing baseball with an average of 11,186 fans in 2025, according to LSU sports. Maybe baseball isn’t America's pastime?
I love being able to sit down and watch any meet on YouTube TV and not pay for 100 streaming services. ESPN will get you access to all the must watch meets. The Sprouts Collegiate Quad is a marquee meet and you can join the 800,000 viewers in 2026 for next year's showdown.
Whether you're in Minneapolis or Athens, Georgia, you can expect the gymnasts to get you on your feet in the middle of their routine. The signature Georgia Gymdogs moon walk, and University of California, Los Angeles Tina Turner and Britney Spears routines never disappoint.
Next time you're at a college, check the gymnastics schedule — a $20 ticket can bring you excellent entertainment to an otherwise boring weekend.
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