OCEANSIDE — UCLA gymnastics historically boasts Olympians. Jordan Chiles, who returned from Paris with a gold medal, headlines a 2025 roster after her international success. But one must not forget about Brooklyn Moors.
The Canadian Olympian, who competed at the Tokyo Games, has lurked in the background, waiting her turn to take center stage after battling injuries during her career in Westwood.
“This is the best I’ve ever felt,” Moors said.
For the first time since February 2022, the graduate student competed in three events Saturday — beam, floor exercise and vault — showcasing her versatility to lead UCLA gymnastics to a third-place score of 195.250 at the American Gold Women’s Gymnastics Classic at Frontwave Arena.
“I never thought I would be doing more than floor,” said Moors, who picked up her training on beam and vault during the fall preseason. “Elite [gymnastics] was not very kind on my body. So being able to come in here and do three events is such a big thing for me.”
California, which finished second in the 2024 NCAA tournament, was first at 196.275 and Oregon State was second with a 195.775. All three programs scored below their season-opening totals from a year ago, and UCLA’s final team score was its lowest since January 2022.
Moors, who outside of one meet only performed floor routines for the Bruins a year ago, competed on beam for only the second time in three years. She landed a front-tuck full dismount, much to the delight of her cheering teammates, earning a score of 9.825. The Bruins posted a score of 49.050 on the event.
Back on her specialization, Moors waltzed through her floor routine based on Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games,” nailing her acrobatic series to tally a 9.900, tied for best on the day before closing with her season debut on vault. UCLA only scored above 49 on beam and floor. Chiles was impressed by Moors’ performance.
“Coming out here being a grad student, and adding events to something that you know you always want to be able to enjoy,” Chiles said, “and having this ability to dominate and do what you need to do is amazing.”
UCLA gymnast Jordan Chiles performs her floor exercise routine on Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
UCLA gymnast Jordan Chiles celebrates after her uneven bars routine on Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Freshman Macy McGowan, in her debut, notched two 9.8-plus scores on beam and vault — showcasing a Yurchenko 1.5 on the latter — likely solidifying herself in multiple events at future meets. Chiles was UCLA’s only gymnast with two 9.900s, a feat the junior accomplished on bars and vault.
“We’ve really been talking with Macy a lot about just being able to maneuver through the trainings, the practices, not to get hung up on perfection and things like that,” UCLA coach Janelle McDonald said. “I feel like she’s turned a corner this week as far as being able to just come out here and put her best foot forward.”
The meet didn’t start well for UCLA. Graduate student Chae Campbell dropped to the floor during her uneven bars routine. One routine later, senior Emma Malabuyo also fell, overextending her first handstand and dropping from the low bar. Having to count one of the two veteran gymnasts’ falls, the Bruins started with a 48.200 score — the Bruins’ lowest bars score since McDonald took over the program in 2023.
“I was not planning to start the meet like we did,” McDonald said. “I think they just got a little bit amped up. They had a little bit of excitement, mixed with nerves probably. Those are definitely moments we’re going to really learn from and take with us.”
UCLA gymnast Macy McGowan performs on the uneven bars at the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic on Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Mika Webster-Longin was another freshman who shined for the Bruins. After Campbell’s fall, Webster-Longin stepped in for her on floor exercise, notching the Bruins’ second-highest score in the event with a 9.825. In injury news, McDonald said freshman Sasha Fujisaka is out indefinitely as she awaits imaging results from an undisclosed injury she sustained in practice Tuesday.
UCLA next competes on Jan. 11 at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad in Oklahoma City against Arkansas, Kentucky and Ohio State.