When Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles helped lead Team USA to its women’s gold medal in the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, they made history as the first-ever NCAA gymnasts to win Olympic gold. This milestone isn’t just a feel-good headline — it’s a signal of a seismic shift in American gymnastics. With the NIL era unlocking earning potential and top college programs building athletes who are mentally stronger, more resilient, and more confident, the pipeline from campus gyms to Olympic podiums has never been more powerful.
A vault and floor specialist, Carey competed for Oregon State while earning six NCAA Championship medals. After the NCAA began allowing student-athletes to profit from Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in 2021, she reportedly earned more NIL income than any athlete competing for an Oregon-based college or university — a testament to how elite talent can thrive in both the NCAA and international arenas.
Both Carey and Chiles competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where each faced challenges.
“I think [NCAA] really made me fall back in love with gymnastics,” Carey, now 25, told Olympics.com. “Tokyo was obviously really awesome for me, but also really hard at the same time. Going to college brought me out of my shell more, gave me a little bit more confidence.”
Chiles, who excels on the balance beam, uneven bars, and floor exercise, competed for UCLA. She won the uneven bars title at the 2025 NCAA Championships — her second — and was also a national champion in the floor exercise. She began earning NIL funds in 2021.
“NCAA experience has played a huge part,” said Chiles, now 24. “Just seeing the difference in my maturity as an athlete, and also as a human, definitely helped me. NCAA is all about high energy. You’re one team, one goal.”
The Next Wave: Five College-Connected Gymnasts to Watch for LA 2028
Several current, former, and future collegiate stars are already positioning themselves for spots on the 2028 U.S. Olympic team — and more will likely emerge through the 2026–27 cycle. With the 2026 season ramping up as NCAA meets begin in January, major elite competitions like Winter Cup (Feb. 20–22 in Louisville), the American Cup (March 7 in Henderson, Nev.), and the U.S. Championships in the summer will offer the first meaningful look at who’s primed for a breakout year.
Below is an updated spotlight table — now including bold 2026 predictions based on recent form, lineup projections, and early expert evaluations.
Athlete Spotlight Table
| Athlete | College / Commitment | Key Events / Strengths | Standout Achievements | 2028 Olympic Projection | 2026 Competition Predictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joscelyn Roberson | Arkansas (Sophomore) | Vault, Floor | 2024 Olympic alternate; Bronze on vault at 2025 World Championships; 6th at 2024 Trials (vault avg. 14.325) | Major contender — her power could anchor Team USA in finals. | NCAA: All-around staple; vault AAAs; floor nationals podium (top 3). Elite: Vault silver at U.S. Championships; legitimate Worlds selection push. |
| Hezly Rivera | LSU (2027 Commit) | All-Around | 5th all-around at 2024 Trials; 2025 U.S. National Champion (AA + multiple apparatus titles); Youngest athlete on the 2024 Paris team | All-around anchor potential — elite consistency and poise. | Elite: Defends U.S. Nationals all-around title; beam/floor medals at the American Cup. Preps for LSU debut with strategic international tune-ups. |
| Leanne Wong | Florida (Former) | Uneven Bars, All-Around | Bronze on bars at 2025 NCAA Championships; renowned for precision and technical mastery | Bars specialist with upgrade potential; strong contender. | Elite: Bars podium at U.S. Championships; renewed all-around push during Worlds qualifying events. |
| Tiana Sumanasekera | UCLA (Commit) | All-Around, Beam, Floor | 2023 Pan Am all-around & beam champion; 8th at 2024 Trials | Beam and floor strength give her medal-threat upside. | NCAA: UCLA freshman standout — beam/floor AAAs; all-around top 10 at nationals. Elite: Winter Cup all-around medal before arriving on campus. |
| Kaliya Lincoln | LSU (Sophomore) | All-Around, Floor | 2023 Pan Am floor gold; world-class double layout | A floor phenom with rapidly improving all-around capability. | NCAA: LSU breakout — floor national champion; consistent all-around rotation presence. Elite:Floor silver at U.S. Championships if healthy. |
Data sourced from USA Gymnastics, NCAA records, and Olympic Trials results as of December 2025. Predictions informed by early lineup analyses and expert previews.
Why College Gymnastics Is Fueling a New Olympic Golden Age
These athletes aren’t just names on a roster — they’re the backbone of a fundamental shift in how the United States develops champions. NCAA programs are producing gymnasts who are older, more composed, and better prepared for high-pressure moments than ever before. Meanwhile, the NIL era has created financial stability that allows athletes to train longer, refine their skills, and build professional brands years before turning pro.
Roberson’s vault explosiveness, Rivera’s early-lock consistency, Wong’s technical mastery, Sumanasekera’s beam flair, and Lincoln’s electrifying floor work all point to a potential 2028 team that could rival some of the most iconic squads in U.S. history. In 2026, expect LSU and UCLA to lean heavily on their rising stars for conference titles, while elite veterans like Wong and Rivera keep the Olympic momentum surging through the season.
If Paris 2024 was the breakthrough, then LA 2028 may be the coronation.
Learn More About the NIL Landscape
Name, Image, and Likeness plays an increasing role in college sports, and understanding how it works often requires more than individual articles or news updates.
RallyFuel is a platform focused on NIL-related topics across college athletics. It brings together information about athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure behind modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in more depth.
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