Could Jordan Chiles have dominated 2026 NCAA Gymnastics opener for UCLA so easily if her rivals were still competing?

Jordan Chiles began the 2026 NCAA gymnastics season with a statement performance. She won the all-around with a huge 39.725 score. She also topped all four events. UCLA won the meet with 196.975, finishing ahead of California, Washington, and Oregon State. It was the kind of opening night every athlete hopes for. Chiles looked confident after finishing runner-up in 2025.

But the story was not only about who was on the floor. Just a few steps away, familiar faces watched from the sidelines. Jade Carey, Haleigh Bryant, and Mya Lauzon were no longer competing. They were coaching. These were the same gymnasts who pushed Chiles throughout the 2025 season. Their presence raised a big question. If they were still competing, would Jordan Chiles have dominated the opener so easily?

Jordan Chiles’ former rivals take up new roles in NCAA Gymnastics

Jade Carey has already embraced her new chapter. After ending her career at Oregon State, she stayed with the program as a Student Assistant Coach. Gymnastics Now shared a moment of her watching closely, with the caption, “Same team, different role for Coach Carey.” Carey knows what it takes to beat the best. In the 2025 NCAA Championships semifinal, she scored 39.6250 in the all-around. Chiles scored 39.5875 in the same session. Carey finished just ahead of her.

Haleigh Bryant followed a similar path. One of LSU’s most successful gymnasts, she retired in April 2025. She soon joined LSU’s coaching staff for the 2025–26 season. After watching the season opener, she posted, “Nights like these are why it was so easy to stay.” Bryant had posted a 39.5625 all-around score in the 2025 semifinals. That was very close to Chiles’ numbers.

Mya Lauzon also moved into coaching. After a strong career at Cal, she returned in 2026 as an assistant coach. She shared the opener scores on Instagram and wrote, “Just the beginning for these bears.” Lauzon had tied for the all-around title at the 2025 ACC Championships with 39.625.

Jordan Chiles still proved her class. She once posted a season-high 39.775 at the 2025 team final. But if her former rivals were still competing, winning would not have been this easy for her. The competition may be off the floor now, but the pressure remains.

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