Tiana Sumenasekera, Jordis Eichman, Nola Matthews and Ava-Marie Callahan
Photo by: Don Liebig, UCLA Photography
UCLA Gymnastics Signs Four Standouts for 2026 Season
November 13, 2024 | Gymnastics
The R.C. Rothman UCLA Head Gymnastics Coach Janelle McDonald has signed four standouts for the 2026 season โ 2024 U.S. Olympic alternate Tiana Sumanasekera, three-time U.S. National Team member Nola Matthews, elite-level gymnast Jordis Eichman and three-time Level 10 Development Nationals competitor Ava-Marie Callahan.
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"I am so excited to welcome Tiana, Nola, Jordis and Ava-Marie to the Bruin Family," said McDonald.ย "This is an exciting signing class that boasts world-class gymnastics and performance quality that our Bruin fans will love.ย Each of these athletes brings their own unique qualities to Westwood, and I am excited for them to make a positive and exciting impact on our future.ย These signees bring a special energy and bond with each other, our staff and our team that will add to our culture and success from day one."
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Sumanasekera has been one of the United States' top senior gymnasts the last two years, finishing eighth in the all-around at the U.S. Championships in both 2023 and 2024 and earning a spot as a non-traveling alternate at the 2024 Olympics. She earned a bronze medal on floor exercise at the 2024 Nationals and finished in third place on balance beam at the 2024 Olympic Trials. At the 2023 Pan American Championships, she won three gold medals (team, all-around and beam) and a silver on floor exercise. At the junior level, she won the all-around title and captured silver on vault at the 2022 U.S. Championships, and captured four gold medals and all-around silver at the 2022 Pan American Championships. Sumanasekera, who is from Pleasanton, Calif. and trains at World Champions Centre, is a four-time U.S. National Team member.
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"Tiana has an incredible artistic style and a world-class skill set in her gymnastics," McDonald said. "She is an incredibly determined and motivated competitor who will make an immediate all-around impact on our team.ย With her positive and kind demeanor and her extensive competition experience, Tiana will be an incredible Bruin teammate and leader for us in the years to come."
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Matthews made her senior elite debut at the 2022 Winter Cup, winning gold on uneven bars and placing fifth in the all-around. She also earned a silver medal on bars at the 2022 U.S. Classic and was fourth on bars at the U.S. Championships that year. In 2023, she continued her success, finishing third in the all-around, fourth on floor and fifth on bars at the Winter Cup and winning gold on uneven bars and with the U.S. team at the Pan American Championships. Matthews was also fourth in the all-around and on bars at the 2023 Core Hydration Classic and fifth on floor at the 2024 Winter Cup. A U.S. National Team member from 2021-23, Matthews was awarded USA Gymnastics' Sportsperson of the Year award in 2023 and 2024. The Gilroy, Calif. native trains at Airborne Gymnastics.
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"Nola has a performance quality and style to her gymnastics that fits right in to our Bruin culture," McDonald expressed. "She brings extensive international elite competition experience to the team that will translate well to NCAA competition. Although her gymnastics will make you take notice, it is her energy and sportsmanship that Nola is equally known for across the country.ย Her enthusiasm for gymnastics and support for her teammates and other competitors make her an incredible leader, and I'm very excited to see the gymnastics and leadership roles she takes on and the positive impact she will make on our team."
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Eichman, who trains with Sumanasekera at World Champions Centre, made a strong impression in her first elite meet, placing seventh in the all-around and fifth on balance beam at the 2023 Winter Cup. Prior to qualifying as an elite, she was a standout Level 10 gymnast, winning the beam and placing fourth in the all-around and uneven bars at the Development Program Nationals in 2022. Eichman nearly had a clean sweep at the 2022 Region 3 Championships, capturing first in the all-around, vault, beam and floor exercise and finishing third on bars. She was also the 2022 Texas Level 10 State champion on floor exercise and silver medalist in the all-around, vault and bars.ย
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"Jordis is a strong competitor with beautiful gymnastics and a high-level competitive skill set," McDonald stated. "She is an incredible athlete whose journey has been inspiring to watch. Jordis has a bright and sweet personality that shines onto the people around her. Her all-around skill set and determination will set her apart and make her an invaluable member of the Bruin Family.ย I am excited to Welcome Jordis to Westwood and excited for the impact she will make!"
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Callahan is a Level 10 gymnast from Cary, N.C. and trains at Team Attraction. She has qualified for the last three Development Program Nationals, winning bronze on uneven bars in 2023 and placing fifth on vault in 2022. She placed third in the all-around and on vault and finished second on bars with a career-best score of 9.9 at the 2023 Region 8 Championships. In 2022, she won the Region 8 vault title, captured silver in the all-around and bronze on bars.ย ย ย
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"Ava-Marie boasts beautiful and artistic gymnastics," said McDonald. "She has a passion for being a Bruin that has been around since she was a young athlete attending UCLA Gymnastics camps. It is inspiring to see the work she has put in to turn her dreams into reality. That passion and work ethic will take her far during her time here in Westwood. She is a dedicated, caring and an incredibly hard-worker, and I cannot wait to see the mark she puts on the team over her four years."
ย
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"I am so excited to welcome Tiana, Nola, Jordis and Ava-Marie to the Bruin Family," said McDonald.ย "This is an exciting signing class that boasts world-class gymnastics and performance quality that our Bruin fans will love.ย Each of these athletes brings their own unique qualities to Westwood, and I am excited for them to make a positive and exciting impact on our future.ย These signees bring a special energy and bond with each other, our staff and our team that will add to our culture and success from day one."
ย
Sumanasekera has been one of the United States' top senior gymnasts the last two years, finishing eighth in the all-around at the U.S. Championships in both 2023 and 2024 and earning a spot as a non-traveling alternate at the 2024 Olympics. She earned a bronze medal on floor exercise at the 2024 Nationals and finished in third place on balance beam at the 2024 Olympic Trials. At the 2023 Pan American Championships, she won three gold medals (team, all-around and beam) and a silver on floor exercise. At the junior level, she won the all-around title and captured silver on vault at the 2022 U.S. Championships, and captured four gold medals and all-around silver at the 2022 Pan American Championships. Sumanasekera, who is from Pleasanton, Calif. and trains at World Champions Centre, is a four-time U.S. National Team member.
ย
"Tiana has an incredible artistic style and a world-class skill set in her gymnastics," McDonald said. "She is an incredibly determined and motivated competitor who will make an immediate all-around impact on our team.ย With her positive and kind demeanor and her extensive competition experience, Tiana will be an incredible Bruin teammate and leader for us in the years to come."
ย
Matthews made her senior elite debut at the 2022 Winter Cup, winning gold on uneven bars and placing fifth in the all-around. She also earned a silver medal on bars at the 2022 U.S. Classic and was fourth on bars at the U.S. Championships that year. In 2023, she continued her success, finishing third in the all-around, fourth on floor and fifth on bars at the Winter Cup and winning gold on uneven bars and with the U.S. team at the Pan American Championships. Matthews was also fourth in the all-around and on bars at the 2023 Core Hydration Classic and fifth on floor at the 2024 Winter Cup. A U.S. National Team member from 2021-23, Matthews was awarded USA Gymnastics' Sportsperson of the Year award in 2023 and 2024. The Gilroy, Calif. native trains at Airborne Gymnastics.
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"Nola has a performance quality and style to her gymnastics that fits right in to our Bruin culture," McDonald expressed. "She brings extensive international elite competition experience to the team that will translate well to NCAA competition. Although her gymnastics will make you take notice, it is her energy and sportsmanship that Nola is equally known for across the country.ย Her enthusiasm for gymnastics and support for her teammates and other competitors make her an incredible leader, and I'm very excited to see the gymnastics and leadership roles she takes on and the positive impact she will make on our team."
ย
Eichman, who trains with Sumanasekera at World Champions Centre, made a strong impression in her first elite meet, placing seventh in the all-around and fifth on balance beam at the 2023 Winter Cup. Prior to qualifying as an elite, she was a standout Level 10 gymnast, winning the beam and placing fourth in the all-around and uneven bars at the Development Program Nationals in 2022. Eichman nearly had a clean sweep at the 2022 Region 3 Championships, capturing first in the all-around, vault, beam and floor exercise and finishing third on bars. She was also the 2022 Texas Level 10 State champion on floor exercise and silver medalist in the all-around, vault and bars.ย
ย
"Jordis is a strong competitor with beautiful gymnastics and a high-level competitive skill set," McDonald stated. "She is an incredible athlete whose journey has been inspiring to watch. Jordis has a bright and sweet personality that shines onto the people around her. Her all-around skill set and determination will set her apart and make her an invaluable member of the Bruin Family.ย I am excited to Welcome Jordis to Westwood and excited for the impact she will make!"
ย
Callahan is a Level 10 gymnast from Cary, N.C. and trains at Team Attraction. She has qualified for the last three Development Program Nationals, winning bronze on uneven bars in 2023 and placing fifth on vault in 2022. She placed third in the all-around and on vault and finished second on bars with a career-best score of 9.9 at the 2023 Region 8 Championships. In 2022, she won the Region 8 vault title, captured silver in the all-around and bronze on bars.ย ย ย
ย
"Ava-Marie boasts beautiful and artistic gymnastics," said McDonald. "She has a passion for being a Bruin that has been around since she was a young athlete attending UCLA Gymnastics camps. It is inspiring to see the work she has put in to turn her dreams into reality. That passion and work ethic will take her far during her time here in Westwood. She is a dedicated, caring and an incredibly hard-worker, and I cannot wait to see the mark she puts on the team over her four years."
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