Chiles, Malabuyo Selected to Big Ten Watch List
December 17, 2024 | Gymnastics
UCLA Olympians Jordan Chiles and Emma Malabuyo were selected as Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch for 2025, the Bruins' first season in the Big Ten Conference.
The Gymnasts to Watch List has 19 returning student-athletes and five freshmen. Chiles and Malabuyo are two of six All-Americans on the list, joining Iowa's Adeline Kenlin, Minnesota's Mya Hooten, and Michigan State's Skyla Schulte and Nikki Smith.
Chiles returns to UCLA after redshirting the 2024 campaign to train for the Olympics. The two-time Olympian won team gold and was awarded bronze on floor exercise in Paris this summer, three years after winning team silver in Tokyo. During her sophomore season at UCLA in 2023, she won the NCAA and Pac-12 uneven bars and floor exercise titles; earned All-America honors in the all-around, vault, bars and floor; was awarded the WCGA West Region Gymnast of the Year; and scored five perfect 10s, two on floor and three on bars.
Malabuyo also competed in Paris at the 2024 Olympics, representing the Philippines after qualifying with a third-place all-around finish at the 2024 Asian Championships. She also made history at the Championships by winning the Philippines' first gold medal on the women's side, placing first on floor exercise. Malabuyo competed with the Bruins in 2024 during her Olympic qualifying run, averaging 9.898 on balance beam in 10 meets. She earned All-America honors on beam for the second year in a row and tied for first on uneven bars at the NCAA Regionals.
UCLA enters the 2025 season ranked No. 10 nationally and is No. 2 in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll.
2025 Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch
Chloe Cho, Fr., Illinois
Arielle Ward, Jr., Illinois
Adeline Kenlin, 5th-Yr., Iowa
Karina Muñoz, Jr., Iowa
Natalie Martin, So., Maryland
Alexa Rothenbuescher, Gr., Maryland
Sophia Diaz, Fr., Michigan
Jahzara Ranger, Fr., Michigan
Skyla Schulte, Sr., Michigan State
Nikki Smith, Jr., Michigan State
Mya Hooten, Gr., Minnesota
Lauren Pearl, Sr., Minnesota
Sophia McClelland, Sr., Nebraska
Whitney Jencks, So., Nebraska
Tory Vetter, R-Jr., Ohio State
Payton Harris, Jr., Ohio State
Kalea McElligott, So., Penn State
Elizabeth Leary, Fr., Penn State
Gabrielle Dildy, Jr., Rutgers
Delaney Adrian, Fr., Rutgers
Jordan Chiles, Jr., UCLA
Emma Malabuyo, Sr., UCLA
Lana Navarro, Sr., Washington
Emily Innes, Jr., Washington
2025 Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Michigan State
2. UCLA
3. Michigan
4. Ohio State
5. Minnesota
6. Penn State
7. Nebraska
8. Illinois
9. Maryland
10. Iowa
11. Washington
12. Rutgers
The Gymnasts to Watch List has 19 returning student-athletes and five freshmen. Chiles and Malabuyo are two of six All-Americans on the list, joining Iowa's Adeline Kenlin, Minnesota's Mya Hooten, and Michigan State's Skyla Schulte and Nikki Smith.
Chiles returns to UCLA after redshirting the 2024 campaign to train for the Olympics. The two-time Olympian won team gold and was awarded bronze on floor exercise in Paris this summer, three years after winning team silver in Tokyo. During her sophomore season at UCLA in 2023, she won the NCAA and Pac-12 uneven bars and floor exercise titles; earned All-America honors in the all-around, vault, bars and floor; was awarded the WCGA West Region Gymnast of the Year; and scored five perfect 10s, two on floor and three on bars.
Malabuyo also competed in Paris at the 2024 Olympics, representing the Philippines after qualifying with a third-place all-around finish at the 2024 Asian Championships. She also made history at the Championships by winning the Philippines' first gold medal on the women's side, placing first on floor exercise. Malabuyo competed with the Bruins in 2024 during her Olympic qualifying run, averaging 9.898 on balance beam in 10 meets. She earned All-America honors on beam for the second year in a row and tied for first on uneven bars at the NCAA Regionals.
UCLA enters the 2025 season ranked No. 10 nationally and is No. 2 in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll.
2025 Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch
Chloe Cho, Fr., Illinois
Arielle Ward, Jr., Illinois
Adeline Kenlin, 5th-Yr., Iowa
Karina Muñoz, Jr., Iowa
Natalie Martin, So., Maryland
Alexa Rothenbuescher, Gr., Maryland
Sophia Diaz, Fr., Michigan
Jahzara Ranger, Fr., Michigan
Skyla Schulte, Sr., Michigan State
Nikki Smith, Jr., Michigan State
Mya Hooten, Gr., Minnesota
Lauren Pearl, Sr., Minnesota
Sophia McClelland, Sr., Nebraska
Whitney Jencks, So., Nebraska
Tory Vetter, R-Jr., Ohio State
Payton Harris, Jr., Ohio State
Kalea McElligott, So., Penn State
Elizabeth Leary, Fr., Penn State
Gabrielle Dildy, Jr., Rutgers
Delaney Adrian, Fr., Rutgers
Jordan Chiles, Jr., UCLA
Emma Malabuyo, Sr., UCLA
Lana Navarro, Sr., Washington
Emily Innes, Jr., Washington
2025 Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Michigan State
2. UCLA
3. Michigan
4. Ohio State
5. Minnesota
6. Penn State
7. Nebraska
8. Illinois
9. Maryland
10. Iowa
11. Washington
12. Rutgers
Players Mentioned
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