Most Anticipated Freshmen on Vault

The most anticipated series is back! We looked at data and videos for incoming freshmen on each event to see which gymnasts are at the top of their class across the apparatuses and in the all-around. Today, we’re looking at the top vaulters.

We ranked the top 10 level 10s and top five elite gymnasts on each event by considering past scores and performances, as well as their potential to shine at the NCAA level. In an effort to balance the names across all NCAA programs, we limited each list to two gymnasts per school

Level 10s
Nyla Aquino, Georgia
This Boston native slipped under many fans’ radar until she switched commitments from Temple to Georgia in July 2023. Largely recruited for her Tsuk full on vault, Aquino’s vault has only improved since. Her 10.0 start value will be very welcome at Georgia, and she could find herself in the second half of the lineup from the beginning of season with her explosive block and tight form.

Kailin Chio, LSU
After switching from elite to level 10 in 2023, Chio had spectacular seasons, tying for the Nastia Liukin Cup title in 2023 and winning the vault, bars, beam, and all-around titles at 2024 level 10 nationals. Despite LSU’s depth, Chio’s Yurchenko one and a half is sure to have an immediate impact; she was awarded a perfect 10.0 in each of the last two meets of her club career. With Chio’s impressive resume, LSU can reasonably hope for strong scores from her starting day one.

Sophia Diaz, Michigan
Another athlete coming off a perfect 10.0, national title-winning vault, Diaz is an exceptionally strong recruit for Michigan. Graduating from high school a year early to join the Wolverines in 2025, Diaz could be what Michigan needs to reinvigorate a vault lineup that faced struggles in recent seasons after previously being so dominant. Her Yurchenko one and a half will be especially welcome as Michigan lacks the depth it had in its national title-winning era. Her vault’s great amplitude and form will be needed to help fill the void left by Sierra Brooks, Naomi Morrison, and Gabby Wilson.

Haylee Hardin, Iowa State
Iowa State has eagerly awaited Haylee Hardin’s arrival and her trusty Omelianchik vault from the moment she committed. The Cyclones had a breakout year under new head coach Ashley Miles Greig, garnering a No. 29 final ranking following a No. 44 finish in 2023. Freshmen like Hardin should help the team continue its upward trajectory. Her consistency and difficulty will put her at the forefront of Miles Greig’s decision of who will anchor the Cyclones’ vault squad next year.

Allison Kaempfer, Penn State
After scoring a 10.0 at regionals with her gorgeous Yurchenko one and a half, there was no question that Kaempfer could be a star in the Penn State vault lineup. Her potential was confirmed when she tied for the level 10 national title with a 9.950 a month later. Kaempfer’s vault has shown tremendous improvements recently, and with continued work on her form, Penn State will hope that trend stays steady.
Kylee Kvamme, Alabama
Kvamme’s increased level 10 success has been paired with her representation of the Philippines at the elite level. While she did not compete at 2024 level 10 nationals, Kvamme won the vault title at the regional and Washington state championships. Her Yurchenko one and a half played a key role in her ability to qualify to the 2023 world championships at the 2023 Asian championships. When she sticks—as she did when she won the 2023 level 10 National vault title—her spectacular amplitude makes this vault breathtaking

Macy McGowan, UCLA
After a rather chaotic last few years for UCLA, specifically on vault, McGowan’s Yurchenko one and a half will be celebrated in Pauley Pavilion and should help replace the void left by Selena Harris, who played a key role in the Bruins’ vault lineup. After switching to train at Pacific Reign in Washington ahead of the 2023 season, McGowan’s scores improved drastically, and another gym switch in 2024 to Gymcats in Nevada did not hinder this improvement whatsoever, evidenced by her winning the national title with a beautifully executed vault with great amplitude.

Elle Mueller, Oklahoma
Well known in the elite world, Mueller made the switch to level 10 for the 2024 season, and it paid off beautifully. Part of a star-studded Oklahoma freshman class, the 2024 Nastia Liukin Cup champion is one who could immediately contribute to Oklahoma’s vault lineup—the very event that shockingly knocked the team out of national title contention last season. While competition for a lineup spot will be fierce, Mueller’s elite experience, success in high-pressure situations, and potential for fantastic stuck landings could see her as a lineup regular.

Avery Neff, Utah
Arguably the most well-known gymnast of this class, Neff is a name that will likely be heard a lot in the years to come. The top-rated recruit decided to stay local for her NCAA career, committing to the Red Rocks in her home state. Neff competed both a double-twisting Yurchenko and a Yurchenko one and a half as a level 10—rare for someone without elite experience. Utah was another team whose vault struggles knocked it out of title contention at the 2024 NCAA national championships, so the Huntsman Center’s 14,000 fans will rally behind Neff and her spectacular form in 2025, which could even see her anchor a team as strong as Utah.

Lily Pederson, Oklahoma
The first commit of this class, Pederson is another Oklahoma freshman who could be a future star. Coached by Oklahoma head coach KJ Kindler’s sister at Flips in Minnesota, Pederson has been connected to Oklahoma for a while. This familiarity will hopefully ease her transition to college and allow her fantastic form to shine, even with a vault team as deep as Oklahoma’s.

Levi Jung-Ruivivar, Stanford
Heading to the Farm right after competing for the Philippines at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jung-Ruivivar has been a fan favorite for years, largely due to her spectacular toe point. Her balletic form led to her being more known for events such as bars, where having beautiful lines is a priority, but her Yurchenko one and a half could play a large role in an on-the-rise Stanford vault lineup, especially if she sticks like she’s capable of.

Kaliya Lincoln, LSU
While often considered a floor specialist, Lincoln could feature on multiple events for LSU, including vault. Her double-twisting Yurchenko has fantastic height but tends to take a hit due to landing deductions. If LSU is able to mirror what it did with Amari Drayton, where it converted a double-twisting Yurchenko into a beautiful Yurchenko one and a half, Lincoln could be a vault lineup regular.

Camille Rasmussen, LIU
A late commit to the Sharks, Rasmussen is known as a vault specialist. As a member of the Danish national team, she competes a double-twisting Yurchenko and a Tsuk layout full in elite competitions, but it’s uncertain what she plans on vaulting in college. A Yurchenko-entry vault could work very well for her, especially if she successfully downgrades to a one and a half or full to focus on execution
Joscelyn Roberson, Arkansas
A gymnast that competed in the elite world from a young age, Roberson has been known as a powerful gymnast with big skills who sometimes struggles with execution. However, Roberson’s form has continued to improve, and if she chooses to compete a vault such as a Lopez (which starts from a 10.0) rather than her incredibly difficult Cheng, she could focus even more on execution, harnessing her potential to be a vault star for the Razorbacks.

Ava Stewart, Minnesota
Stewart is not known to be the most consistent gymnast but has shown improvements on that front in recent years. College has been known to help those who struggle with consistency and could be a beneficial change for Stewart. If it’s consistent, Minnesota would be happy to have her Yurchenko one and a half join Mya Hooten’s in the second half of the vault lineup. While her landings aren’t quite NCAA ready, she often maintains clean execution in the air, and it would not be shocking to see this vault develop and shine over the course of her college career.