2026 Conference Finals Preview

By Peri Goodman, Isaac Erickson, Shannen Horan, and Peter Hristozov

Championship season is finally here, with all three conference championships occurring this weekend. The Big Ten Championships will be held at Nebraska, the MPSF will be at Cal Berkeley, and the ECAC will be held at West Point. It will be an exciting week of gymnastics, with team titles, all-around titles, and individual event titles all on the line. 

MPSF Conference

*All averages are four-score averages

Oklahoma- Oklahoma comes into the MPSF Championship ranked number one, where they have been for the entirety of the 2026 season. The Sooners have been undefeated so far, finishing the regular season with a 326.833 average. They have many regular-season All-Americans, who will be crucial performers for the postseason competitions. Sasha Bogonosiuk has had a stellar freshman year debut so far for the Sooners. He is currently ranked eighth on the floor exercise with a 13.767 average and is also ranked fourth on the vault with a 14.267 average. Colby Aranda is also a newcomer for this Sooner team and has consistently been the anchor of the pommel line-up, ranking fourth with a 14.35 average. Senior Ignacio Yockers is also familiar with anchoring a pommel horse lineup. He is currently one place behind Aranda in the rankings with a 14.317 average, and is looking to close out his collegiate career strong. The still rings is a much-improved event for the Sooners. Francisco Velez Belendez has been delivering strong and consistent routines that have been getting better as the season has progressed. As his confidence is building, he is poised to compete for a conference title and potentially a national title. Belendez is currently ranked second in the NCAA with a 13.983. Junior Tas Hajdu has also put up strong scores on the still rings with a 13.75 average and a tenth-place ranking. Fuzzy Benas’s consistency in sticking his Kasamatsu 1 ½ vault many times this season has resulted in his 14.15 average and a ninth-place ranking. Nathan Roman has been another talented freshman who has stepped up for the Sooners. He is currently ranked number one on parallel bars, which is impressive as a newcomer.  He has put out unbelievably clean and difficult routines week after week, and has earned a 14.2 average. Oklahoma’s highbar squad is the definition of clutch. When it mattered most, they have consistently ended meets with big releases and stuck dismounts. Kelton Christiansen has anchored every high bar lineup this season and is currently ranked number one on the event, with a 14.083 average. The Sooners will be relying on him for a huge routine this postseason. Brandon Zepeda-Orth has also been very reliable on the high bar with a eighth place ranking and a 13.717 average. 

Stanford- The Stanford Cardinal are currently ranked third as a team with a 321.583. They have a lot of talent and depth on their team, and with their top lineup competing, they will definitely be in the fight for the MPSF conference title this weekend. Senior Nick Kuebler is one of the key leaders of this team, contributing greatly in every meet and ranking in the top ten in three different events. Kuebler is currently ranked third on floor exercise with a 13.967 average, third on still rings with a 13.950, and fourth on high bar with a 13.817. Athletes such as David Shamah and Arun Chhetri have also been crucial for this team on events such as parallel bars, where they are both ranked in the top ten. Shamah is third with a 14.150, while Chhetri is ninth with a 13.783. On the high bar, Zach Green has also been a consistent competitor with great difficulty, where he ranks tenth with a 13.6 average. It is important to note that athletes like Olympian Asher Hong and National Team Member Jun Iwai are not ranked due to not competing in enough meets to achieve a four-score average, but are major competitors that will help propel Stanford in the standings. Hong can contribute greatly in all six events, while Iwai can put up important scores on floor exercise, vault, parallel bars, and high bar. 

Air Force- The Air Force Falcons have had a lot of bright moments so far throughout the season, but Injuries and depth issues have prevented them from showing their true potential. The Falcons are currently ranked in thirteenth place with a 307.3 average. Tai Gopaul and Sam Brown have been the leaders of this team. Gopaul has consistently performed great routines on the high bar, with unique releases and a tough triple back dismount. He is currently ranked fifteenth in the NCAA, with a 13.383 average. Brown has also been a dependable horse anchor, currently ranked tenth in the NCAA, with a 14.0 average. The Falcons will be looking for a big score from him at conference championships. Senior Jack Matlock has also been an important score in the horse lineup, with his 13.883 average and his thirteenth-place ranking. Jared Fry has also competed all around this year for the Falcons and has put up many high scores for them, fitting into many different lineups so far. Lastly, Jack Foltyn will be a large contributor on the still rings and the parallel bars, with important and consistent routines. This will be an important meet for the Falcons, as they will be looking to improve their season average and move up in the rankings in order to qualify a team to this year's NCAA Championships. 

California- The California Golden Bears have looked great so far this season. They have increased difficulty and improved consistency, while also having success in finding the right group of guys for each lineup. The Bears are currently ranked eighth with an average of 313.967. Matteo Bardana has been doing the all-around for the majority of the season, where he is currently ranked number one with a 77.25 average. He has set a Cal program record on the high bar earlier this year and has put up fantastic scores on the floor exercise and the parallel bars. Tucker Yasunaga has also been crucial on the parallel bars and the high bar. Yasunage has also tied that Cal program record that Bardana broke on the high bar a few weeks after. This shows the impressive year Cal is having so far this season. The Bears will also be looking towards senior Jasper Smith-Gordon for big scores on the vault; his clean form and landings helped him earn his number one-ranked spot with a 14.3 average. Harry Kim and Kaien Orion have also been a major part of the Bears' success on the pommel horse, which has been a strong event for them this season. The pommel horse will be a key event for this team if they are looking for success at the conference championships and the NCAA Championships.

Big Ten Conference

Michigan- Michigan seems to be the favorite for the Big Ten Championship team title. They are currently ranked second in the NCAA rankings with a 324.5 average. Charlie Larson has demonstrated textbook tumbling week after week on the floor exercise, and he has earned a number one ranking on the floor exercise with a 14.217 average. Larson also ranks third on the vault, with a 14.267. He has performed a beautiful Yurchenko 2 ½ in many meets for the Wolverines, and they will be anticipating big scores from him to keep them in contention for that title. Speaking of big scores, Aaronson Mansberger has been excelling in the anchor position on pommel horse with his long, elegant swing. Mansberger is currently ranked third and has a 14.383 average. Michigan has two gymnasts in the top ten on rings, which shows their depth on the crucial event. Akshay Puri is currently ranked seventh with a 13.817 average, with Frederick Richard ranking ninth with a 13.75. Richards is also ranked fourth on the parallel bars with a 14.017 and fifth on the high bar with a 13.8. As an experienced senior and an Olympic bronze medalist, Richards will likely be in all lineups for the Wolverines to maximize their difficulty and chance for the Big Ten title. 

Ohio State- Fifth-ranked Ohio State is hoping to podium this weekend, but is also a sleeper team that could cause an upset between second and third. Senior Parker Thackston has been the runner-up on pommel horse for the past two years and is projected to take the silver again. He will need to defeat Illinois’ pommel powerhouse junior Brandon Dang if he wants to finally take home the title. Sophomore David Ramirez will also be one to watch on vault, where he is currently ranked fourth but could pop into the top three, and parallel bars, where he is projected to win the bronze. 

Nebraska- Fourth-ranked Nebraska isn’t looking for silver; they have their eyes set on the gold, which means they will need to upset the favorites, No. 2 Michigan. To do so, junior Chase Mondi will need to step up on floor and vault to jump onto the podium in both events. Senior Nathan York is projected to win parallel bars, but Richard is close behind, so he will need to nail his routine to claim his first Big Ten title. Additionally, senior Asher Cohen is looking to upgrade his silver from last year to gold on the rings. With a team competing with more spirit this season, I wouldn’t put it past the Cornhuskers to complete an upset this weekend. 

Penn State- Penn State has recently been struggling with superstar junior Luke Esparo out due to injury, but is looking to rally back for Big Ten’s. Instead, the No. 6 Nittany Lions will look to senior Matt Underhill to take charge. Underhill looks to podium on rings, the event Penn State has been historically great at, while also leading the team on floor. Junior Akseli Karsikas is also looking to contribute a good score to the ring rotation and hopes to bump into the top three on high bar. Junior Landon Simpson is also hoping to break into the podium on parallel bars, where he is currently ranked fourth in the conference, only 0.033 behind Ramirez. 

Illinois- Despite being 0-4 in the conference, Illinois is still ranked No. 7 in the country. The team will look to lean on junior Garrett Schooley and sophomore Nathan Whitaker on floor, as they are both projected to medal on the event. Schooley will also go head-to-head with Larson for the vault title. Schooley’s vault score average is only 0.016 higher than Larson’s, so it will be a close battle for the crown. Additionally, Dang is ranked first in the country and conference on pommel horse, as he looks to defend his Big Ten title on the event. The Fighting Illini could have a chance to overtake fourth or even third if they have all cylinders firing this weekend. 

ECAC Conference

Army -The West Point Black Knights head into the ECAC Championships ranked 11th in the Road to Nationals rankings with a four-score average of 309.267. Army comes into the conference championship with strong momentum after winning the USAG Collegiate National Championships, defeating every other ECAC team in attendance. That performance provides the Black Knights with confidence as they prepare for the conference meet. Key contributors for Army this season include Maddox Pabellon, Nick Lester, Cash Johnston, and Thomas Morrow. Maddox Pabellon has been a standout on the pommel horse, where he enters the championship ranked sixth in the NCAA with an average score of 14.233 and a season-high of 14.300. His most recent routine came during the Collegiate National Championships event finals, where he posted a 13.800. The Black Knights will rely on strong performances from their experienced lineup as they look to carry their recent momentum into the ECAC Championships.

Navy - The Navy Midshipmen enter the ECAC Championships ranked 10th in the NCAA, the second-highest ranking among teams in the conference. Navy has been led this season by several strong individual performers who have contributed to the team’s consistency across events. Matthew Petros has been one of the most notable athletes for the Midshipmen, currently sitting eighth in the NCAA with an average score of 14.150 and coming off an impressive routine during the team competition at the Air Force Academy, which hosted the USAG Collegiate National Championships. Another key competitor for Navy is junior Benjamin Thurlow Lam, who has been a dominant force for the Midshipmen throughout the season. Although Thurlow Lam is coming off a lower-scoring routine in his most recent competition, he will be looking to bounce back with a strong performance as he pursues a conference title. The Midshipmen will rely on their experienced athletes and strong individual scoring potential as they aim for success at the ECAC Championships.

Simpson - The Simpson Storm enter their fifth season as an NCAA men’s gymnastics program, continuing to show significant improvement and growth. The team looks ahead to the ECAC Championships with an opportunity to cap off what could become a record-breaking season. Head coach Colin Payne has consistently spoken about the team’s progress and their push to establish themselves as a strong contender within the conference. Several key athletes have helped make that goal more attainable, including Brian Rollison, Braxton Jones, Kenny Rabe, and Paul Tiedmann. Brian Rollison has been a powerhouse on the rings, serving as both a reliable competitor and a momentum builder for the Storm. Nationally, Rollison sits eighth in the NCAA rings rankings, just ahead of Fred Richard, with an average score of 13.783 and a season-high of 13.950 that he achieved in his most recent competition. Braxton Jones has also been a major contributor, particularly on the vault, where he ranks 11th nationally with a 14.133 average. Jones combines great difficulty with strong consistency, though he is coming off a challenging weekend on the event. Simpson will look to its key athletes to deliver strong routines as they aim to continue their upward trajectory at the conference championships.

Greenville - The Greenville Panthers enter the ECAC Championships as the highest-ranked team in the conference. Greenville has been especially strong on the pommel horse and vault, where they lead the conference in team scores. The Panthers were also the first program to launch the NPI initiative, which has helped the program experience significant growth in roster depth and high-level competitors. Throughout the season, the team has gone through several lineup adjustments, but head coach Zach Peters and his staff appear to be finalizing their strongest lineups just in time for the postseason. Two key competitors for the Panthers are Jaxon Clapper and Kyler Hinson. Clapper has been one of the team’s top performers, ranking sixth nationally on floor exercise and fifth nationally on the parallel bars. Hinson has also been a major contributor, currently sitting second in the NCAA all-around rankings according to the Week 11 standings. With strong individual performers and event-leading team scores, Greenville will look to capitalize on their strengths as they pursue success at the ECAC Championships.

Springfield - Springfield enters the ECAC postseason ranked 12th in the Road to Nationals standings and most recently finished fourth in a matchup featuring ECAC teams and Air Force Falcons in Colorado Springs. They currently have a 308.633 average, which could potentially keep them in the running for a podium finish at the ECAC Championships. Pommel Horse is one of the key events for Springfield if they want to see success in the postseason. They are currently ranked eighth with a 52.533 average on the pommel horse, with their star anchor Peyton Cramer recently winning the individual event title at the USAG Collegiate Nationals. Cramer is currently ranked ninth in the NCAA with a 14.017 average. Devon Felsenstein has also put up many huge scores on the pommel horse. These two will definitely be competing against each other for the ECAC pommel horse title and will work together to keep Springfield in contention for that ECAC team title. 

William & Mary-  William & Mary is currently ranked fourteenth with an average of 307.067. The Tribe has had some difficulties earlier this season, but their consistency and team score have improved greatly as we approach the postseason. This is a great sign for this team, as they are taking on a group of closely ranked competitive teams this weekend.  Luke Tully has been a key player in the all-around for the Tribe, placing third at the USAG Collegiate Nationals. Tully is currently ranked 16th on the high bar with an impressive average of 13.367. He is also ranked in the top thirty on floor and vault, which is important for the Tribe. The high bar will be an important event for the Tribe as they are ranked ninth with a 51.4. Ricky Pizem and Evan Wilkins are also key contributors on the highbar, in addition to Tully. Key routines and events like this will be the Tribes key to a strong performance at the ECAC Championships.