Stanford Men's Gymnastics Wins 50th Straight NCAA Title

Cardinal gymnasts edge Michigan to extend university's historic championship streak

Apr. 19, 2026 at 4:28am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic movements and competition of a men's gymnastics event, with sharp planes of red, blue, and gold representing the Cardinal's championship performance.Stanford's gymnastics dynasty continues with the program's 50th NCAA championship, a testament to the university's sustained athletic excellence.Stanford Today

The Stanford men's gymnastics team won the 2026 NCAA national championship on Saturday, defeating Michigan and securing the university's 50th consecutive year with at least one NCAA title. The Cardinal scored 329.825 points to edge Michigan's 328.495, led by individual event winners Junnosuke Iwai in vault and Cooper Kim in floor exercise.

Why it matters

Stanford's remarkable 50-year streak of winning at least one NCAA championship in any sport is a testament to the university's sustained athletic excellence and dominance across a wide range of collegiate competitions. This latest men's gymnastics title further cements Stanford's status as one of the premier athletic programs in the country.

The details

Stanford won its 10th NCAA men's gymnastics championship overall and its sixth in the last seven seasons. The Cardinal overcame a weak performance on the pommel horse with strong showings in the other five events, including a team-high 56.432 points on the parallel bars. Junnosuke Iwai took the vault title with a 14.433 score, while Cooper Kim won the floor exercise with a 14.466.

  • The 2026 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championship took place on Saturday, April 18th.
  • Stanford has now won at least one NCAA title for 50 consecutive years, dating back to 1975.

The players

Junnosuke Iwai

A Stanford gymnast who won the individual vault title with a score of 14.433.

Cooper Kim

A Stanford gymnast who won the individual floor exercise title with a score of 14.466.

Asher Hong

A Stanford gymnast who had the team's highest scores on the still rings (14.300) and parallel bars (14.400).

David Shamah

A Stanford gymnast who competed only on the parallel bars, scoring a 14.333.

Thom Glielmi

The head coach of the Stanford men's gymnastics program, which has won 10 NCAA titles and 6 in the last 7 seasons under his leadership.

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What they’re saying

“Winning an NCAA national championship is never easy. Any time you can do that in any sport, you should be celebrating. Especially when it also includes an historic milestone.”

— Ben Parker, Author

What’s next

Stanford will look to continue its dynasty in men's gymnastics, as the team aims to extend its 50-year streak of winning at least one NCAA title. The Cardinal will also have opportunities in women's golf and women's water polo to add to the university's historic championship run.

The takeaway

Stanford's 50-year streak of winning at least one NCAA title is a remarkable feat of sustained athletic excellence. The men's gymnastics team's latest championship solidifies the university's status as one of the premier collegiate sports programs in the country, with a culture of success that has endured for half a century.