Mt. Hope and Cranston West capture 2026 gymnastics team championships

The Huskies and Falcons won their respective divisions at the Rhode Island state gymnastics meet.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Mt. Hope gymnastics returned to the podium with a dominant performance, scoring 140.225 points to win the Division I state championship. Cranston West used a clutch floor routine to rally and win the Division II title with 135.475 points, edging out last year's champion Prout/Exeter West Greenwich.

Why it matters

Gymnastics is a popular high school sport in Rhode Island, and the state championships are a highly anticipated annual event. Mt. Hope's victory marks a return to the top for the program, while Cranston West's win shows their resilience after finishing as runners-up last year.

The details

Mt. Hope was led by standout performances from Kara Pisasale, who won the floor exercise, and Elle Rodrigues, who finished first in the all-around competition. Cranston West was paced by Gianna Desmarais' all-around excellence, including a clutch 9.3 on the floor to clinch the Division II title.

  • The Rhode Island Interscholastic League gymnastics team championships were held on February 14, 2026 at Rhode Island College's Murray Center.
  • Mt. Hope last won the state gymnastics title in the 2018-19 season.
  • Cranston West's last state championship was in the 2019-20 season.

The players

Kara Pisasale

A sophomore gymnast for Mt. Hope who won the floor exercise and finished second in the all-around competition.

Elle Rodrigues

A gymnast for Mt. Hope who returned from a back injury this season and won the all-around title in Division I.

Gianna Desmarais

A gymnast for Cranston West who won the all-around title in Division II and will be the favorite to defend her individual all-around championship.

Prout/Exeter West Greenwich

The co-op gymnastics team that finished as the runner-up in Division II, after winning the title last year.

Madilyn Bolton

A gymnast for Cranston West who expressed confidence in her team's ability to win the Division II title.

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What they’re saying

“We were talking today about how individual performances really don't matter. It's about putting your best performance forward for your team. I fell on Beam, and normally I'd be upset, but I knew there was going to be someone else competing that will help keep the scores up. We were just really focused.”

— Kara Pisasale (Providence Journal)

“It feels amazing coming into this competition and taking first place in D-II. It really shows how hard we practiced and how much it paid off.”

— Gianna Desmarais (Providence Journal)

“We were pretty confident, but it wasn't until we were announced that we knew we won.”

— Madilyn Bolton, Cranston West gymnast (Providence Journal)

What’s next

Mt. Hope, Cranston West and Prout/Exeter-West Greenwich have all qualified for the New England Gymnastics Championships, which will be held on March 7 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

The takeaway

This year's gymnastics team championships in Rhode Island showcased the resilience and teamwork of the top programs in the state. Mt. Hope's return to the top and Cranston West's redemption victory demonstrate the competitive spirit and dedication of these high school athletes.