Minnesota Gophers Gymnastics Ready for NCAA National Semifinals

Gophers look to continue Cinderella run as lowest-seeded team in the field

Apr. 16, 2026 at 2:08pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a gymnastics competition, with overlapping planes of navy blue, maroon, and gold representing the University of Minnesota colors, capturing the raw energy and movement of the sport.The Minnesota Gophers gymnastics team aims to defy expectations and advance to the NCAA National Championships Final Four as the lowest-seeded team in the semifinals.Fort Worth Today

The Minnesota Golden Gophers gymnastics team will compete in the NCAA National Gymnastics Semifinals on Thursday night in Fort Worth, Texas. The #13 seeded Gophers upset #5 Alabama and #12 Utah to advance to the final eight, and they will face off against #1 Oklahoma, #4 UCLA and #9 Arkansas with only the top two teams advancing to Saturday's Final Four.

Why it matters

Minnesota's gymnastics program is looking to cap an impressive 2026 season and make a deep run at the NCAA National Championships. The Gophers have a 13-6 record against top-25 ranked teams this year and are looking to build on their previous best NCAA finish of sixth place in 2022.

The details

The Gophers will rely on a mixed group of veterans and freshmen, including senior Brooklyn Rowray on beam, junior Emma Slevin on bars, junior Jordyn Lyden on bars and floor, and standout freshman Ariana Ostrom who leads the team with 14 event titles this season. Minnesota will start the semifinal on beam, their best-ranked event at #12 nationally, followed by floor, vault, and bars.

  • The NCAA National Gymnastics Semifinals will take place on Thursday, April 17, 2026.
  • Minnesota's last trip to the NCAA National Championships was in 2022, where they finished in sixth place.

The players

Brooklyn Rowray

A senior gymnast who has anchored the Gophers on beam, earning a 9.925 beam score to win the regional title on April 3.

Emma Slevin

A junior in eligibility but first-year Gopher gymnast who has been great on the bars this season, hitting 9.900 six times.

Jordyn Lyden

A junior gymnast who has been peaking at the right time, tying a season-best with a 9.950 on bars to earn a share of the Big Ten Uneven Bars title and also earning a 9.950 on floor.

Ariana Ostrom

A standout freshman gymnast who leads Minnesota with 14 event titles this season, including on vault, floor, and all-around, and was named WCGA Second Team All-America.

Jenny Hansen

The head coach of the Minnesota Gophers gymnastics team, leading them to their fourth NCAA National Championships appearance under her tenure.

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What they’re saying

“We know we are the underdog, and we relish that chance to try and shock the gymnastics world once again.”

— Minnesota Gophers Gymnast

What’s next

The top two teams from Thursday's semifinal will advance to Saturday's NCAA National Gymnastics Championships Final Four.

The takeaway

Minnesota's gymnastics program has emerged as a Cinderella story this season, upsetting higher-ranked teams to reach the NCAA National Semifinals as the lowest-seeded team in the field. Their underdog mentality and mix of veteran leadership and young talent have propelled them to this point, and they will look to continue their Cinderella run on the biggest stage in collegiate gymnastics.