WESTWOOD, CA -JANUARY 17, 2026: UCLA Jordan Chiles reacts towards assistant coach Lacy Dagen after her dismount on the balance beam in the gymnastics meet against Nebraska at Pauley Pavilion on January 17, 2026 in Westwood, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Jordan Chiles and the No. 5 UCLA Bruins took down Big Ten conference foe No. 21 Michigan State in a crucial dual meet on Sunday. The Bruins posted a season-best 197.475 to edge a season-high 196.900 from the Spartans.
The two programs have dominated the Big Ten Conference in recent years, with Michigan State winning the 2024 Big Ten title and UCLA winning in 2025. Though the Spartans rallied to a season high, their efforts fell short to Chiles’ record day.
In front of a sold-out crowd in Michigan State’s Breslin Center, Chiles silenced nearly 10,000 Green and White fans with a dominant performance.
“This is definitely one of the best Big Ten meets I’ve ever been a part of,” Chiles said following Sunday’s meet, extending compliments to the record-breaking crowd.
The UCLA senior entered the competition as the No. 1-ranked gymnast in the all-around, and exited snowy East Lansing, MI, with even more accolades.
Chiles began her competition with an exceptional 9.95 on the uneven bars, good for first place on the event. Many fans called for a perfect score, but the judges felt differently – the reigning NCAA champion on bars would have to wait for today’s 10.0.
The Bruins then traveled to the vault, an event where Chiles nabbed a perfect score the previous week. On Sunday in East Lansing, Chiles stuck her vault once again, earning a 10.0 from one judge and a 9.95 from the second, good for a 9.975 average.
Close to perfection, but just short.
On the floor, the event where Chiles won the 2023 NCAA title, she improved by .025 from her vault score, earning the NCAA’s first perfect ten on floor in 2026. The 10.0 marks Chiles’ seventh perfect score on the event, bringing her career 10.0 total to 13.
Closing the competition on beam, all eyes were on Chiles.
While the win was out of reach for Michigan State, fans watched anxiously as Chiles attempted to tumble into a career milestone.
After securing her first perfect ten on vault last week, beam remains the final event without a Chiles 10.0. If the 24-year-old could secure a 10.0, she would achieve the coveted ‘Gym Slam,’ a score of 10.0 on all four events.
Though Chiles completed her more difficult skills without error, two minor but costly balance errors likely kept the 10.0 out of reach. While one judge awarded a 10.0, the other awarded a 9.90, resulting in a 9.95 average.
There would be no Gym Slam – for now.
Chiles’ perfect ten on beam feels almost imminent, with the gymnast scoring above 9.95 on three occasions in just four weeks of NCAA competition.
Gym Slam or not, Chiles’ performance was record-breaking. The Olympian won all four events at Sunday’s competition and tallied the highest all-around score in the country, a 39.875 – just .025 short of her personal best.
As of Sunday’s competition, Chiles holds the nation’s top spots in the all-around and on vault, and ranks in the top ten on the remaining three events. In her final season with the UCLA Bruins, the Olympic gold medalist has never looked better.
With their win, the Bruins advance to 2-0 in Big Ten play and 6-2 overall. The team returns home to Los Angeles for a dual meet vs. Washington at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 30. The Bruins defeated the Washington Huskies in a tri-meet earlier this season, but will officially face off in conference play this Friday.