The 15th-seeded Minnesota Gymnastics team has been gearing up for a tri-meet against Iowa and Utah, marking the start of its 52nd season on Jan. 2, 2026. The Gophers narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Championships last season, finishing fourth in the Regional Finals. The team will go up against Iowa, which is coming off a successful 2025 season after reaching its 25th consecutive NCAA Regional.
Iowa vs. Minnesota Gymnastics – Preview
Minnesota Gymnastics had a stellar season in 2025, advancing to the Regional Finals for the fourth time in five years, one of only two Big Ten teams to achieve this feat. Finishing fourth in the Regional Final, the Gophers ended the season at Salt Lake City, Utah, with an overall 25-7 and 8-1 in the Big Ten.
It tied for second in the Big Ten regular season standings. It finished in third place at the Big Ten Championships and was led by coach Jenny Hansen, who earned the North Central Region Coach of the Year award for the first time. Standout gymnast Mya Hooten tied for fifth out of all floor competitors in session 1. As a result, she won her 13th All-American honor.
On the other hand, Iowa finished the 2025 season as the 26th-ranked team in the nation, placing fifth at the Big Ten Championships. They earned an overall record of 9-9 and 5-4 in the Big Ten, breaking the 197.00 for the first time since 2021. It reached the NCAA Regionals for the 25th straight year and finished fourth behind Cal, Alabama, and North Carolina.
Utah Gymnastics is another team to watch out for in the 2026 season. The Red Rocks achieved a grand feat last season, becoming the only college program to qualify for every National Championship and every Final Four since 2021. The team won the Big 12 Championship on March 22 and the Big 12’s Regular Season Championship outright on Feb. 21. Considerable efforts from Grace McCallum helped the Red Rocks finish fourth in the Nationals behind Oklahoma, UCLA, and Missouri.
Minnesota Gymnastics vs. Iowa vs. Utah – Schedule, TV Channel and Live Streaming Details
The NCAA season will open on Jan. 2, 2026, in the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The face-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT and 7 p.m. MT. Fans can tune in to ESPN+ to watch the event live, and Live Stats will be available on Minnesota’s official GopherSports.com. Commentators Alisa Mowe and Nick Koop will be present for extensive coverage.
The Gophers will next face Arkansas on Jan. 10, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. CT. The Iowa squad will face Illinois, Illinois State, and Iowa State on the same date.
