Rutgers Gymnastics standout Angel Leese made her comeback after missing the entire 2025 season, only to post the highest vault score of the night and break down in tears. She stuck a perfect landing, scoring a 9.9 in her first routine back.
Leese suffered an Achilles injury the day before the 2024 Big Ten Championships. Up until that point, she had made a name for herself in collegiate athletics as one of the most formidable gymnasts.
Rutgers Gymnastics Angel Leese Unable to Hold Back Her Tears in Emotional Return
Leese and her fellow Scarlet Knight, Gabrielle Dildy, earned recognition as Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch ahead of the season opener. While the latter aimed to carry forward her career-high momentum, the former entered the season after a long absence due to rehabilitation.
At the Rutgers Tri, the Scarlet Knights recorded a 195.400, the highest score in a season opener in program history, with big efforts from Dildy and Leese. The 23-year-old executed a stunning maneuver on the vault, winning the event with a 9.900. She also showcased her prowess on the floor, scoring a 9.825.
In a video posted on Instagram, she was seen sticking the landing gracefully and leaping with excitement, embracing her teammates and coaches while unable to hold back her tears. She shared the video on her story, stating that the tears didn’t stop throughout the night as she made a strong comeback and helped her team make history. She wrote:
“Tears alllll night!!”
Delaney Adrian shone on the beam, and Dildy closed out with the highest scores on the floor.
Rutgers Gymnastics’ Graduate Student Angel Leese’s Career Highlights
Before the injury marred more than a year of her career, Leese was one of the country’s best and even served as team leader for the Scarlet Knights twice. In her standout years in 2023 and 2024, the 23-year-old set the program record on vault with a 9.925 and was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team in 2024.
Having qualified for the individual vault event at the 2023 NCAA Regional Championships and boasting strong career highs on floor and beam, Leese also excelled as a leader, helping put Rutgers Gymnastics on the map. Her resume also includes three Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors, four Academic All-Big Ten selections, and a WCGA Scholastic All-American honor.
After the tri meet against Brockport and Temple, the Scarlet Knights will travel to face Ball State in Indiana for the first road meet of the new season. Under the Big Ten schedule, Rutgers will next host Ohio State on January 17, 2025.
