The 2019 NCAA women's gymnastics championship provided memorable moments. Oklahoma claimed another national title and the Sooners' Maggie Nichols took the all-around crown.
But another name also remained prevalent: Katelyn Ohashi. Overcoming prior injuries, she was no stranger to the media from her perfect 10 routines that were close to impossible to replicate or the bubbly aura that made her stand out — fans gravitated to much more than the gymnast's routine. Though she tied for first with teammate Kyla Ross on beam in the 2019 NCAA Regional Semifinal (9.950), her last floor routine during the 2019 national championship was the perfect cap to her collegiate career.
🏆CHAMPION ALERT: Here's a look at every NCAA gymnastics floor champion since 2014
For four years, Ohashi competed for the Bruins and excelled in all areas. Here's a look at the many accolades Ohashi accomplished while at UCLA:
- 2018 NCAA and Pac-12 Floor Exercise Co-Champion
- 2018 NCAA team champion
- Scored 11 career-perfect 10s (9 on floor, 2 on beam)
- 2019 and 2018 Pac-12 Specialist of the Year
- 2019 Pac-12 Balance Beam, Floor Exercise Co-Champion
- 10-time All-American
- Set record by being named Pac-12 Specialist of the Week 10 times in her career
- Four-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in 2016
- 2013 AT&T American Cup all-around champion
- Four-year USA Gymnastics' Junior National Team member
The Set Up
On Jan. 12, 2019, Ohashi competed in the Collegiate Challenge, where she scored her first perfect 10 on floor. With more than , Ohashi was once again a viral sensation.
She captured the eyes of fans all across the world, network stations, A-List celebrities and even the then-U.S. Senator and current Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris.
omg😱 i got you with tickets too any time!!🙏🏼
— Katelyn Ohashi (@katelyn_ohashi)
. is wowing the world with her impressive gymnastic routines filled with difficult passes. “I don’t know any other female gymnast in the world who does it,” her coach tells .
— Good Morning America (@GMA)
As she pushed through her senior year, Ohashi racked up a total of six perfect 10s — four on floor and two on beam.
Leading up to her final moments, it was bittersweet. Ohashi touched the hearts of many; including her former head coach Valorie Kondos Field. An intimate moment shared between the two exemplified how the world felt about her soon-to-be absence from the collegiate gymnastics world.
A sweet moment between and on the last day of practice. Keep an eye out tomorrow for more behind-the-scenes footage from the Bruins' last practice of the season.
— UCLA Gymnastics (@uclagymnastics)
The Bruins' Felicia Hano had just finished her floor routine and received a score of 9.750. As Ohashi made her way to the floor to close out the Bruins' final event of Rotation 2, her ambiance took over and all eyes gazed on her.
Ohashi's routine was a tribute to a wide range of famous R&B sensations. This helped her set the tone.
— WNBA (@WNBA)
Katelyn Ohashi absolutely crushed the final routine of her collegiate career 👏
— espnW (@espnW)
Here's a look at how the judges viewed Ohashi's performance compared to her teammates during the 2019 national championship.
The Routine
Cue Tina Turner. Ohashi got off to a rolling start as the Ft. Worth Convention Center filled with the instrumental beat of "Proud Mary." Starting with a body roll, Ohashi lit up the room and made her presence known to kick-start her memorable performance.
Ohashi began her routine with a perfect split-leg double layout tumbling pass, sticking the landing and earning cheers from the 8,500-strong crowd.
Ohashi danced straight into her next tumbling pass followed by the sounds of Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation."
Ohashi seamlessly incorporated expressive dance moves between each pass as Beyonce's "Run the World" accompanied her performance.
During Ohashi's final moments in her routine, she executed a front full, followed by a front half into a split drop.
🔮 BACK IN TIME: Full scoresheet of the 2019 NCAA Women's Gymnastics National Championship
The Final Moment
With the words of the television announcer, "little girls all over the country have fallen in love with Katelyn Ohashi" followed by the sounds of Aloe Blacc's "I'm the Man" blaring through the venue, it seemed like the perfect ending to every collegiate gymnast's story.
Ohashi routine stands as the highest-viewed video on and counting. Ohashi had a significant impact on the world of collegiate gymnastics.
Don't be sad that this is 's last collegiate routine-- she doesn't want that.
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network)
Instead, get up and dance along with joy as we watch the legend one final time as a Bruin.
Thanks for all the memories. 💙💛
Soon after the 2019 season, Ohashi took part in the 2019 inaugural Aurora Games to give her gymnastics career one last go before hanging up the leotard for good.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.
