Gymnastics | 8/27/2026 10:24:00 AM

DENTON, Texas (Aug. 27, 2026) – Building champions in competition and in academics remains a core mission of the Texas Woman's gymnastics team.

This year, the Pioneers closed their competition season by winning the 2026 Women's Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championship – claiming their 14th National Title in program history.

Following the conclusion of the 2025-26 academic year, based on data submitted to the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA), TWU boasted a team grade point average of 3.8421– the third highest GPA among all gymnastics teams in the nation. The Pioneers have finished in the Top Five a nation leading 10 of 12 years. 

"Once again our student-athletes have proven that excellence isn't just about what happens in the gym, it's about the commitment, discipline and pursuit of greatness you bring to everything you do," said TWU Gymnastics Head Coach Lisa Bowerman. "This program has shown sustained academic success across decades, and I could not be more proud of these Pioneers on yet again placing themselves among the Top Three in the nation."

Leading them to a stellar team GPA, ten Pioneers – Bailey Bourgeois, Caroline Bowns, Brooke Ferrari, Sophia Isbell, Kylie Minard, Maddy Murphy, Gabby Ruseva, Sofia Steffan, Bailey Upton and Kami Zarlengo – posted a 4.0 GPA. Nineteen Pioneer gymnasts recorded above a 3.50 GPA for the 2025-26 academic year. 

Posting the Top GPA in the nation was Utah State with a 3.8916 team GPA, and the University of Alaska-Anchorage finished in second with a 3.8476 team GPA.

According to the WCGA, "1,195 student-athletes earned a 3.5 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale, 77.15% of all reporting gymnasts, the most ever by percentage (since available records in 2008). There were 293 (18.92%) student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA. This was the sixth year in a row with more than 1,000 Scholastic All-America winners, and two of the top five universities broke into the lineup for the first time ever. Across all gymnasts this year, the average GPA was a 3.6339 which is the second highest (since available records in 2015), 70 institutions had a team GPA of a 3.5 or better, and in eleven of the last twelve years, at least one institution each year has had 100% of its athletes qualify for this prestigious award (four institutions achieved 100% honors this year)."