2022 NCAA Gymnastics Championships: Schedule, how NCAA gymnastics works

The 2022 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships begin today at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Here is a quick overview of how NCAA gymnastics championship work, how to watch, and the key differences between elite and collegiate gymnastics.

To reach this weekend’s NCAA women’s gymnastics championships, gymnasts had to make it through regional championships. Of the 36 teams that competed at Regionals (March 30-April 2, 2022), eight teams qualified for the NCAA championship.

The 2022 NCAA championship opens today with two semifinal rounds, each featuring four teams:

The top two teams from each semifinal will advance to Saturday’s final. The team with the top score on Saturday will win the 2022 NCAA title.

In addition to the team prize, gymnasts will also compete for the individual all-around title. Individual titles for both the all-around and apparatus titles are determined based on the results of the two semifinal competitions.

Competitive gymnastics is divided into levels, from 1-10. Gymnasts who reach Level 10 typically have the option to test into “elite” at some point, an avenue that usually first becomes available when they are around 12 years old.

While only a few move on to elite, the vast majority who reach Level 10 have the opportunity to compete collegiately.

Elite gymnastics is considerably more difficult, with routines that are longer and packed with more elements. College routines are shorter and “easier” by definition, though some of that is due to the nature of the competition season and the fact the athletes are full-time students.

That said, while the routines may be “easier” by definition in college gymnastics, the slightest wobble can be the difference between winning a national championship or