Los Angeles, CA — As Chae Campbell prepared for her floor exercise at UCLA’s senior meet, she mouthed every word to Kendrick Lamar’s “They Not Like Us,” setting the tone for an unforgettable performance. Every movement in her routine was executed with precision — from sharp tumbling passes to expressive dance choreography.
She brought back a fan-favorite routine from her freshman year and delivered it passionately in her final performance at Pauley Pavilion.
Afterward, Campbell embraced her teammates and coaches, sharing a tearful moment — at least until an unexpected 9.825 score was announced.
“Chae’s floor routine was incredible,” said Jordan Chiles, the final floor performer. “It wasn’t about me trying to flip things around. There was nothing left to flip. Her routine was amazing, and she brought back a routine that everyone loved.
It was awesome to see her give it everything she had. We had to keep pushing forward, and we had our floor party.”
Although the scoring drama momentarily overshadowed the senior meet’s magic, UCLA (13-2) still managed to defeat Stanford, 197.765-197.100, on Sunday.
Chiles had a standout performance, winning the all-around with a score of 39.750 and claiming first place in every event except balance beam, where she tied for second. Balance beam was one of the most consistent events for UCLA, with gymnasts and coaches linking arms, hoping for a high enough score to propel the team ahead of Stanford by a comfortable margin.
The Bruins delivered, earning six scores above 9.900 and securing a strong lead, 148.150-147.600. Emily Lee tied her season-high with a 9.925 in the leadoff spot, while Ciena Alipio and Emma Malabuyo also posted 9.925s to close out the event.
“We didn’t really dial in landings on vault today,” said head coach Janelle McDonald. “But by the time we got to beam, they were calm and confident. They just went out and did what they do in training every day. It was amazing to see that confidence come through.”
UCLA had fallen behind after a vault score of 49.225, their lowest since February 14. But after the second rotation, they regained the lead at 98.575-98.475. Chiles anchored both vault and uneven bars in the second rotation, posting career-high scores of 9.95 in each event. She also brought home a 9.95 on floor, helping UCLA sweep the event.
Macy McGowan and Brooklyn Moors tied for second with 9.925s, while Emma Malabuyo earned 9.900 for fourth place.
McDonald voiced her frustration over the scores of Moors and Chiles, mentioning that the coaching staff had submitted routine summaries to receive feedback from judges. She also expressed concerns about Campbell’s score, feeling it was outside the expected range under the new scoring system.
“We can only control so much,” said Moors. “Of course, we wanted those higher scores, but I try to focus on how I make people feel rather than the scores. I know Chae feels the same way.”
During the meet, UCLA honored eight gymnasts in a senior celebration: graduate students Campbell, Carissa Clay, Frida Esparza, and Brooklyn Moors; seniors Mia Erdoes, Lee, and Malabuyo; and junior Clara Wren, who is graduating early.
Exhibition routines gave the seniors a chance to shine, even if they hadn’t been regulars in the lineup this season. Erdoes earned applause for her uneven bars and balance beam routines, while Clay smiled throughout her beam routine, despite a small stumble.
The meet was held in front of 12,915 fans, with the crowd filling both the lower and upper levels of Pauley Pavilion.
“When I first came to Pauley as head coach for ‘Meet the Bruins’ a few years ago, I imagined seeing people all the way up in the rafters,” McDonald reflected. “Today, that vision became a reality.”
