The 2025 college gymnastics season witnessed an electrifying start with the awarding of two perfect 10s within a span of just 24 hours. Missouri’s Helen Hu, a rising star in the gymnastics world, etched her name in history by achieving the season’s first perfect 10 for her breathtaking floor routine against the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners. Hu’s performance, characterized by its balletic grace, innovative choreography, and flawless landing, garnered widespread acclaim and set the stage for a potentially record-breaking season. The following day, Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles secured the second perfect 10 of the season with her impeccable bar routine during UCLA’s victory over Maryland. These back-to-back perfect scores marked the end of a three-week drought and ignited discussions about the future trajectory of judging in collegiate gymnastics.
The initial absence of perfect 10s in the first week of the season had sparked optimism among gymnastics enthusiasts. Significant judging reforms implemented during the 2024 offseason, including the possibility of demotions for egregious scoring errors, had raised hopes for a more standardized and equitable evaluation system. The expectation was that perfect 10s would become a rare accolade, reserved only for truly exceptional performances. However, the rapid succession of perfect 10s awarded to Hu and Chiles rekindled concerns about a potential resurgence of inflated scores, mirroring patterns observed in previous seasons.
Historical data suggests a strong correlation between the early appearance of perfect 10s and a subsequent surge in their frequency. In the 2024 season, for instance, the number of perfect 10s increased exponentially from two in week one to four in week two and a remarkable nine in week three. This trend persisted throughout the season, with no fewer than five perfect 10s awarded each weekend thereafter, culminating in a total of 87 perfect scores by the season’s end. This pattern raises questions about whether judges, influenced by early high scores and the pressure of a vocal online gymnastics community, become more inclined to award higher marks, potentially leading to score inflation.
The weekend following Chiles’ perfect 10 saw a dramatic spike in scores across the board, further fueling the debate about judging consistency. The “Best of Utah” meet witnessed all four participating teams – Utah, Southern Utah, Utah State, and BYU – shattering their previous season-high scores by substantial margins. Utah, tying Oklahoma for the nation’s highest score of the 2025 season with a remarkable 197.950, surpassed its previous best by over six tenths. The other teams followed suit, with Southern Utah improving by 1.175, Utah State by an astounding 1.650, and BYU by 1.125. While it is possible for teams to simultaneously peak in performance, such dramatic improvements across multiple teams in a single meet inevitably raise questions about the role of judging in these outcomes.
The confluence of exceptional routines and potentially lenient judging creates a complex scenario for the sport. While high scores are not inherently problematic, their credibility hinges on the fairness and consistency of the judging process. The NCAA has implemented measures like the National Qualifying Score (NQS) system to mitigate the impact of inflated scores. The NQS calculates a team’s average score based on its six best regular-season performances, discarding the highest score and requiring that at least three scores come from away meets. This system is designed to provide a more balanced representation of a team’s true abilities and reduce the influence of potentially inflated home-meet scores.
Despite the implementation of measures like the NQS and the newly established SCORE board, which aims to improve judging accountability, the future of scoring in collegiate gymnastics remains uncertain. The early surge in perfect 10s presents a crucial test for the judges. Will they maintain a consistent and objective evaluation standard, or will the trend of escalating scores continue? The upcoming weeks will be pivotal in determining whether the judging reforms have truly addressed the concerns surrounding score inflation and ensured a level playing field for all competitors. The gymnastics community will be watching closely to see if the pursuit of perfect 10s overshadows the core principles of fair and equitable competition.
