2026 Gymnastics Season Preview
1/8/2026
The 2026 Brown gymnastics season has arrived as the Bears get set to open at home for the first time in nine years on Sunday afternoon with a quad meet against Rhode Island College, Springfield and Southern Connecticut State.
Brown was picked third in this year’s Gymnastics East Conference Preseason Poll, and will feature 15 returners from last year’s squad, while welcoming four incoming freshmen.
Brown has posted the four highest National Qualifying Scores in program history over the last four seasons. The team’s final ranking of 56th in 2025 was the third highest in program history.
“I feel like the anticipation has been building, but we're excited for the season to kick off this weekend,” said head coach Brittany Harris. “There have always been those first meet jitters, but to be able to open in our home gym will be exciting for them to settle in and really allow themselves to do the gymnastics that they're capable of doing.”
YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025
Brown posted its third highest ever NQS of 193.890 last season, ranking 56th nationally. The team finished second at the Ivy Classic and placed sixth at the GEC Championships. Nine gymnasts earned a total of 10 All-GEC awards at the end of the regular season, including six first team honors. Six of the team’s 10 all-conference performers return for the 2026 season.
Graduated senior Maya Davis won the GEC title on floor, was named the GEC Specialist of the Year, and earned a bid to NCAA Regionals on floor, where she competed in the Utah Regional.
As a team, Brown set a new program record of 49.175 on beam on February 23 at the Ivy Classic, with its season-high team score of 194.800 ranking sixth in program history.
NEWCOMERS
The squad features four newcomers to this year’s team in freshmen Rehna Saalinger (Vienna, Va.), Lulu Ton-That (Chicago, Ill.), Sophie Tressler (Andover, Mass.) and Wailana Whitford (Costa Mesa, Calif.). Read more about the class here.
CAPTAINS
The Bears have elected three captains for 2026 in seniors Sophia Dewar, Liza Marcus, and junior Emily Ford.
TEAM MOTTO
“Our Team, Our Legacy.”
“This motto reminds us that what we accomplish together today will shape how our program is remembered tomorrow. It’s a call to take ownership and recognize that every detail—whether it’s effort in practice, success in the classroom, support for a teammate, or pride in representing Brown—becomes part of something bigger than just one season. We are grateful for those who paved the way before us, committed to creating opportunities for those who will follow, and fully locked in on this team, this year, right here and now, as we strive to dominate today.” - Brittary Harris, Head Coach
VAULT
Brown returns a large portion of its vault lineup from last season, including reigning Second Team All-GEC honoree Sophia Dewar. Fellow seniors Umi El Mammann, Jessica Lin, along with junior Lindsey Yang and sophomore Gabby Mautner also return from last year’s lineup. Graduated senior Julia Bedell, who was a four-year mainstay on the apparatus, is the only departure from last year’s lineup.
The vault group will also look to feature Emily Ford this season, who returns to the event for the first time since her freshman season, as well as rookie Lulu Ton-That.
“Gabby was huge for us last season being able to have that strong tuck full that we needed,” said Harris. “Sophia Dewar and Jessica Lin are just solid competitors when it comes to that event. With Umi returning too, having three seniors in the vault lineup helps the team settle in knowing that they have the most experience and we can really count on them to just do what they do best, and that's to shine.”
BARS
Similar to vault, the Bears will return all of their bars routines from last season except for graduated senior Maya Davis, who was a First team All-GEC honoree in 2025. Marcus also was a first teamer in 2025 and ranked seventh individually in NQS on the event. Sophomore Daisy Fallon returns after a strong freshman campaign, along with Dewar and Ford.
Ton-That and Sophie Tressler will also by vying for spots in the team’s lineup, as will sophomore Addie Whiteside, who will look to compete in three events this season.
“Bars has been looking so consistent, and I love the energy that the bars squad is bringing in practice, so we're ready to show it off on Sunday,” said Harris. “Addie Whiteside has been doing well over this preseason getting that consistency. She's very detail-oriented and passionate, so having her energy on bars is going to be great for the squad.
“Sophia Dewar and Liza Marcus are just consistent, solid competitors and having those seniors to set the tone is going to be really exciting,” said Harris.
Brown has benefitted from new assistant coach Dante Cecil, who will oversee bars this season.
“Dante's been great on bars,” added Harris. “I think the girls have really taken a liking to Dante's technical style and how he explains things. Having his gymnastics background as well, competing at the collegiate level, he knows a lot of the things that they're feeling, either skill-wise or emotionally.”
BEAM
Perhaps the deepest group on the team comes on beam, with all the 2025 routines returning for 2026. Brown led the GEC on the event in six of the 11 weeks of the season in 2025, ending the year ranked No. 2. All six members of the lineup return and ranked in the top 25 in the league last year. The Bears set a new program record of 49.175 on the event at the Ivy Classic. Among the returners is Emily Ford who ranked No. 2 in the GEC last season and has scored a 9.900 on three occasions. Lindsay Van Eyk tied for third in the GEC last year and like Ford, was a First Team All-GEC honoree.
“We have 10-plus beam workers,” said Harris. “We have about 15 beam routines ready to go, so we have the most depth on beam for sure. Last year we really turned the page on beam, which can be kind of that make-or-break apparatus, and you have got to really make sure that you're locked in and stay present throughout each skill and each dance element.
“Rehna Saalinger is a beam queen; solid, sharp movements,” said Harris. “You can't help but watch her beam and so we're excited to see what she gets to do this weekend. Our seniors Liza and Jess will be back on beam, and I feel like they've really set the tone with clean, crisp gymnastics, great showmanship and great energy from start to finish. Lindsey Yang has elegant lines and is the combination of power and grace; it's just awesome to watch her.”
FLOOR
Brown will also return many key pieces on floor from 2025 including Yang, Fallon, Marcus, and Dewar, while also looking to fill the void left by Bedell and Davis, who each earned an NCAA Regional bid on the apparatus in their careers.
“Floor is always so exciting,” said Harris. “It's our time where we're able to become these different characters and tell different stories with our routines and really enjoy performing. (Marcus and Dewar) bring a lot of energy, fun and drama into everything that they do and seeing them grow from freshmen to now has been such a joy. Daisy brings a lot of energy and fun, and her facial expressions and her smiling attitude really draw you into her routines. Lindsey Yang has another beautiful routine that she's going to debut. I know that we love every bit of her routine and she is so fluid with her movements.”
