UCLA

Who Is She?

Let’s be honest, this pandemic has been a real fart chunk for UCLA. The prospectively epic 2021 incoming class that was supposed to feature Jordan Chiles, Brooklyn Moors, Ana Padurariu, and Emma Malabuyo now includes…none of them until next year. (Brooklyn Moors appears on the roster because she is taking classes remotely while training for the Olympics but will not be with the team in 2021.)

So who is there? Frida Esparza still brings the elite experience to the 2021 newcomers, a US and Mexico international who competed at Classic and championships in the US in 2016 and 2017 before registering to compete for Mexico. Esparza represented Mexico at worlds in 2018 and 2019, scoring 51.399 in qualification at in 2018 to lead the country and place as an alternate to the all-around final.

Chae Campbell has been atop the L10 field for what seems like centuries, ever since she popped into Junior A at 2015 JO Nationals to win vault and floor. Campbell spent a little time toying with elite as well during that period, attending junior Classic in 2015 and finishing 3rd on vault but missing the national AA qualifying score by a smidgen. After a couple other elite qualifying attempts in the following years, Campbell opted to stick with L10, most recently placing 3rd AA at JO Nationals in 2019 and 9th AA (2nd FX) at the 2020 Nastia Cup.

Walk-on Sara Ulias rounds out the class, an athlete who got a 9.525 on bars at Region 1s last year and has the raw ability on that event to be a project.

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