3/15/26- UCLA Yates Palooza 2026 

To kick off finals week, UCSD Gymnastics traveled to Los Angeles to compete at UCLA’s Yates Palooza. Hosted by UCLA Club Gymnastics, the event provided a fun and encouraging environment, welcoming participants with stuffed teddy bears. A special recognition goes to Samantha Panjaitan and Almudena Garcia for competing in gymnastics for the very first time.

At Level 9, Rebecca Sautter and Raina Eghbalyans demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship and excelled in the all-around competition. Rebecca earned first place on bars and floor with impressive scores of 9.55 and 9.75. Captain Raina placed first on vault and second on both bars and floor. Together, they secured first and second place in the all-around, completing a podium sweep for UCSD.

In the Xcel divisions, Platinums Kristina Ma and Sydney Kundert, along with Diamond Kaitlyn Fong, delivered exceptional performances and earned numerous medals. Sydney competed in all four events, setting a strong example for the team. Kristina achieved second place on vault and first place on bars, beam, floor, and in the all-around. Kaitlyn had an outstanding meet, sweeping the podium with first-place finishes in all four events as well as the all-around.

The Xcel Silvers—Amelia Bacio, Amanda Sorto, Kaitlyn Lin, Noheley Alvarez, Ellery Date, Samantha Panjaitan, and Almudena Garcia—brought great energy to the competition and successfully completed all of their routines. Samantha and Almudena performed their new floor routines with notable artistry. Ellery placed second on bars and first on vault, and finished with a first-place all-around result. Kaitlyn earned second on vault and first on beam, while UCSD swept the beam podium with Kaitlyn in third, Samantha in second, and Noheley in first. Noheley also placed third on floor with an energetic ABBA routine. Amelia concluded the meet with a consistent performance, placing third in the all-around.

Overall, the UCSD athletes enjoyed competing together and reconnecting with fellow competitors. With strong momentum, the team will next travel to Birmingham, Alabama for NAIGC Nationals, closing out the 2026 season on a high note.