For Madeline Simpson, a West Chester, Pennsylvania, native and 2024 level 10 national champion, the next chapter of her gymnastics career couldn’t come soon enough. After graduating high school a year early to join Oklahoma, Simpson is eager to trade years of online schooling and long commutes to the gym for the camaraderie of NCAA gymnastics
Her journey has included everything from overcoming a childhood fear of forward rolls to competing in the 2025 Nastia Liukin Cup. While a recent foot injury has challenged her to relearn basic skills, she has persevered and grown both physically and mentally. Through every milestone and setback, Simpson remains focused on her goals and excited to compete for the Sooners
Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity
College team:Oklahoma
Hometown:West Chester, Pennsylvania
How did you first fall in love with gymnastics? Can you remember the moment or feeling that made you realize it was your sport?
My mom put me in classes when I was really young. I was terrified to do a forward roll. My mom was convinced that there was no way it was the sport for me. After a friend brought me to an open gym, I fell in love with the sport again. I couldn’t resist not being in the gym. I begged my mom to put me back into classes, and since it was what I really wanted, she agreed. I was also passionate about swimming. As I grew older and continued to do both, it was clear to me that gymnastics was what I wanted to do seriously.
What’s one moment in your gymnastics journey you’ll never forget? Whether it’s a big win or a quiet milestone, what made it special?
A moment that I’ll never forget in my gymnastics journey is winning nationals in 2024. I had no expectations for myself, and I had no idea where I stood as the meet was going on. The moment when my coach told me I was a national champion was the most special moment of my career so far
We’d love to hear more about your recruiting experience. What stood out to you most on your official visits, and what made you ultimately choose Oklahoma?
My goal on the official visits was to get a sense of the atmosphere of the school in general, and of course, of the team. Everywhere I visited, there were differences in the “feel” of the school and team. I went into my visits with a fixed mindset about what I wanted, but during the process, I realized I wanted something a little different. With Oklahoma, everything from the team culture, the SEC environment, and the school’s overall atmosphere was a perfect match for me. My recruiting experience was nothing like I expected it to be. There were a lot of surprising turns along the way, but ultimately, doors closed and opened that led me to where I was meant to be.
What went into your decision to graduate early and begin your college career at Oklahoma ahead of schedule?
This is another sequence of events that happened very quickly and unexpectedly. After KJ Kindler and I realized that I had minimal credits left to graduate, she proposed the idea of coming early. The factors that went into the final decision were more access to resources as I return after surgery, the fact that I do cyber school and wouldn’t be missing a typical senior year, the lengthy drive (about an hour and twenty minutes one way) to my club gym, and the benefits of training with a group of high-level gymnasts. Given all of these circumstances, it made the most sense to move forward with beginning my college career ahead of schedule.
What excites you most about arriving on campus earlier than originally planned?
I am so excited to be with the team. The girls on the team are just so special, and I am so honored to be joining them this year. For the past five years, I have been training during school hours with a small group, so I am looking forward to having a whole team to train with and to push me to grow as a gymnast. And of course, getting the opportunity to be coached by Kindler and her staff is super exciting
You were a Nastia Liukin Cup qualifier in 2025. Everyone always talks about it being a really special atmosphere. How did you find it, and how did it differ from a regular level 10 meet?
The Nastia Liukin Cup was definitely as amazing as everyone says it is. It’s a whole weekend of special events that make it much more than just a meet. In addition to the custom leos and competing on podium, the meet itself is a really unique experience that feels like the “real deal.” I was surrounded by the best of the best, and there’s truly no other feeling like it. Although they were my competitors, their support was unmatched. When I go back and watch my videos from that meet, all I can hear are the girls from my rotation cheering me on from the sidelines.
You are currently working your way back from injury. How has recovery been going so far? What have been your biggest challenges mentally and physically during the healing process?
This has been one of my most serious injuries and the longest recovery time. There have been a lot of challenges, mentally and physically, that I have had to overcome. Not being able to walk or use my foot for so long was really challenging for me. It has been physically demanding to get all of my leg/foot strength back. Right now, I am working on re-adjusting to jumping and landing. Mentally, it was an adjustment for me to be out of the gym for so long. Currently, my biggest struggle is finding patience as I’m slowly starting to get all of my skills back.
Who has made the biggest impact on your gymnastics career, and how have they inspired or shaped your journey?
My coach, Kim, has made the biggest impact on my gymnastics career. When I started at this gym, five years ago, I had a long way to go to accomplish my goals. Kim never doubted me, supported my goals, and worked endlessly with me to get me where I am today
Gymnastics is full of highs and lows—what’s one of the toughest challenges you’ve faced in your journey, and how has overcoming it shaped you as both an athlete and a person?
One of the toughest challenges I’ve faced during my gymnastics journey was at regionals in 2023. I was a new level 10, so eager to make nationals, and I had a pretty rough meet. Everything that could’ve gone wrong went wrong. I was absolutely devastated not to make nationals, but that experience of failing taught me a lot. I worked mentally and physically to come back even stronger the next year. Then, I went back to regionals again and not only won, but went on to win nationals. This experience taught me that I can work through failure, and it doesn’t define me as a gymnast or a person. Failure actually helped me grow.
Looking ahead to your college career, what are you most excited to experience—both as a gymnast and in your personal life?
I am excited to experience the team aspect of college gymnastics. I’m looking forward to training with a group of girls who share similar goals as me. In my personal life, I’m excited to take in-person classes. I have been taking all of my classes online since 7th grade!
What’s something on your college gymnastics bucket list?
I want to get a 10.0 on beam!
Rapid Fire Questions
Vault, bars, beam, or floor?Beam
Which four gymnasts would be on your college gymnastics Mount Rushmore?Audrey Davis, Trinity Thomas, Ragan Smith, and Lily Smith
What’s your most-used emoji? 🥹
What’s one of your pre-meet rituals or superstitions?Hugging my mom
What’s one of your gymnastics pet peeves?Driving home covered in chalk
What’s a hidden talent people may not know about?Swimming on a team in the summer
What do you want to be when you grow up?Work for a professional/collegiate sports team
What’s your favorite leotard your college team has worn?This one!
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Article by Courtney Varrichio
