The moment everyone was waiting for. The Michigan Wolverines are National Champions! The 2025 NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships, hosted by Michigan at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor from April 18-19, was nothing short of unforgettable. In front of their home crowd, the Wolverines secured the victory, edging out Stanford by less than two-tenths to prevent a six-peat by the Cardinal. With the leadership of Olympic bronze medalists Fred Richard and Paul Juda, Michigan made history.
The scores were a rollercoaster, but it was Paul Juda’s vault score that stole the show. Before the vault scores were revealed, Stanford had posted a solid 59.899 on bars. Michigan’s vault scores were the final piece of the puzzle, and as the numbers flashed across the screen, the crowd held their breath. Paul’s 13.966 vault score, added to his teammates’ contributions, brought Michigan’s total to 56.599—enough to claim victory. Solomi Chiosi led off with a 13.833, followed by Fred Richard and David Wolma, both posting 14.400. Juda’s 13.966 sealed the win.
As the final score sank in, it was impossible to hold back the emotion. When Paul saw his name flash on the scoreboard, the weight of the moment hit him hard. It was his first and probably will be his last national championship. Tears started falling as he realized what it meant for him and his team. The entire gym—athletes, coaches, and fans—was swept up in the emotion. Social media exploded with tributes, with many sharing how the raw, heartfelt moment of Paul’s tears had touched them deeply. It was a victory that will go down in Michigan’s history, not just for the win, but for the emotion that came with it.
THE MICHIGAN WOLVERINES ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS #B1GMGym x @UMichGym pic.twitter.com/OjF3SHGmW3
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) April 20, 2025
Fans flooded social media, sharing their reactions: “IT’S GREAT TO BE A MICHIGAN WOLVERINE”, one fan wrote. Another added, “I’m literally sobbing, what a moment.” One more shared, “PAUL JUDA DESERVED THIS. I’m in tears too ” while another said, “The GOAT energy is REAL. .” And one fan expressed, “Paul Juda…I am crying with you! You and your team just made my day SO much better by winning the men’s national team title tonight, and I’m stoked that Kameron Nelson from OSU won the vault national title!! SO HAPPY for those guys! Congrats to everyone!!!”
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