UCLA Celebrates Historic Big Ten Conference Honors for Chiles and Malabuyo

Jordan Chiles and Emma Malabuyo are the inaugural UCLA gymnasts to achieve Big Ten Conference Weekly Awards, with Chiles being honored as the conference Gymnast of the Week and Malabuyo as the Co-Event Specialist of the Week.

Both athletes were instrumental in UCLA’s commanding victory at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad. UCLA attained a final team score of 197.550, marking the third-highest score in the country for this season. The Bruins also recorded a national-best floor exercise score of 49.600.

Chiles achieved impressive scores in three different events, securing the floor exercise with a near-perfect 9.975, tying for third on vault with a 9.925 and sharing fifth on uneven bars with a 9.850. Her 9.975 on the floor was her 27^th career score of 9.975 or higher.

Malabuyo scored 9.925 on both of her events. She played a key role in the Bruins’ outstanding start during the first rotation, where her top mark on balance beam contributed to UCLA’s team score of 49.475, the third-highest beam score in the nation. She replicated that score on floor exercise, tying for fourth position.

This marks Chiles’ sixth career conference gymnast of the week recognition and Malabuyo’s second individual event specialist of the week award.

Big Ten Gymnast of the Week: Jan. 7 – Nikki Smith, Michigan State; Jan. 14 – Jordan Chiles, UCLA.

Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week: Jan. 7 – Sage Kellerman, Michigan State; Jan. 14 – Emma Malabuyo, UCLA and Mya Hooten, Minnesota.

Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Jan. 7 – Ava Stewart, Minnesota; Jan. 14 – Aurélie Tran, Iowa.