Jordan Chiles has long been the gold standard for collegiate gymnastics, but on Saturday afternoon, the Olympic star added the one thing missing from her storied UCLA resume: a perfect 10 on vault. Chiles’ historic performance propelled the No. 9 Bruins to a 197.325–195.25 victory over Nebraska in their Big Ten home opener at a sold-out Pauley Pavilion.

Chiles, who has already amassed 11 perfect scores across other events during her time in Westwood, finally conquered the vault with a flawless Yurchenko double full. The difficult maneuver requires a roundoff onto the springboard, a back handspring onto the table, and two full twists in a layout position before landing. When Chiles stuck the landing without so much as a tremor, she froze in disbelief before being swarmed by her emotional teammates.

The perfect score on vault brings Chiles one step closer to the elusive "Gym Slam"—scoring a 10.0 on all four apparatuses—leaving only the balance beam as her final hurdle. Following the meet, an emotional Chiles noted that being perfect on vault "meant everything," expressing that words couldn't quite capture the feeling of finally hitting that milestone in her final collegiate season.

While Chiles’ individual brilliance took center stage, the meet was a testament to the depth of the UCLA roster. The Bruins swept the top three spots in the all-around competition, with Chiles taking first (39.675), followed by Tiana Sumanasekera and Katelyn Rosen. Despite the final score, the afternoon didn't start without its challenges. 

According to The Los Angeles Times, Head coach Janelle McDonald praised the team's resilience, specifically noting that the "stick was coming" for Chiles after weeks of consistent training.

The Bruins truly sparkled on the balance beam, an event that had been a point of emphasis in practice following small errors in previous weeks. The squad stuck five of their six landings, led by matching 9.975s from Chiles and senior Ciena Alipio. Alipio’s performance was particularly notable as she has yet to score below a 9.925 on the beam this season.

With the victory, the Bruins continue their pursuit of a national title, heading into their next matchup against Michigan State with significant momentum and a piece of history in their pockets.