Joscelyn Roberson is one of the brightest names in American gymnastics. The World Championship bronze medalist on vault spent the last two seasons lighting up the NCAA scene at Arkansas. She also balanced Elite gymnastics on the side, finishing third in the All-Around at the 2025 U.S. Championships.

Now, she is starting a new chapter. After entering the transfer portal in April, Roberson has committed to Georgia for her final two years. The big goal is the LA 2028 Olympics.

Roberson's plan is simple but smart. She wants to take the 2026 Elite season off and let her body heal. She picked up several small injuries during the NCAA season, including two bruised metatarsals at the NCAA Championships.

"I literally didn't have a foot, like my entire foot, it was so swollen, and it was black," Roberson said. She is not fully ruling out the 2026 U.S. Championships, but her focus is on the bigger picture. The 2027 World Championships and the 2028 Olympics are what matter most.

A big reason she chose Georgia is the coaching staff. Cécile and Laurent Landi, her former Elite coaches at World Champions Centre, are now both at Georgia. Roberson trained under them before the Paris Games and knows what they can do.

"Not getting to talk to Cécile was so hard," she said. During her time at Arkansas, NCAA rules meant she could not stay in regular contact with Cécile. Reuniting with the Landis means she can finally hand over her training plan to coaches she trusts.

That structure is something she really missed. During her 2025 Elite run, she had to manage her own training. "There are days where you come in and you're like, 'Do I really have to do that?'" she said. Having the Landis design her daily plan again will take a huge weight off her shoulders.

Even with a year off from Elite competition, Roberson plans to keep training her hardest skills. She made history at Arkansas as the first NCAA gymnast to compete a Mustafina on vault. She is not slowing down anytime soon.

"Everything, everything. I just play gymnastics. I do hard, hard gymnastics," she said. The NCAA offseason will be all about getting those big routines back.

Why Roberson Left Arkansas

Leaving Arkansas was not an easy decision. Roberson loved her coaches and her teammates. But somewhere along the way, she stopped feeling like herself.

Before college, Roberson trained at World Champions Centre with Simone Biles and other top names. She was always busy, always social, and always happy. Moving to Fayetteville changed that.

"I'm the most social human being you'll ever meet," Roberson said. "I love going out, meeting people, and here I changed and I became someone who was always at home and I hate that."

At first, she told herself she was being dramatic. The gym still made her happy. Her love for gymnastics was still strong. But outside the gym, something was missing.

In the end, the answer was clear. "I just wasn't happy here, so I decided I have to tell them I'm gonna leave, because my happiness is worth more than anything else," she said.

She also wants to set the record straight. Many people assumed she always planned on going to Georgia to reunite with the Landis. That was not the case.

Roberson visited Florida, UCLA, and Georgia before making her choice. She had clear criteria: strong academics, friends on the team, and a program that would back her Olympic dream. Georgia checked every box.

There was even a happy surprise during her visit. Roberson is pre-med and was worried Georgia did not have a medical school on campus. Then someone told her, "Oh my gosh, we're opening one on campus this year!"

Read more at the Gymnastics Digest!

Written by

Sahil Prashar

Edited by

Sahil Prashar