In 2017, Jade Carey committed to Oregon State with plans to enroll in early 2018. Then came her breakout at the U.S. National Championships with vault gold and floor silver. The script changed instantly. She deferred college, doubled down on the Olympic dream, and in Tokyo, she delivered, winning gold on the floor exercise. Five years later, another rising gymnastics star is following the same blueprint.

Who are we talking about? It’s none other than Dulcy Caylor, the 17-year-old phenom who was originally set to make her Gators debut in fall 2026. However, there’s a slight shift in the plans, and for all the right reasons. The North Carolina native has officially deferred her enrollment at the University of Florida until Fall 2028.  She has a bigger dream for now: to earn a spot on Team USA for the LA28 Olympics.

“Representing Team USA at the 2028 Olympics is my dream, and I’m giving it everything I have. I’ve chosen to defer my enrollment at the University of Florida until fall 2028 so I can stay focused on that goal. I’ll keep training hard in Spring, Texas, cheering on the Gators every step of the way, and I can’t wait for the day I run through the Gatorhead and meet the Florida fans in the 2029 season,” wrote Caylor on Instagram.

The parallel between Carey and Caylor is striking. Carey’s breakout at the U.S. National Championships led her to defer college for an Olympic run. Caylor followed a similar path — her results at the 2025 U.S. Championships, highlighted by a balance beam bronze and an eighth-place all-around finish, became the trigger for postponing her own college entry to focus on the Olympic track.

Supporting Caylor’s decision, Florida Gators head coach Jenny Rowland expressed, “We fully support Dulcy as she pursues her 2028 Olympic dreams. She’s an extraordinary young woman with an unwavering work ethic, and we know she’ll be cheering for the Gators every step of the way until she joins us in fall 2028.”

The 17-year-old will be training at the World Champions Centre under the guidance of Simone Biles’ coaches, Cécile and Laurent Landi.

According to the latest updates, Ducly Caylor’s next stop in her competition calendar is at the U.S. Gymnastics Winter Cup, which is set to take place at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville from February 20 to 22. But before that, let’s take a look at her career up until this point.

Dulcy Caylor’s gymnastics career so far

Back in April, Caylor competed at the 2025 City of Jesolo Trophy, helping the U.S. team secure the silver medal while she individually placed 6th in all-around and 6th on the floor exercise.

Following her breakthrough in April, the gymnast again came back in June to compete at the Pan American Artistic Gymnastics Championships, acing her routine and helping Team USA secure the gold medal in the team event.

After back-to-back medal-winning outings, she entered the 2025 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships and finished eighth in the all-around but secured a bronze on balance beam, strong enough to earn her a spot on the U.S. senior national team. In late September, at the 2025 USA World Team Selection Event, Caylor delivered the top all-around score of 55.250, automatically qualifying her for the 2025 World Championships team.

Now came the ultimate test, representing her country on the global stage. At the World Artistic Championships in Jakarta, which was also her first appearance at such an event, Caylor qualified for the finals in the all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise. However, in the finals, she felt the heat of the competition, securing 13th in the all-around. 8th on balance beam and 6th on floor exercise.

With her eyes now locked on LA 2028, Dulcy Caylor is focused on sharpening her skills to earn a spot on the U.S. team. And with the way her career arc is shaping up, you can’t help but wonder, are we watching Jade Carey’s story play out all over again? Drop your thoughts in the comments.