Georgia Gymnastics, once a dynasty of dominance, found sparks of revival under the watchful eye of Simone Biles’ former coach, Cécile Canqueteau-Landi. Alongside co-head coach Ryan Roberts, the duo guided the Bulldogs through a promising but transitional 2025 season. Yes, the flashes were there—like the 197.350 posted against Missouri or the four straight meets above 197. But for every high score came a reality check. Against LSU, they hit a strong 197.175. As for LSU, their program record, 198.575. That’s SEC gymnastics for you—cutthroat and unforgiving. Still, Georgia showed grit. A top-10 national ranking, an NCAA Regionals berth in Seattle. While the Bulldogs couldn’t break through to Nationals, their 196.175 fell short behind Missouri and Arizona. It was still promising. And just as they looked ready to build around a solid core, a critical piece walked away.

Naya Howard was supposed to be part of that future. Why, well, look at the pedigree: A decorated club gymnast from Ocean Tumblers—national bar champ, Region 7 All-Star, U.S. national teamer in 2018 and 2021—Howard arrived in Athens with pedigree. And she delivered. As a freshman in 2023, she competed in all 13 meets across three events, and 12 times in the all-around. No GymDog freshman had done that since 2017. Her 39.475 against Kentucky? The best Georgia all-around score since the 2019 Regionals.

She notched season-high 9.925s on vault and bars, 9.900s on beam and floor, and was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week and SEC All-Freshman Team. In total, Howard finished top among Georgia gymnasts in vault seven times, bars five, beam twice, and the all-around eight times.

But this spring, something has shifted. After her exit announcement, Naya took to Instagram to finally drop the curtain on her new home. “I’ve learned that ‘trust the process’ doesn’t apply when the process is flawed,” Naya Howard wrote on Instagram on May 26. “Thankfully, I’ve been given a second chance! I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be transferring to MSU on a full ride! Thank you to the MSU coaches and my JO coaches for making this transition so smooth. Go Green Baby!”

This post comes next to her previous announcement of leaving Georgia. In an April 13 post on Instagram, she dropped a bombshell about her intentions of leaving Georgia: “To start, I want to share that I will not be continuing gymnastics at Georgia. After some reflection, I’ve decided to explore new places and opportunities that feel more in line with the direction I see for myself moving forward. I’m genuinely grateful for the experiences, growth, and connections I’ve made along the way, and I carry them with me as I step into this next chapter of my life.”

As for her comment on the flawed process, Naya’s words appeared to raise questions about Cécile Canqueteau-Landi’s program and the overall direction of Georgia Gymnastics. While she didn’t name names, the timing—coming just a month after her departure and amid her coaches’ first year at Georgia—has drawn attention. What exactly didn’t click for her remains unclear, but the message suggests a disconnect behind the scenes.

She now moves to Michigan, which is on the rise as well; they finished No. 6 in the final 2025 national rankings, their highest ever. They made the Nationals for the first time in nearly 40 years and placed fourth. And now, they’re adding a former SEC All-Freshman star to their mix.

How did Naya Howard fare this season?

Honestly, Naya Howard showed up this season in a way that reminded everyone why she was such a key piece of Georgia’s future. As a junior in 2025, she looked more polished and poised, especially on beam, where she competed 10 times and matched her career-high 9.900 twice—once in a high-pressure meet at Missouri and again against powerhouse Oklahoma.

On vault, she found her rhythm too, posting a season-best 9.850 at Florida and grabbing two event titles along the way. Bars? She hit her stride there as well, scoring 9.875 twice—at the Denver Quad Meet and at home vs. Arkansas.

Her NQS—9.770 on vault, 9.810 on bars, and 9.850 on beam—showed consistency across the board. While she didn’t do all-around this year, Naya really embraced her specialist role. She was dependable, steady, and still capable of brilliance. It will be interesting to see how Naya outshines her own brilliance was MSU now!