Quitting Elite Gymnastics Over Freak Injury, 19-Year-Old NCAA Champion Raises Awareness With Bold Mental Health Stand

Imagine quitting Elite Gymnastics and coming over to compete at the collegiate level. What could be the best thing that could happen to you? Win the NCAA title, right? This 19-year-old gymnast did exactly that. As a freshman at the University of Oklahoma during the 2025 NCAA women’s gymnastics season, she quickly made a name for herself, earning a career-high 9.975 with a Yurchenko 1.5 at the SEC Championships. But behind the glitz of victory lay tougher challenges. Challenges that led her to call it quits altogether.

At the center of it all? Elle Muellers. At her NCAA finals, she shone by earning a 9.8125 on vault and a near-perfect 9.900 on floor exercise, contributing significantly to Oklahoma’s team total of 198.0125 and their seventh national title. But behind these performances were tons of mental struggles she fought through. And now, as he carries the tag of NCAA gymnastics champion, she is raising awareness. What is her bold stand?

“I would do my routines for my coaches, not for myself,” Mueller said. Elle is someone who ad been donning the Leotard ever since she was a child. During her elite gymnastics career, Elle Mueller trained at the renowned Twin City Twisters gym in Ham Lake, Minnesota, where she was coached by a highly experienced team, Sarah Jantzi (head coach), Steve Hafeman, and Mike Hunger. The coaches she has called supportive in one of her Instagram posts.  Kare 11.com reported that she said, “I’ve learned to do things out of love, for myself — and to finally have confidence in who I am.” Elite gymnastics as such a toll on the gymnast that even her mother could see it.

Reportedly, she says, “I wasn’t going to tell her she needed to change. But I knew she was hurting. I knew she wasn’t happy. When she finally said she wanted to step back, I was so thankful.” Elle Mueller’s journey into gymnastics began at the age of 2½, when her mother, Tara Mueller, enrolled her in a Mommy-and-Me class. You can only imagine how big a statement that is when it comes from the very person who laid the foundation of the subject.

It wasn’t her freak injury alone that led to her quitting elite gymnastics, it was the mental pressure that elite gymnastics brought. The workload, she had to take online classes to accommodate her intense training schedule, but in her senior year, she made the difficult decision to step away from elite competition — a move driven by her need to prioritize mental health.

Elle Muellers’ exit from Elite gymnastics

Elle Mueller’s final appearance in elite gymnastics was marked by an unfortunate injury that led to her withdrawal from the 2023 U.S. Championships. Just an hour before the competition, she rolled her ankle during warm-ups, forcing her to step back from the event. This setback was particularly disheartening, as she had been aiming for a spot on the World Championship team. “Injuries are always so hard but that one had a little extra sting,” she said, “after trying for so long, to have everything kind of taken out from under you can be a very humbling experience.”

Following her recovery, Mueller made the decision to transition away from elite gymnastics. She chose to return to Level 10 competition, focusing on refining her skills in preparation for her collegiate career at the University of Oklahoma. “I chose Oklahoma because my heart just belonged there,” she explained. “I really tried to keep an open mind when learning about other colleges, but I just couldn’t find myself saying no to Oklahoma.” While not completely free of controversy, this shift allowed her to prioritize her physical health and personal happiness, stepping away from the intense pressures of elite competition.

Mueller’s final elite competition was the 2024 Nastia Liukin Cup, where she clinched the senior all-around title with a score of 39.175. Her performance included standout routines, such as a 9.875 on vault and a 9.800 on bars, showcasing her enduring talent and composure. This victory not only marked a triumphant conclusion to her elite gymnastics career but also underscored her resilience and dedication to the sport. What are your thoughts about her quitting elite gymnastics?