There’s no denying Selena Harris-Miranda’s place in NCAA gymnastics history, especially now, having called time on her career. A 25-time All-American (10 NCAA, 15 WCGA), the 2024 Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year, a six-time Pac-12 freshman of the week, a three-time Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week, and a member of the 2023 and 2024 Pac-12 team of the year. But the 22-year-old isn’t walking away from the sport she loves; she’s planning to give back to it.

While Harris-Miranda is retiring from competing, she’s not done with gymnastics. She plans to return on the other side of the mat. Not as a supporter, but instead, as a potential head coach.“

“Wow… where do I even start, lol,” Harris-Miranda wrote on Instagram. “If you know me, you know gymnastics has always been my escape, my playground, and my peace.” 

“What my mom, sisters, and I didn’t realize when I started was how much this sport would shape me and surround me with a community that helped me grow into who I am today.”

She added, “Through it all, one thing never changed…my love for gymnastics. And now I know my purpose is bigger than just competing.”

“I hope to one day own a gym or be a head coach of a college, but mainly I want to pour into the next generation of athletes the same way this sport poured into me mentally, physically, and spiritually.”

That comes as no surprise, especially given how Selena Harris-Miranda’s career has shaped out. She was a prodigy, winning her first tournament at 14. That was the Women’s Junior Olympic National Championships in 2017, where she came first on the vault and third in the all-around. It set the tone for Harris-Miranda’s career as she continued dominating her age group.

However, she struggled to adjust to collegiate gymnastics at first. But Harris-Miranda quickly snapped out of that, becoming an eight-time Level 10 national champion along the way.

That included a two-year stint at UCLA, followed by a two-year stint with the Florida Gators, where she really found her stride. So much so that the 22-year-old ended her time with the Gators, winning 13 All-American honors, scoring multiple perfect 10s (9), and more. It’s why she showed a lot of love to Florida in her retirement letter, thanking them for inspiring her to her best.

“Transferring ended up being the biggest blessing,” Harris-Miranda added. “It gave me the chance to choose a place that truly felt like me, and from the moment I got to the University of Florida, I knew I was where I was meant to be. The environment, the people, the energy… it pushed me to grow in ways I always dreamed of. Gator Nation, now I get it 🤍”

And NCAA superstars have flooded her comments, with eMjae Frazier leading the way. The 2026 bronze medalist for the NCAA all-around gymnast wrote, “Amazing is an understatement, Lena! So blessed this sport brought us together, and ik you will be extraordinary in the next phase of your career! Congrats on an amazing career, you are truly an icon! Ilysm ♥️”

And Frazier wasn’t the only one, as the entire NCAA community pitched in to celebrate Selena Harris-Miranda’s retirement plans.

NCAA gymnasts shower Selena Harris-Miranda with love

“Congrats!!!! Truly one of my fav gymnasts to watch, congrats on an amazing career!” wrote Sierra Brooks, a five-time NCAA champion.

And it has been an amazing career. Beyond her All-American titles, Selena Harris-Miranda also earned multiple honors in her debut season. That includes finishing as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. She then replicated that success in her second season at UCLA, winning the Pac-12 all-around title. That earned her the 2024 Pac-12 gymnast of the year before she transferred to Florida.

With the Gators, the now 22-year-old truly thrived, although she never quite managed to pick up an NCAA title during her collegiate career. Yet that was overcome by the numerous Pac-12 and SEC honors, including multiple Pac-12 and SEC event titles across vault, bars, and the all-around, capped by the 2026 WCGA Region 5 Gymnast of the Year.

That was why Skye Blakely wrote, “so proud of you😍🫶🏽🐊,” which was echoed by five-time NCAA champion Kailin Chio, who added, “keep doing you🤍.”

Both Chio and Blakely are icons in their own right, having thrived at the NCAA level as well. But few have done it as well as Harris-Miranda, who led Florida to two NCAA championship semifinals. However, the Gators fell at the final stages in her junior year, albeit by small margins, before finishing third in her senior year.

So much so that they finished third in the 2026 NCAA Championships, finishing a whisker behind Chio and LSU. Selena Harris-Miranda was at the heart of their performance, scoring three out of her four scores above 9.9000. And the people watching noticed. None more so than her close friend, UCLA star and former 2022 State vault champion Paige Anastassi.

She wrote, “You make me so proud. Watching you always reminded me to just enjoy the moment. I’m going to miss seeing you seize every opportunity you had to compete. Thank you for being my best friend and someone I’ll look up to for life. I love you, Lenerrrr ❤️”

It’s a fitting send-off for a gymnast whose impact clearly stretches far beyond the mat. And as Selena Harris-Miranda steps into her next chapter, the same community that is now celebrating her may one day be shaped by her from the sidelines.