The NCAA has released the 2025-2026 Rules Modifications for NCAA women's gymnastics, and the resulting changes are perhaps the most inconsequential in the decades.  As the result, absent something like the SCORE board initiative, scoring records could be in danger again this season.  

Sometimes, there are changes to the underlying code from the Women's Development Program Code of Points.  However, this season, those changes are minor as well, as this is the last year of the four year cycle of changes to the Code.  There are some clarifications and changes on the NCAA side, but they are mostly new procedures and clarifications, with no changes on the events.

The most major change is the fact that a Panel Judge can call for a judging conference when an "impossible" score is identified.  This is due an obvious flat execution deduction that was not applied (like a fall or grab of the apparatus or extra swing) or a composition deduction was not applied, and yet the counting scores are within range and/or the Start Values are the same.  

There were no notable changes on vault.

On UB, they clarified situations in which a combination leading to a fall is repeated.  

On BB, a clarification was added to show movement/choreography in all directions, and that movements at any level (low, semi-low, standing). 

On FX, the definition of a salto was clarified to include elements that take off from two feet and land on one or both feet, or lower in control to the knee.  Aerials nor saltos that land in a sitting, prone is sit-split qualify as an Acro pass.  As per the prior regulation, at least one salto must be a C value salto.  The NCAA also further clarified that the routine must include two acro passes performed on two different diagonals.        

The document also provides changes on injury assessments, video reviews and various aspects of meet operations, including the rotation and placement of judges. 

On the underlying Women's Development Program (WDP) Optional Code of Points, the changes are also minor and are moving closer to the NCAA guidance.   Here are some of the changes for this season:  

• Several skill values have been raised to align with the NCAA values.  
• The deduction for small or medium steps on landing are 0.1 or 0.15.  
• The hips must below knee level to get up to a 0.3 deduction on landing (level with knees has been stricken out).
• The deduction for failure to dismount of 0.3 has been deleted.
• On Vault, deductions of up to 0.3 can be taken when a lateral axis turn is taken too early.  
• Certain leaps and jumps will no longer be downgraded for severe undersplit (e.g., 134 degrees or less) but execution will be taken.  Similarly, wolf and tuck jumps will be awarded value part credit if the position is greater than 130 degrees at the hips and 90 degrees at the knee.     

Clarifications are in bold font, changes are highlighted in blue.

Link:  2025-2026 Women's NCAA Rules Modifications (PDF)

Link:  2022-2026 Women's WDP Optional Code of Points Update (PDF)