2024 Winter Cup Women’s Preview: Suni Lee and a wide open all-around competition

Update: The original version of this preview highlighted Gabby Douglas’ return to elite competition, but after publication, she withdrew from the meet due to testing positive for Covid.

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – The countdown is on to this summer’s Paris Olympics. For U.S. gymnasts, the road to making the country’s five-person teams begins at the 2024 Winter Cup.

Winter Cup kicks off elite season in the States, with competition being held at the Kentucky International Convention Center from February 23-25.

The women’s portion of the competition will see juniors compete on Friday, February 23 at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the seniors on Saturday, February 24 at 1 p.m. ET. The Nastia Liukin Cup – which features junior and senior level 10s – will close the women’s portion of competition on Sunday, February 25 at 12 p.m. ET.

Headlining the women’s field is none other than Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee. Lee is eyeing history once more with a new skill after battling a kidney-related health issue that has impacted her training significantly over the past year.

The junior women’s field is small (15 athletes) but mighty, with uneven bars maven Claire Pease expected to be a highlight.

The Nastia Liukin Cup features loads of up-and-coming talent that will make an impact for years to come in elite and NCAA. To name a few of the standout seniors competing, there’s (future) LSU Tiger Nina Ballou, Oklahoma Sooner Elle Mueller, and Utah Ute Avery Neff (reigning champion). 

Keep reading for some key storylines, how to watch, and the full field, and don’t forget to subscribe for unlimited access to our on-site coverage!

Suni Lee in remission, looking to etch her name in the Code of Points

Reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee will begin her competitive season with performances on bars and beam. Lee’s reason for competing at Winter Cup is to earn an international assignment to the Baku World Cup, set for March 7-10 in Azerbaijan. There, she hopes to successfully compete the full-twisting Jaeger, becoming the first woman to do so in international competition and getting the skill named after her. If she’s victorious, the skill will be dubbed “The Lee” in the Code of Points. Lee is expected to test run the skill, which she’s been training for two years, in Louisville.

Lee shared the new skill with the world on social media last month in another show of determination that conveys how much she wants to make it back to another Olympics despite battling a kidney-related health issue the past year.

Olympics.com’s Scott Bregman reported that Lee is now in remission and has once again found a consistent rhythm with her training.

“I’ve been back in the gym every single day, eight hours a day, and it’s been going pretty well,” Lee said.

“I’m in remission right now, so I’ve just been getting it under control and starting to work up into routines and getting ready for the season.”

Her bars set in Louisville (and, hopefully, Baku) will be basic beyond the full-twisting Jaeger. It’s a tunnel vision, early season mission for the three-time Olympic medalist.

All-around title up for grabs

With Lee focusing on specific events and not the overall title, the door is wide open in the senior women’s division for the all-around title.

While start lists haven’t been released, expected contenders include two-time world team champion Skye Blakely, 2021 world all-around bronze medalist and reigning Pan American Games all-around champion Kayla DiCello, Pan American Games floor champion Kaliya Lincoln, reigning Winter Cup champion Lexi Zeiss, and NCAA legend Trinity Thomas, who is making her elite return as well. 

There are 37 athletes in the senior women field.

How to watch the 2024 Winter Cup & Nastia Liukin Cup

You can watch all the action for free on USA Gymnastics’ YouTube.

• Friday, February 23 – Junior Women @ 7 p.m. ET
• Saturday, February 24 – Senior Women @ 1 p.m. ET
• Sunday, February 25 – Nastia Liukin Cup @ 12 p.m. ET

Senior Women’s Field – 2024 Winter Cup

The complete list of senior women’s competitors for Winter Cup is found below. This list is subject to change. See the latest up-to-date field here.

Skye Blakely, Frisco, TX/WOGA Gymnastics
Ly Bui, Swisher, IA/Great American Gymnastics Express
Dulcy Caylor, Spring, TX/World Champions Centre
Chloe Cho, Santa Clarita, CA/Gymnastics Olympica USA
Norah Christian, Bremerton, WA/Cascade Elite West
Nicole Desmond, Wind Gap, PA/World Champions Centre
Kayla DiCello, Boyds, MD/Hill’s Gymnastics
Tatum Drusch, White Bear Lake, MN/Flips Gymnastics LLC
Reese Esponda, Missoula, MT/Roots Gymnastics
Addison Fatta, Wrightsville, PA/Prestige Gymnastics
Jayla Hang, Bellevue, WA/Pacific Reign Gymnastics
Madray Johnson, Dallas, TX/WOGA Gymnastics
Katelyn Jong, Allen, TX/Metroplex Gymnastics
Suni Lee, St. Paul, MN/Midwest Gymnastics Center
Myli Lew, Belmont, CA/San Mateo Gymnastics
Kaliya Lincoln, Frisco, TX/WOGA Gymnastics
Evey Lowe, Blue Springs, MO/Great American Gymnastics Express
Nola Matthews, Gilroy, CA/Airborne Gymnastics Training Center
Annalisa Milton, Lee’s Summit, MO/Great American Gymnastics Express
Malea Milton, Lee’s Summit, MO/Great American Gymnastics Express
Zoey Molomo, McKinney, TX/Metroplex Gymnastics
Marissa Neal, Blue Springs, MO/Great American Gymnastics Express
Brooke Pierson, Canby, OR/World Champions Centre
Michelle Pineda, Allen, TX/Metroplex Gymnastics
Hezly Rivera, Plano, TX/WOGA Gymnastics
Simone Rose, Sammamsih, WA/Pacific Reign Gymnastics
Lacie Saltzmann, Coppell, TX/Texas Dreams Gymnastics
Audrey Snyder, Annapolis, MD/First State Gymnastics
Ashlee Sullivan, Richardson, TX/Metroplex Gymnastics
Tiana Sumanasekera, Pleasanton, CA/World Champions Centre
Trinity Thomas, Gainesville, FL/University of Florida Gymnastics
Brynn Torry, Yorktown, PA/World Class Gymnastics
CaMarah Williams, Kansas City, MO/EDGE Gymnastics – Riverside
Kelise Woolford, Columbus, OH/Buckeye Gymnastics
Lexi Zeiss, Omaha, NE/Twin City Twisters
Alicia Zhou, San Antonio, TX/Love Gymnastics

Junior Women’s Field – 2024 Winter Cup

The complete list of junior women’s competitors for Winter Cup is found below. This list is subject to change. See the latest up-to-date field here.

Isabella Anzola, Statham, GA/Georgia Elite Gymnastics
Harlow Buddendeck, Rochester, NY/RGA
Charleigh Bullock, Spotsylvania, VA/Capital Gymnastics National Training Center
Lavi Crain, Blue Springs, MO/Great American Gymnastics Express
Ally Damelio, San Mateo, CA/San Mateo Gymnastics
Celia Frith-Carvalho, Godwin, NC/Bull City Gymnastics
Addy Fulcher, Gastonia, NC/Bull City Gymnastics
Daisy Lesperance, Fort Mill, SC/Bull City Gymnastics
Jaysha McClendon, Scottsdale, AZ/Rebound Gymnastics West
Caroline Moreau, Keller, TX/Texas Dreams Gymnastics
Claire Pease, Sunnyvale, TX/WOGA Gymnastics
Maliha Tressel, Eagan, MN/Twin City Twisters
Tyler Turner, San Jose, CA/Airborne Gymnastics Training Center
Camie Westerman, Frederick, MD/Hill’s Gymnastics
Trinity Wood, Waldorf, MD/Capital Gymnastics National Training Center

Senior & Junior Women’s Field – 2024 Nastia Liukin Cup

The complete list of junior and senior women’s competitions for the Nastia Liukin Cup can be found here.