Paul Juda pictures storybook ending to Michigan career after decision to take 6th year

Michigan star Paul Juda will return to Ann Arbor for a sixth season with the Wolverines in 2025, with the hopes of finishing his college career on home turf.

The 2022 NCAA all-around champion and 2023 world team bronze medalist is eligible for a sixth season after red-shirting due to injury in 2023, as well as receiving the additional year of eligibility allotted from the COVID-19 pandemic. With that said, Juda’s decision to return to Michigan took much consideration as he has already accomplished many of the top achievements in the NCAA – “You only get to do college athletics once, and I would hate to walk away from it not feeling like I gave it everything.”

Juda’s redshirt season also inspired him to return.

“Last year’s team, watching our team compete… it sucked, being close to winning and knowing that if I was able to compete, we would have had a really good chance,” Juda said.

The 2023 Michigan Wolverines, led by freshman phenom Fred Richard, came within a few points of beating Stanford despite Juda being out of the competition due to injury.

As for his academic aspirations, Juda will be entering the Ross School of Business next fall:

“I got accepted into the Master’s of Accounting program… I was debating on what program to do for the past year. The MM (Master’s of Management) program starts in June, and that obviously does not align with the Olympics, so I decided on Master’s of Accounting with a few really close people.”

Juda mentioned one of those close people being Wolverine alum Cameron Bock, who is also a Ross School of Business graduate and is currently training at Michigan for the 2024 Olympics.

“Who would not want a degree from Ross Business School?” Juda remarked.

What ultimately finalized his decision to take a sixth year came down to the location of the national championships.

Juda’s return to Michigan could set up a storybook finish to a hall-of-fame level career as both the Big Ten championships and the NCAA championships will be held in Ann Arbor in 2025 – “The biggest reason, the one that keeps me going, is that NCAAs and Big Tens are in the same place on home turf. To end on home soil would be pretty darn awesome.”

Next season could be reminiscent of the 2014 season, when now-CGA Hall of Famer Sam Mikulak won back-to-back NCAA all-around and team titles at home in Ann Arbor during his final year of competition.

As for the current season, Juda has returned to his top form, scoring a high of an 86.200 in the all-around, but he’s still battling through injuries.

Juda pulled out of Winter Cup, the first elite meet of the season, in February due to a minor elbow injury – “I was really looking forward to going and competing. My elbow had started bothering me the week before. As the week approached, I felt pretty ready to compete but got there, and being in an unfamiliar place, not wanting to risk [injury] and not wanting to have an injury like last year, I opted out of competing.”

With his placement and showing at the world championships, Juda was able to retain his spot on the national team alongside his fellow world team members. Juda also sat out of senior night for the Wolverines when they put up an NCAA season-high score of 425.500, but it’s about the long game.

“I want to get back as quick as possible, but I don’t wanna go too fast,” Juda said. “I know that sometimes to take a step forward you have to take some steps backward.”

Behind Juda and Richard, Michigan looks primed to contend for the NCAA title over the next two seasons.

“Training with Fred is incredible… I think he could do every skill in the code if he wants to… He is focusing on himself, focusing on the team, and focusing on the future,” Juda said of his college and elite teammate.

Both athletes have scored over an 86 in the all-around this season and will be favorites for postseason titles.

One place where Juda falls behind Richard is in the NIL department, but that is by design.

“[I am] keeping the main thing the main thing,” Juda explained. “I really respect Fred for the attention he can bring through social media. Maybe I am not naturally suited for that thing, but I respect people who can.”

After being part of that historic U.S. team bronze at worlds last fall, obviously the Paris Olympics are the next major goal. Still, Juda is only 22 years old, so training for another quad and eyeing the home turf LA Olympics in 2028 wouldn’t be a surprising move. But that’s getting a bit ahead of things.

“Taking it one day at a time,” Juda said when asked about 2028. “I wish I could give you an answer; I really love the sport… You only get to do gymnastics once, so we will see. Things could change in the coming months. Once you taste success, it is hard to stop.”

Juda is clearly focused on Paris and his aspirations to be a part of that team, but the most important objective is Team USA bringing home a medal, whether he’s on the team or not.

“I think Team USA coming home with a medal would mean more,” Juda said.

No doubt that Juda is a contender for the five-man team this summer, but no matter what, he’ll forever be an integral part of the U.S. men’s gymnastics history after that unforgettable bronze medal performance in Antwerp, Belgium, last year.