Simone Biles is no stranger to podiums. We’ve seen her soar, twist, and land with the kind of precision that makes history books rewrite themselves. Gold medals? She’s got them. World titles? Plenty. GOAT status? Undeniably. But recently, Simone stood tall in a very different kind of uniform. No leotards. No chalked-up hands. This time, it was a cap and gown. What? Yes! You read it right.
The most decorated gymnast of all time wasn’t celebrating another athletic win — she was marking an academic milestone that surprised and delighted her fans. For years, fans wondered what could’ve been if Biles had taken the NCAA stage. After all, she had committed to UCLA once upon a time. Can you imagine the electric buzz of a college meet with Biles flipping through the air? But life had other plans. Choices had to be made. But turning professional in 2015 meant giving up that dream. Still, Simone Biles’ relationship with education? Far from over.
So, Simone Biles just casually dropped a TikTok that had fans doing a double-take. This time, she wasn’t flipping through the air or showing off medals. Nope — she was in full graduation regalia, rocking a green gown with red and black trim, a classic black cap with a gold tassel, and holding up a shiny new diploma. The document, from what you could make out, looked official and was styled like one from Washington University in St. Louis. But the real eye-catcher? The title on it: “Honorary Doctorate.” That’s a pretty big deal — it’s an honorary doctorate, usually given to people who’ve made a huge impact on society.
And in true Simone Biles fashion, she kept the caption short and sweet: “call me Dr. Biles.” Posting a photo from her big day also on Instagram, she cheekily wrote, “It’s Dr. Biles to you 🫶🏾.”Of course, she followed it up with a heartfelt message: “But in all seriousness, thank you @washu for allowing me to do the commencement speech! Congrats to all the graduates 🎓 Truly inspiring! Good luck with all your future endeavors!!” Classic Biles — a little flex, a lot of gratitude, and always inspiring.
Just like that, she let the world know she’s now got a new title — not from winning medals, but for her work as an advocate, role model, and changemaker. From pushing mental health conversations into the spotlight to inspiring athletes everywhere, this honorary doctorate is another well-deserved recognition. Simone might have missed the NCAA stage, but she keeps proving that her legacy goes way beyond gymnastics. But the question now comes, why did she choose to turn professional instead of NCAA?
Why Simone Biles opted out of the NCAA
Simone Biles’ gymnastics journey began at the age of six during a daycare field trip to a gym. Her natural athleticism quickly became apparent, and by the age of 14, she was competing at the elite level. In 2014, she verbally committed to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), planning to join their gymnastics team after the 2016 Summer Olympics. However, in July 2015, Biles made the decision to turn professional, forfeiting her NCAA eligibility to pursue a career in elite gymnastics. She chose this path because she was doing so well internationally and becoming a multiple World Champion, and she knew she wouldn’t have many more chances to compete in the Olympics.
Reflecting on her decision, Biles shared, “It was a very long and hard decision. My dad kept telling me, ‘You can always go to college, but you can’t always go pro.” That made sense to me.“ Additionally, she noted, ” if you have an opportunity to set yourself up [financially] in life, why not take it? So I was like, ‘Let’s get this going.“
