What a week it was LSU gymnastics.
Following its first-ever gymnastics national championship victory at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 20, the Tigers began their victory lap.
On Monday morning, LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne was invited to speak in front of a national audience on TODAY, NBC’s flagship morning news and talk show.
“You know what, it is still feeling just unreal,” Dunne said on the TODAY show. “I’m still trying to get my voice back from cheering so loud. It was an unforgettable experience, and I’ll probably be thinking about it for the rest of my life.”
While Dunne didn’t compete in Saturday’s national championship, she was there watching every moment of what became a championship-clinching beam routine from fellow Tiger gymnast Aleah Finnegan.
“It was probably one of the best beam routines I’ve ever seen her do,” Dunne said about Finnegan. “Tears filled my eyes, tears filled Tigers fans eyes, tears filled her eyes — it was amazing.”
At Wednesday night’s national championship ceremony inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Finnegan recounted all the emotions, thoughts and feelings that raced through her head before the routine.
“I think I was most excited, which is kind of hard to believe I’m saying,” Finnegan said. “I looked at my team before I went. They had all the trust and all the confidence in the world in me, and so I was basically the best thing that I could possibly bring out into the beam routine.
In Baton Rouge, Raising Cane’s has become a popular celebration spot for recent champions.
On Tuesday morning, LSU gymnastics went to the original Raising Cane’s location on Highland Road in Baton Rouge to celebrate its championship with fans.
The Tigers worked a shift at the drive-thru on Wednesday, following the footsteps of other fellow athletes after winning a title, including 2023’s National Champion LSU baseball and women’s basketball teams.
With Wednesday came the championship parade. Five floats, loaded with purple and gold beads and T-shirts, lined up outside the LSU School of Music in the afternoon. LSU gymnasts mounted the floats as they descended the road before capping the night off with a national championship ceremony at the PMAC.
“Just like a front porch enhances the beauty of a home, the gymnastics team has enriched the fabric of our institution, drawing attention and admiration for LSU from around the world,” James Williams, athletics chairman at the LSU Board of Supervisors said.
One thing is still on the minds of Tiger fans across the country: Who will continue to wear the purple and gold next season?
“It definitely makes me want to come back, but I haven’t quite thought about it completely,” Dunne said on her TODAY appearance earlier in the week. “I’ve just been focused on the now and winning this national title, so I’ll definitely start thinking about it.”
While no LSU gymnasts have officially announced their status for next year, LSU head coach Jay Clark isn’t worried.
“We’re LSU Tigers, and we’re staying here. This is just getting started,” Clark said at the end of Wednesday’s ceremony. “We love the team this year, we love the team that’s coming back, and you guys stay with us. This is about to get crazy around here.”