LSU gymnastics came into the 2024 campaign with only one goal: win a national championship.
Last season was one riddled with injuries for the Tigers, who went down swinging without all-stars Kiya Johnson, KJ Johnson and Kai Rivers. In the 2023 Final Four, LSU ultimately finished last.
“We fought to the very end,” LSU head coach Jay Clark said following the heartbreaking loss. “We’ve been through adversity, but everyone gave everything they could for this team. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
The Tigers came into the 2024 season hungry and ready for vengeance.
Three weeks into the season and a week into conference play, LSU sits atop the SEC and ranks No. 3 nationally. It’s been a great start to the season, but it still might not be enough to get the Tigers to a national championship; at least, not just yet.
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While a hot start has helped relieve pressure from the players, coaches and staff, some questions have emerged.
Can the Tigers fix their problems and address their needs before it’s too late?
LSU’s Weakest Event
The balance beam has been the Tigers’ weakest event so far. Through three weeks, LSU ranks No. 1 on floor, No. 3 on vault, No. 4 on bars but No. 25 on beam.
This doesn’t make much sense at first glance, as the LSU’s roster is filled with talent from top to bottom.
Aleah Finnegan has already qualified for the Philippine national team for the 2024 Olympics and has earned herself the title of “Beam Queen”.
Yet even with a queen, LSU continues to struggle on beam. What’s the deal?
The Tigers had two big falls on beam in Week 1 against Ohio State. Blame it on being rusty if you will, but a week later, budding superstar Kiya Johnson failed to chain together her movements and fell, which forced LSU to count a 9.375 in the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad, where it finished second.
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But Clark doesn’t seem too startled by his squad’s early struggles on the beam.
“For some reason, the confidence on balance beam has been lacking a little bit,” Clark said. “It’s a fine line to walk. We believe in the system we have and the process we’re going through.”
The Tigers still have the talent to execute on the beam; they’ve just had some early slip-ups. With Finnegan, Johnson and Bryant leading the charge, it’s only a matter of time until LSU course corrects itself and it reclaims its status as one of the best beam teams in the country.
Next Woman Up
To come away with wins early this season, the Tigers have had to bank on clutch performances from some of their youngest players.
In Week 1 against the Buckeyes, freshman Amari Drayton impressed in her debut, walking away with second on vault and floor. She scored an incredible 9.925 in her first collegiate bars routine. Drayton was recognized as SEC Co-Freshman of the Week alongside Georgia’s Lily Smith.
World-famous United States gymnast Simone Biles even took the time to shout out Drayton. The two gymnasts are both Texas natives and have trained together.
“That’s our girl, so proud of you Amari,” Biles posted on X.
A week later, in the Sprout Farmers Market Collegiate Quad, another freshman burst onto the scene: Konner McClain.
McClain was named an SEC Specialist of the Week after landing a perfect 10 on uneven bars. It was the first perfect 10 on bars that college gymnastics had seen all season.
It’s shocking that Drayton and McClain even found playing time considering the talent ahead of them on LSU’s roster. Whether it’s great coaching, good timing or just plain old luck, the Tigers are happy to have discovered two young diamonds in the rough in Drayton and McClain.
Getting Past Goliath
There’s one question on everybody’s mind: how can anyone get past Oklahoma?
The defending back-to-back national champions once again look like the favorite to three-peat and hang another banner, but how can the Tigers overcome the Sooners and win a national title of their own. If there’s a will, there’s a way.
Let’s look back to snowy West Valley City, Utah, where Oklahoma nearly edged out the Tigers, 197.900-197.150. As previously mentioned, LSU had far from its best day on the balance beam and only finished less than a point behind the No. 1 ranked team in the country.
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The only thing the Tigers might need is time to find their rhythm on the beam, time for their talented freshman to blossom into their respective roles and time for the team to build chemistry and make the necessary adjustments to be the best it can be.
Once the Tigers get past themselves, getting past Goliath might not be as tall of a mountain to climb as they first thought.
