The LSU gymnastics team is back in the gym following its appearance in the NCAA Championships this past spring, but the team is much different from last year’s squad.
The Tigers are dealing with the departure of Kayla Rogers, Sabrina Franceschelli, All-American Summer Hubbard and All-American and three-time national champion Susan Jackson.
Despite the exodus of talent, LSU’s cupboards are by no means bare.
Two returning performers for the Tigers are lone senior Sam Engle and junior Ashley Lee.
Lee competed in the NCAA Individual Event Finals in 2010, finishing in a tie for ninth on the vault.
Both Engle and Lee joined Hubbard and Jackson as All-Americans.
“Sam has given us great team leadership, and [she and] Al are in the gym working hard doing what they’re supposed to do,” said LSU coach D-D Breaux. “That’s what you need from your upperclass people at this point in time. Hopefully they’ll lead the way and be the leaders in the competition.”
Engle said the transition from admiring past seniors to being looked up to herself is one she has embraced.
“It’s different, but it’s a good thing,” Engle said. “I’m used to having Kayla, Summer, Susan, Sabrina on the team. They’ve definitely come in and given me some advice. They were some great leaders, and I’m just trying to do the best I can to live up to what they did.”
Engle will have her hands full this season, with 12 of the 15 Tigers on the roster being freshmen or sophomores, including seven true freshmen.
Lee said the experience of having a team full of underclassmen has been a change, but a positive one.
“It was something to adjust to at first, but I like it,” Lee said. “It’s been a lot of fun, and everyone has been a lot of fun to work with and they’ve been training hard. So it’s been easy to work with them.”
To help build team camaraderie, the Tigers took part in team building exercises at the UREC Sport and Adventure Complex on Sept. 16 and 17.
The team competed in challenges like tightrope walking and climbing exercises.
“It was silly games, but it was really fun because it gave us a chance to really get to know each other,” Engle said. “It surprised me how well it opened us all up.”
Now with the team back and practicing, the main focus shifts from team building to sticking landings and fine tuning routines to make another run at the nation’s elite.
“I expect them to be on the floor at the national championships and fight like crazy to be a Super Six team,” Breaux said. “I expect consistency. I want us to start the season just like we did last year.”
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Contact Rob Landry at [email protected]