Seniors Myia Hambrick and Erin Macadaeg have now gone their entire careers, 22 consecutive meets, without a loss in the PMAC.
“To this point, where LSU gymnastics is at, it’s kind of an expectation that you’ll come in and give the fans a good show and you’ll come out with a win,” Hambrick said. “Since that standard was set, we bought into it and wanted to keep it going.”
Highlighted by junior all-arounder Sarah Finnegan’s perfect 10s on bars and beam, the second-ranked LSU gymnastics team closed the regular season with a 198.125-195.525 win over Arizona on Senior Day.
LSU moves to 15-1 on the season, going undefeated in Southeastern Conference play, with its fourth 198-plus score of the season.
“What a way to end a fabulous regular season,” LSU coach D-D Breaux said. “This team is truly a team with a lot of heart and pride in the traditions that they established and that are held here at LSU. The things that this team has achieved, this senior class, is second to none.”
Hambrick and Macadaeg both came out strong on their Senior Day, not to be intimidated by the hype around it.
Despite stepping out of bounds on floor, Hambrick totaled 39.400 in the all-around without scoring lower than a 9.90 on the other three events. Hambrick took home the event title on vault with a 9.90.
“I can’t say enough positive and wonderful things about Myia Hambrick,” Breaux said. “Everybody should have the opportunity to spend four years with the incredible human beings like I have the opportunity to do. [The seniors] represent LSU as young ladies, as scholars and as athletes.”
Macadaeg started LSU’s beam rotation with a 9.85. Throughout her career at LSU, she has been a consistent on the event, averaging 9.864 on the season with a career high 9.95.
LSU’s beam rotation went on to tie a program-high 49.725. The beam lineup counted four 9.90s or high and a 10 from Finnegan. It was held down by freshmen Christina Desiderio and Reagan Campbell scoring 9.95 and 9.925 in the fourth and fifth spots.
Finnegan scored two perfect 10s for the first time in her career, after claiming her first one just two weeks ago against Texas Woman’s University.
“Getting them in the PMAC is almost a huge difference,” Finnegan said. “It’s even more special because you’re at home with your family and fans. You’re in the arena where everyone is rooting for you.”
She becomes only the second Tigers gymnast to score perfect 10s in three different events, joining April Burkholder, one of LSU’s most decorated gymnasts who competed from 2003-06.
“[Finnegan] was absolutely beautiful on bars and balance beam,” Breaux said. “She truly does epitomize the perfection of artistic gymnastics. Well deserved 10s. She’s so artistic and so beautiful and so perfect in her execution.”
Finnegan and sophomore all-arounder Kennedi Edney both posted a 39.700 to tie for the all-around title.
Edney took home the floor title as well, posting a 9.975.
“Closing on the regular season, just having this last meet in the PMAC as a culmination of what we’ve done so far and I thought it was great,” Finnegan said. “We wanted to call this meet a dress rehearsal for going into postseason and setting us up for next weekend.”
LSU begins postseason with the SEC Championship meet on Saturday, March 24 in St. Louis, Missouri.