DALLAS — D-D Breaux is more excited about LSU than all the fans who crowded into the Omni Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. 
Before LSU football’s season opener against Miami, Breaux, along with four other LSU coaches, gather at the hotel on Saturday for the Coaches Caravan to discuss their upcoming seasons.
Breaux is heading into her 42nd season as head coach of the LSU gymnastics team, and she continues to be as excited and confident as if it was her first. Coming off three straight Super Six appearances, Breaux expects the Tigers to pick up right where they left off.
“I think as a team, this group has come back in really good shape,” Breaux said. “We’re at a great starting point. We’re not having the “law of holes,” when you find yourself in one quit digging. I don’t think we have anybody on the team that’s in a hole.”
With a strong and consistent senior class that includes four All-Americans in McKenna Kelley, Lexie Priessman, Sarah Finnegan and Julianna Cannamela, Breaux believes the transition into the 2019 season to be smooth.

“We’re counting on our senior class to continue the culture, and it’s got to permeate down from the top,” Breaux said. “You never know who’s going to rise up and be that leader, both by example, but also walks the walk and talks the talk.”
McKenna Kelley injury update

Senior all-aroudner McKelley tore her Achilles tendon last November and missed all of the 2018 season, but that never stopped her from cheering on her teammates on the floor. Kelley is expected to return to the floor in 2019 with little to no limitations and be just as good, or better, than before. 

“Even when she could not compete, she was in every single performance,” Breaux said. “I think her expectations are extremely high and that’s good. She has really high aspirations and a very good work ethic. We’re expecting her to be as impactful on the apparatus this year as she was before.”

From her initial surgery and physical therapy to this years’ preseason workouts, Breaux emphasizes how much work Kelley has put into coming back strong. 

“Very focused and deliberate in everything she’s doing,” Breaux said. “Very methodical. Overcoming the anxiety and fear of the torn Achilles tendon is a lot, and she has really managed herself well.”

Sophomores stepping up

The Tigers lost two consistent starters in Myia Hambrick and Erin Macadaeg, but Breaux expects multiple freshman to step up in their second year. 

“Myia Hambrick, you just don’t replace that,” Breaux said. “You hope somebody will step up and evolve. Myia was not a high impact freshman. She came into her own after her freshman year. All those freshman we had last year, any one of those has the potential to step in and make that kind of impact.”
Christina Desiderio and Sarah Edwards were consistently in the lineup their freshman season. Desiderio started every meet on beam her freshman year averaging 9.832, and added 10 appearances on the floor for a 9.816 average. Edwards vaulted in all but one meet for a 9.79 average, and competed on the floor nine times for a 9.778 average. 
Breaux expects Desiderio to take Macadaeg’s place in the leadoff position on beam and build the rest of the lineup around her. 

“Reagan Campbell made a big impact for us on balance beam and of course we expect that to happen again,” Breaux said. “We need her on other events. We need her to give up three events and the push is going to be for that to happen.”

“Bridget Dean came in injured, got herself in good shape and by the end of the year she was almost ready to go in the lineup,” Breaux said. “We’re hoping we’ll pick up where we left off with her and can get her making the kind of contributions that she’s capable of. She was a very talented elite gymnast and we’ve got to get her back to that point.”
New postseason format
Breaux voted for the new postseason changes, leaving four teams in the national championship instead of six. 
“We’ve had so much success and the SEC Championship is on that format,” Breaux said. “The people that produce our ‘Friday Night Heights’ really implored us to support the four team format because its a more fan friendly format. It takes away two opportunities for teams to be in that final, but I think it’s good for the sport.”
While the NCAA has not announced a name to replace the Super Six yet,  Breaux joked that she’ll hang the banner, no matter what they call it.