Before No. 2 LSU gymnastics takes on No. 1 Oklahoma on Friday night, here are the Tigers’ most notable moments before running head-first into the PMAC.
The arena is responsible for some of the best highlights thus far, with a home attendance record of 13,515 fans as LSU defeated No. 3 Florida, 197.550-197.450.
While competing against the Gators, Tigers gymnast Aleah Finnegan matched her personal best on vault this season—which was set in the season opener against Iowa State—scoring a 9.950.
Yet, Finnegan hasn’t been able to outdo herself, and fans have seen a recent decline in her vault scores over the past few weeks with a 9.750 in a loss to Arkansas, a 9.925 against Missouri and most recently a 9.825 against No. 14 Alabama.
However, LSU head coach Jay Clark continues to defend these scores, given what Finnegan has brought to the Bayou over the past few years, including last year’s national championship title.
“With what Aleah Finnegan has done for this program,” Clark said. “She’s allowed to have a routine or two where she’s not at her best.”
As the Olympian continues to grow, she grows alongside her teammates, who have had their fair share of struggles this season.
Tigers gymnast KJ Johnson suffered from a sprained ankle, which led to a temporary retirement after competing against the Cyclones in the first meeting of the season, where she earned a 9.825 on vault.
It wasn’t until the end of the month against Missouri that Johnson was able to return for the season on vault, where she scored a 9.900 and a 9.825 versus the Crimson Tide.
“I’ve just been dying to perform in the PMAC again,” Johnson said. “It felt good to be supportive to my team and be able to contribute a good score to them.”
Also recovering from an injury this season is elite LSU gymnast Haleigh Bryant, who was absent from the season-opening meet after suffering a preseason injury to her elbow.
Despite that, Bryant has slowly been making her way back to each event as the season progresses, but Clark said she will not be participating on bars this Friday.
“Whatever this team needs me to do, I’m going to step up when my body is ready,” Bryant said.
The defending 2024 all-around NCAA champion is ranked No. 1 on vault after finally returning to the event in LSU’s 197.300-197.075 against Alabama last week, earning a 9.925 on the event.
“It was just really good to be out there with my team and just doing what we do every single day,” Bryant said.
At the Sprouts Market Collegiate Quad earlier this season, Bryant appeared on the balance beam, earning a 9.750, a score that she later topped against Florida with a 9.950. Against the Gators, Bryant returned to the floor and scored a 9.900, which she bested weeks later versus Missouri with a 9.950.
Kailin Chio has brought home her fair share of 9.950s herself as well.
The four-time SEC Freshman of the Week scored a 9.950 on vault at the Collegiate Quad and while competing versus the Razorbacks. On the floor, she received a 9.950 against Missouri.
Chio’s scores and overall performance as a freshman have led her to claim the all-around gymnast title twice back-to-back this season after facing off the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.
She started her season with LSU against Florida, where she confused the audience as she began her routine on uneven bars and suddenly stopped to start over.
As it turns out, the former elite gymnast had recently recovered from an illness but still took it upon herself to compete for the sake of her team.
“You don’t have to be perfect all the time,” Clark said. “I just let her know that the pressure is not on her to carry us all the time as a freshman.”
That night, Chio made a 38.900 in the all-around, helping LSU bring home a win.
While the Tigers have had their highs and lows throughout the season, the team says it will continue with regular training and not dwell on the past.
“Just because the No. 1 team in the country is coming in here, we’re going to treat it the exact same,” Bryant said. “Do our normal gymnastics and do what we do every single day because normal is enough.”
