The Reveille Athlete of the Week: LSU gymnastics’ Kailin Chio

By Ethan Stenger, Sports Editor

March 24, 2025

At a university where nearly every athletic program is nationally relevant, there’s never a shortage of options. There are always electric playmakers to be found.

The Reveille Athlete of the Week is LSU gymnast Kailin Chio.

The Tigers won their second-consecutive 2025 SEC Gymnastics Championship largely due to Chio’s efforts. The all-around freshman scored no lower than a 9.850 on all four events, including two 9.950s on floor and uneven bars.

With her 9.900 on vault and 9.850 on beam, Chio totaled a 39.550 all-around score on the night. Her 39.670 NQS ties her for fifth best in the nation with Florida’s Selena Harris-Miranda.

Chio’s stardom has made her an overnight LSU sensation. She beat teammate Haleigh Bryant’s program record for the most SEC Freshman of the Week awards with nine, including seven consecutive weeks in which she brought home the prize.

In a season where the quantity of perfect scores is so infrequent, Chio performed the first perfect 10 of her collegiate career last week when she stuck her opening vault rotation to power her Tigers to a 198.200-197.550 victory over Auburn.

LSU awaits the regional bracket’s release on Monday morning before it makes its final postseason push. The Selection Show will air on ESPNU at 11 a.m. CST.

About the Contributor

Ethan Stenger, Sports Editor

Why did you join the Reveille? I worked at my student newspaper during my junior and senior years of high school, so it felt like a no-brainer. It was a smooth transition. What positions have you held at the Reveille? I was a sports reporter during my freshman year, covering soccer in the fall and the national champion gymnastics team in the spring. What’s your favorite thing about working at the Reveille? The experiences that the Reveille has offered me have honestly changed my life. When I got to cover the SEC and national championships for gymnastics and Alabama-LSU on a Saturday night in Death Valley, there were moments when I just took a step back and thought, “Wow, Ethan, you can do this. This dream isn’t so far-fetched.” What’s your favorite story that you’ve worked on so far? Last March, my mom walked into the living room while I watched a men’s college basketball game and said, “Wait, why do they play two halves instead of four quarters?” My dad had asked the same question days earlier, so I finally answered it. If you ask Google, my article is one of the first things that comes up. It’s pretty remarkable to think that people will be coming back to read my words for years to come. What do you hope to do after graduation? Inspire curiosity, spread compassion and change the world with art.