Last Friday night was one of highs and lows for LSU gymnastics, but a Tiger who took the reins for her team was junior Amari Drayton.
While the 2025 WCGA Regular Season Floor Exercise All-American had her own set of ups and downs against Penn State, she managed to close the competition with a season-high score on the floor.
“She’s been super adaptable in the gym, and one of the most hard working people day in and day out”, sophomore Kailin Chio said about her teammate. “She’s been trying to fix her routines and not think about each week. She goes in brand new every single week, and I’m super proud of her.”
Drayton’s routines racked up personal accolades for the night as earned a 9.950 on floor and vaulted her second highest score of the season, a 9.925.
From a viewer’s lens following the meet, Drayton’s scores come up as impressive, but what gymnastics fans could argue is even more impressive is the gymnast’s resilience throughout the rest of the night.
After LSU delivered their highest vault rotation of the season, 49.475, it was sure to be a night of new records, yet that was refuted as they stuck their lowest uneven score as a team, 49.275.
As Drayton watched her team hit a low point, the gymnast’s confidence could be interpreted as skewed given that she earned a 9.800 on the balance beam — her lowest beam score of the season.
Even though LSU also marked its lowest beam score of the season, a 49.275, whatever confidence may have depleted in the third rotation resurfaced as Drayton took to the floor for the fourth and final rotation of the night.
Sticking a 9.925, Drayton pushed herself for her, for her coaches, but more importantly, for her team.
“I’ve really been working so hard in the gym,” Drayton said. “So this has just made me feel a little bit more at peace, and lets my anxiety cool out a little bit.”
Drayton has played a tremendous part in the Tiger lineup ever since she arrived at LSU, where she competed on the vault and floor for every meet in 2024. During her freshman year she was named a 2024 Scholastic All-American, something she achieved after vaulting an impressive 9.975 against Florida.
Her performance on Friday night didn’t go ignored, as she was credited by head coach Jay Clark following the meet.
“She’s amazing,” Clark said. “And not only that, it’s her, it’s her energy. She’s so positive. She’s such a fun person to be around. And that rubs off on everybody, that energy.”
Clark said that Drayton’s energy is something that continues to fuel this team, with her confidence rubbing off her teammates.
“A night like this has really boosted my confidence in a way, to where I can keep moving forward instead of backwards,” Drayton said.
