LSU Gymnastics Head Coach Jay Clark speaks to the media after the NCAA Regional Selection.

ESPN announced that LSU is officially the No. 2 seed and will be hosting an NCAA Gymnastics Tournament Regional in the PMAC. The Tigers will have to go against No. 15 Clemson, Auburn and the winner out of Air Force and Nebraska.

Clark is excited to host a home meet for the NCAA Regionals, but he’s calling out fans to come and support the team because it’s nothing like true fans supporting you on your home court.

“We’re excited to be home, obviously and be able to face those teams in a familiar environment,” Clark said. “But we need to get tickets sold and get butts in the seats for that to be the advantage that we’d like it to be. I don’t know if it’s an award, but it should be a comfort. It should be an advantage for us if we can utilize it that way, but not to the point where you should take it for granted.”

“Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you can’t prepare well and go in with the right mindset because these teams are good and we have to make sure we’re in the best position possible to compete when it comes around.”

After coming back with third place from the SEC Championship, the main thing on Clark’s mind is to rest the team. Clark says he wants to make sure the team is at its best both physically and mentally, especially going into tournament week.

“I think more and more than anything this time of year, you’re going into week 13 or 14, fatigue can become a factor for teams,” Clark said. “I think from a physical standpoint, less is more and we want to make sure that we maintain our confidence and our mindset and sort of an aggressive outlook to what we’re doing more than anything.”

“So, it’s a balancing act and you certainly have to be effective with what you’re doing physically. Our goal is not to overtax them physically and keep them in a good place mentally.”

Going into the tournament, LSU is the only team to be in the top three across all four events. He feels confident going into the second round and knows the team can get the job done and be the best in the country as long as they’re in the right mindset.

“I do feel confident,” Clark said. “If you’re not confident, then you really have problems. If you’re doubting yourself at this stage of the game, you can pretty much count it out and that things aren’t going to go the way you want. I do like our team. I do like the fact that we’re the only team in the top three in the country.”

“I think that’s our calling card is that we’re good at every event. I think six deep we’re as good as or better than anybody in the country if we’re where we ought to be mentally and if we’ve got the right mindset and are determined to do what we’re capable of doing.”

LSU Gymnastics will compete on April 2 at 8 p.m. in the PMAC for the second round of the NCAA Gymnastics Tournament.