The LSU gymnastics roster has always circulated around its standouts — past and present stars such as Haleigh Bryant and Kailin Chio, but among them is one who has flown slightly under the radar.
Ashley Cowan, a senior and uneven bars specialist for the Tigers, is competing in her final season, which has been nothing short of impressive — just like the performances seen throughout the entirety of her LSU tenure.
With a career high score of 9.950, she became an SEC uneven bars champion after winning the title in the 2024 season. Two years later, she’s still swinging to stately heights.
In the 2025 season, she competed across all 15 regular-season matchups. While only competing in nine of the 11 regular-season competitions in 2026, Cowan continues to deliver consistent scores that have proven to be equally as important as those seen from staple teammates like Konnor McClain and Madison Ulrich on the event.
Her season-high score of 9.925 was earned in back-to-back meets against Alabama and in the Podium Challenge, which were among the highest of the rotations and helped immensely through the middle of the lineup.
“[Cowan] got a little concerned when I moved around the lineup for a couple meets just to make sure that we’re seeing everything we needed to see,” head coach Jay Clark said. “[We] did that earlier in the year, but in the back of my mind, we kind of knew Cowan is a proven commodity on that event. She didn’t just sneak up on everybody and win an SEC championship.”
With an average score of 9.817 this year, some of the North Carolina natives’ best bar sets have come from competitions on the road. Still, Cowan, like the rest of her teammates, has an impact that goes beyond the scores she adds to the team’s overall.
The upperclasswoman who has three years of prior experience in the program has also shown a different side of her usually serious demeanor this season.
“Ashley Cowan after her bar routine — she has been hitting those celebrations every single time,” McClain said. “It is the best thing ever, because she is so not like that. Just to see her do that is amazing.”
A proven veteran who can swing into action whenever she’s needed, Cowan has capped off her career with an impressive final season. Now headed into the remainder of the postseason, a few more routines for the senior will be bittersweet for fans to see as she looks to help bring home one more national champion title and further solidify the mark she’s already left on the program.
“Ashley Cowan is on fire right now,” Clark said after competing against Alabama. “She’s really confident with that routine and, yeah, her celebration was a little over the top on Friday night. She did some kind of People’s Elbow on the mat or something. I’m not sure where these cellies are going, but we may have to rein those in a little bit.”
