Jay Clark spoke to the media after the NCAA National Championship, where the Tigers lost by less than one-tenth of a point to Oklahoma.

Clark says the girls fought to the very end and knows the team gave everything they had and more. “I don’t know, I’ve been prouder of a team,” Clark says, “because they’re gutsy. They fought and fought and fought through injury and all sorts of adversity.”

Chio got them going on vault to get more momentum with her perfect score floor routine. Making program history by being the first perfect 10 at an NCAA Championship for the Tigers.

“We started strong; vault was doing really well, but not setting the world on fire, and then she lit the match and things began to take off for us.”

Clark spoke on Konnor McClain and how she is a special athlete. Coming off an arm and elbow injury, her determination made her compete at the National Championship.

“If the medical team was looking at her, she kept saying, ‘I’m fine.’ She was not even letting people ask her the question.”

With the Tigers having the lead going into the final rotation, Clark told the girls they were in a great spot and to relax.

Clark addresses Lexi Zeiss after she fell off the beam. With tight scores throughout the meet, Lexi Zeiss takes a fall on beam. Clark is certain that it isn’t the reason for the loss. Saying it’s not her that made them lose.

“It’s nothing about Lexi Zeiss. It takes 5 out of 6 on every event; it doesn’t take 6 out of 6.”

The Tigers did not have solid routines on bars on Thursday during the semifinals; they had outstanding performances in the Championship. Jay Clark isn’t surprised. He saw the solid routines at practices and was more surprised when the team didn’t hit them on Thursday at the semifinals.

“That’s the bars I see every day in the gym, so I’m not surprised.”

Jay Clark sees the growth in his team and expects to be back in the game next year.