Rheagan Courville, Susan Jackson, Ashleigh Gnat, Sarah Finnegan, Ashleigh Claire-Kearney—these are just a few of the greatest gymnasts to walk the halls of Louisiana State University.
Another name you can add to that list: Haleigh Bryant.
There is no denying that the North Carolina native made her mark on LSU. In her career as a Tiger, she’s secured 86 total titles with 31 on vault, 14 on bars, six on beam and nine on floor. To top it off, she’s won a record 26 all-around titles.
READ MORE: Haleigh Bryant leads LSU gymnastics to landslide Podium Challenge victory
Her ability to produce high scores at an elite level has attracted national attention.
Along with media superstar Olivia “Livvy” Dunne and Olympic qualifier Aleah Finnegan, the Tigers’ 2024 squad has done its part to promote collegiate gymnastics.
Although Bryant does similar routines to her teammates, her consistency sets her apart. Bryant is dependable and exhibits it in every form of her gymnastics.
“I just take things one step at a time, one skill at a time, one event at a time,” Bryant said. “I just want to go out and do my normal every single time.”
Bryant’s rise to the top started early in her career as a Tiger. She ended her rookie season as the most decorated freshman in school history, accumulating her first NCAA vault title and Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year.
Her sophomore year was equally as impressive, but Bryant set herself apart in her junior season. In her third year, she went 64 for 64 routines for the Tigers, competing in the all-around in every single meet. She became the first LSU gymnast to average a 9.90 or higher across all four events in a season.
It was also in her junior season that she became the all-time perfect 10 leader in school history, and she achieved it in the most historical way.
In a meet against West Virginia, Bryant earned three perfect scores in one meet, the only gymnast in LSU history to do it.
With perfect 10s on vault, uneven bars and floor, Bryant proved that she should be in the conversation as one of the greats.
“Haleigh is incredible at every aspect of everything she does and the person that she is,” head coach Jay Clark said.
Bryant wasn’t carrying the team all on her back, though. In the 2023 season, she had the help of senior Kiya Johnson to lead the squad. However, when Johnson suffered a torn Achilles, Bryant knew it was her time to step up.
“We had so much adversity that we had to go through,” Bryant said. “Jay always says, ‘you honor somebody with your actions,’ so we’re going to give them the best we have.”
After her junior season, Bryant secured her title as one of the greatest LSU gymnasts. She entered her senior year as the clear leader of the Tiger squad.
Bryant’s perfect scores aren’t the only thing that set her apart from the rest of the team. In everything that she does, she is consistent.
In the 2024 season, Bryant hasn’t scored lower than a 9.850, which she only scored twice. Other than one other 9.875, Bryant’s scores were all over 9.90.
“This year I really was just trying to enjoy the whole entire experience,” Bryant said. “Not worry about the scores, not worry about the outcome, just doing my gymnastics for my team.”
During her iconic season, she managed to record a perfect 10 on the balance beam against Georgia, becoming the first LSU and 14th NCAA gymnast to record a gym slam, perfect 10s in all events.
“Her record is ridiculous and amazing,” Clark said. “Haleigh is incredible…Haleigh deserves everything she gets.”
Bryant’s final year as a Tiger has been nothing short of successful. Between an SEC Championship and five perfect scores, there’s only one thing that could allow Bryant to have the perfect season—a national championship.
LSU enters the NCAA Regionals as the No. 2 seed behind Oklahoma. For the first time in history, the Tigers have a national qualifying score of over 198.
“The mindset is going to be the No. 1 thing that sets everybody apart because you’re going to be there for a reason,” Bryant said. “It’s going to come down to whose mindset is the strongest and who can handle the pressure.”
Just as any other team, the Tigers tend to perform better in their own gym in front of their own crowd. But moving further into the postseason, Bryant knows that the great teams can perform anywhere.
“We just really try to keep the same mentality like we came in here the week before,” Bryant said. “It’s different equipment, it’s a different environment, but we’re still doing the same exact gymnastics.”
LSU’s fan base is unique in the fact that it will follow the Tigers anywhere they go. The Pete Maravich Assembly Center has one of the highest attendance rates in the NCAA, averaging about 12,500 fans per meet.
On senior night, the PMAC hosted 13,283 fans, a new top-five attendance record.
Fans of all ages stay after the meet just to see and talk to Bryant. For as long as she can, she attends to each and every one of them.
An athlete like Bryant doesn’t come around often.
Bryant’s career at LSU has been unprecedented, and the only box left on her list to check off is a national championship.
