The No. 2 LSU gymnastics team kicks off the postseason traveling to Jacksonville, Florida to compete in the Southeastern Conference championship.
After clinching the SEC regular season title, the Tigers (13-1, 7-0 SEC) hold the top seed in the meet and hope to send a message going into the postseason by winning the SEC Championship as well.
“I think it would be quite a bold statement coming into the national championship,” senior all-arounder Shae Zamardi said. “I think we’re very deserving of that, and if we just do our gymnastics like we do in the intersquad and in practice every day, I think we have a great shot.”
Both Zamardi and senior all- rounder Asleigh Gnat agree that the SEC is the best conference in the nation, and it brings fun competition to the floor.
“There’s no doubt about that,” Gnat said. “The teams that we’re seeing this weekend are similar to the teams we’ll be seeing at nationals plus a couple, so that’s motivating. It’s a great experience for us, like I said its preparation coming for what’s ahead so we’re excited to get out against all of them.”
In Jacksonville, the Tigers will compete against No. 4 Florida, No. 6 Alabama, No. 8 Georgia, No. 12 Kentucky, No. 14 Missouri, No. 21 Auburn and Arkansas.
LSU coach D-D Breaux always preaches to her team the importance of competing against every team in the country every week, so having them be on the same floor does not change anything about their performance.
The largest change going into the postseason is podium-style equipment that will be used at both the SEC and at the NCAA Super Six.
The Mardi Gras Invitational in St. Charles, Missouri earlier this season prepared the Tigers for the podium. Breaux said that the experience was a lesson learned for the team, as they relax and have fun going into the postseason.
“The best part is that we’ve already seen it this year,” Gnat said. “We’ve already been on it all of us have experienced it. We know what it’s like so it’s not really something that we’re super hyper focused on because we know how to handle it.”
Breaux said the key to winning in the postseason is having depth and flexibility to your lineups.
Breaux has interchanged her lineups often throughout the season, but her depth was shown most when sophomore all-arounder Lexie Priessman tweaked her knee, causing Gnat to compete in her bars spot. Gnat emphasized the importance of the alternate spot always needing to be ready and compete.
“Throughout the season, we’ve been able to work our depth a lot,” Gnat said. “Everybody’s gotten a really good experience of what it’s like to compete so that really important going into the postseason. You never really know what’s going to happen. We’re excited. We’re motivated by the amount of depth that we have and we’re just going to keep pushing.”
Breaux said she thinks the best thing the team can do to end this season on a high note is staying consistent to how they have competed throughout the season.
“That’s the message,” Breaux said. “You don’t have to be anybody more special than you already are special. Bring your best gymnastics, bring what you do in practice because that’s what has got us to this point.”
The No. 2 LSU gymnastics team kicks off the postseason traveling to Jacksonville, Florida to compete in the Southeastern Conference championship.
After clinching the SEC regular season title, the Tigers (13-1, 7-0 SEC) hold the top seed in the meet and hope to send a message going into the postseason by winning the SEC Championship as well.
“I think it would be quite a bold statement coming into the national championship,” senior all-arounder Shae Zamardi said. “I think we’re very deserving of that, and if we just do our gymnastics like we do in the intersquad and in practice every day, I think we have a great shot.”
Both Zamardi and senior all-arounder Ashleigh Gnat agree that the SEC is the best conference in the nation, and it brings fun competition to the floor.
“There’s no doubt about that,” Gnat said. “The teams that we’re seeing this weekend are similar to the teams we’ll be seeing at nationals plus a couple, so that’s motivating. It’s a great experience for us, like I said its preparation coming for what’s ahead so we’re excited to get out against all of them.”
In Jacksonville, the Tigers will compete against No. 4 Florida, No. 6 Alabama, No. 8 Georgia, No. 12 Kentucky, No. 14 Missouri, No. 21 Auburn and Arkansas.
LSU coach D-D Breaux always preaches to her team the importance of competing against every team in the country every week, so having them be on the same floor does not change anything about their performance.
The largest change going into the postseason is podium style equipment that will be used at both the SEC and at the NCAA Super Six.
The Mardi Gras Invitational in St. Charles, Missouri earlier this season prepared the Tigers for the podium. Breaux said that the experience was a lesson learned for the team, as they relax and have fun going into the postseason.
“The best part is that we’ve already seen it this year,” Gnat said. “We’ve already been on it, all of us have experienced it we know what it’s like so it’s not really something that we’re super hyper focused on because we know how to handle it.”
Breaux said the key to winning in the postseason is having depth and flexibility to your lineups.
Breaux has interchanged her lineups often throughout the season, but her depth was shown most when sophomore all-arounder Lexie Priessman tweaked her knee, causing Gnat to compete in her bars spot. Gnat emphasized the importance of the alternate spot always needing to be ready and compete.
“Throughout the season, we’ve been able to work our depth a lot,” Gnat said. “Everybody’s gotten a really good experience of what it’s like to compete so that really important going into the postseason. You never really know what’s going to happen. We’re excited. We’re motivated by the amount of depth that we have and we’re just going to keep pushing.”
Breaux thinks the best thing the team can do to end this season on a high note is staying consistent to how they have competed throughout the season.
“That’s the message,” Breaux said. “You don’t have to be anybody more special than you already are special. Bring your best gymnastics, bring what you do in practice because that’s what has got us to this point.”
No. 2 LSU gymnastics hoping to make ‘bold statement’ at SEC championships
By Kennedi Landry | @landryyy14
March 17, 2017
More to Discover