LSU gymnastics’ Kailin Chio named SEC Gymnast of the Week following season opener

By Delaney Potthast, Reveille Sports Reporter

January 13, 2026

LSU gymnastics all-around freshman Kailin Chio celebrates after her beam performance during LSU’s 198.050-197.675 win against Oklahoma on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

In just the second week of the season, LSU’s Kailin Chio has earned the SEC Gymnast of the Week award following an outstanding performance in the Sprouts Collegiate Quad this past Saturday.

With an average score of 9.900 in her season debut, the sophomore had managed to surpass the UCLA Olympian Jordan Chiles for the individual all-around win with an all-around score of 39.600.

The Tigers saw their first rotation on the floor exercise, with Chio putting up a 9.900 performance, the best of the rotation. Not long after, the reigning NCAA Vault Champion earned a 9.900 on the event, followed by a 9.850 on the uneven bars.

By rotation four, Kailin was trailing Chiles by just 0.025 points and a stellar beam performance resulted in a near perfect 9.950, her highest score of the season thus far.

Winning the 2025 SEC Freshman of the Week award nine times and the 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year award last season, Chio has set the bar high in her first week of regular season competition.

As LSU gears up for a matchup against the No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs on Friday night, all eyes will be on the talented sophomore as she continues to make her mark.

About the Contributor

Delaney Potthast, Reveille Sports Reporter

Gymnastics/Swim & Dive reporter

Why did you join the Reveille?

My sister told me about it, and I thought it was a really cool opportunity to be able to write about something I love and get involved in athletics.

What do you hope to do after graduation?

I plan to go to law school back on the west coast to become an athlete agent, preferably working in MMA, the MLB or even maybe the WSL.