Da Boot Sports
3/31/2022
LSU Sports Communication
By: LSU Staff


   RALEIGH, N.C. – The LSU gymnastics team finished third overall in round two of the 2022 NCAA Raleigh Regional with a team score of 196.575, Thursday afternoon at Reynolds Coliseum.The Tigers’ season ends after failing to advance to the regional final. Missouri took the top spot in session one with a 197.150 and Iowa finished second with a 196.900. NC State was fourth overall with a 195.1700.
Kiya Johnson, Haleigh Bryant and Alyona Shchennikova are all in contention to still advance as individual qualifiers for NCAA Championships.
   LSU opened with as good as a start as it could hope with a 49.500 on floor for the highest away from the PMAC this season and the third-highest score on the event at a regional in school history.
   Senior Christina Desiderio opened the event with a 9.85. Freshmen KJ Johnson and Aleah Finnegan made their NCAA postseason debuts each with a 9.90. Sophomore Olivia Dunne also made her floor debut in replace of Bryant and scored a 9.90. Kiya Johnson wrapped up the opening rotation with a 9.95.
   The Tigers went to vault and hit every routine for a 49.475 and 98.975 at the halfway point. Elena Arenas opened with a 9.825 and Alyona Shchennikova stuck her vault for a 9.90. KJ Johnson earned a 9.85 in the third spot and Sarah Edwards followed with a 9.825. Kiya Johnson and Bryant anchored the rotation with near-perfect vaults for a 9.95.
   LSU was led on bars to a 49.000 by 9.90’s from Kiya Johnson and Shchennikova. Dunne scored a 9.85 and Arenas added a 9.70. The Tigers also scored a 9.65 from Sami Durante.
   The squad was forced to count a fall on beam and consequently unable to advance out of the second round. Kai Rivers earned a 9.80 and in her final collegiate routine Bridget Dean scored a 9.875. Shchennikova added a 9.875 and Kiya Johnson ended the event with a. 9.750.

Da Boot Sports
3/30/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Brandon Berrio


   RALEIGH, N.C. – The sixth-ranked LSU gymnastics team begins NCAA postseason competition in a fight for the program’s 31st NCAA Championships appearance at 12 noon CT Thursday at the Raleigh Regional at Reynolds Coliseum. 
The Tigers will take on No. 11 Missouri, No. 22 Iowa and No. 30 North Carolina State in the first session of the second round. If the squad finishes in the top two of the regional it will advance to the regional final and compete against the top two finishers of the second session, which includes No. 3 Michigan, No. 14 UCLA, No. 20 Maryland and No. 35 North Carolina. The top two teams in the regional final will advance to NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, April 15 and 17.
 
“Our team is really fired up to get back out and compete again,” head coach Jay Clark said. “We have used the last two weeks to reset and fine tune things before postseason. It is important for us to just stay in the present and take one routine at a time. It will be an exciting meet with so many great teams out on the floor.”
 
Every session of the meet will be streamed on ESPN+, which requires a subscription different than cable providers. John Roethlisberger and Alicia Sacramone Quinn will have the call of the second round and Sam Gore will join Sacramone Quinn for the final on Saturday. Live results will be available at LSUsports.net.
 
LSU’s History at the NCAA Regional
Since the first year the NCAA sanctioned gymnastics in 1982, LSU has advanced to the NCAA Regional 39 out of 40 years. This season marks the 37th-straight year LSU will compete in a regional. The following is how many times the Tigers have finished in the previous 38 NCAA Regional appearances: First Place -13 times; Second Place – 15 times; Third Place- nine times; Seventh Place – one time.
 
Prior to NCAA regionals, LSU advanced to AIAW Regionals every year from the program’s inception in 1975 to the final year in 1981. The Tigers won six AIAW Regional championships during the seven-year span.
 
Last Time Out
The Tigers competed at SEC Championships and finished fifth overall. Haleigh Bryant was named to the All-SEC team and KJ Johnson was named to the all-freshman team after their performance in Birmingham. Bryant scored a 9.95 on beam and Johnson earned a 9.90 on vault to earn the honors. LSU’s beam team was lights out with a 49.550 for the highest on the event for LSU at an SEC championship.
 
Durante, Bryant Named All-Americans
Senior Sami Durante and Bryant were named WCGA regular season All-Americans following outstanding seasons. Durante earned the second honor of her career on bars. In 2022, she scored a 9.90 or higher in six-straight meets including a career high 9.975 against Auburn.
 
Bryant finished the season ranked No. 3 in the nation on vault and also earned honors on bars. In just two seasons, the Cornelius, North Carolina native has already earned eight All-America honors, which is in the top-10 of LSU’s all-time list. Bryant owns the best electric vault in NCAA Gymnastics. She earned three perfect scores on the event in 2022. With a new dismount, Bryant earned All-America honors for the first time in her career on bars. She earned a 9.90 or higher in all but one meet this season, including a career high 9.95 twice.
​

Da Boot Sports
3/19/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Brandon Berrio


​   ​BIRMINGHAM -  The LSU Gymnastics team scored a 196.725 at the 2022 Southeastern Conference Gymnastics Championships to finish fifth overall Saturday night at Legacy Arena.
 
LSU will now await its seeding and placement for NCAA postseason. The selections how will be at 11 a.m. CT Tuesday on NCAA.com.
 
“There was nothing glaring today or in warmups that indicated this performance was coming,” head coach Jay Clark said. “We were pressing too much and could not settle it down. It snowballed on us, and we could not regain our composure. There is no doubt that it was disappointing.
 
“We know this is not the end though. We have four more weeks, and we must get back in the gym and process what happened and fix it. A lot of our goals are still in front of us. I still believe in this team, but we must reassess everything and use these weeks off to reboot and get it right.”
 
The Tigers were unable to claw their way into the meet after opening the night with a 48.575 on bars. Haleigh Bryant led the way with a 9.925 on the event followed by Alyona Shchennikova with a 9.90. Olivia Dunne scored a 9.875 and Elena Arenas earned a 9.625. LSU also counted a score of 9.25 from Sami Durante.
 
The squad rebounded in a big way on beam with a 49.550 for the highest score at an SEC meet in school history. Christina Desiderio led off with a 9.90 and Bridget Dean scored a 9.875 in the third spot. Bryant matched her career high of 9.95 and Aleah Finnegan also matched her career high in her first SEC meet with a 9.925. Kiya Johnson anchored the event with a 9.90.
 
LSU moved to floor and scored a 49.325. Desiderio and Kiya Johnson each scored a 9.90. Bryant and Shchennikova earned a 9.85 and LSU also counted a 9.825 from Finnegan.
 
In the final rotation, LSU was unable to find its landings and wrapped up with a 49.275. KJ Johnson led the way with a 9.90. Kiya Johnson and Sarah Edwards both earned a 9.875. Elena Arenas scored a 9.80 and Shchennikova put up a 9.825.
 

Da Boot Sports
3/18/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Brandon Berrio


   BIMRINGHAM – The fifth-ranked LSU gymnastics team will compete for the program’s fifth Southeastern Conference championship and fourth in five years at 7 p.m. CT Saturday inside Legacy Arena.
 
The meet will be televised live on SEC Network with Bart Conner, Kathy Johnson Clarke and Sam Peszek on the call. It will also be streamed live on WatchESPN.com and the app with event specific links to each apparatus so that fans can enjoy all of the action.
 
As the second seed in the meet, the Tigers will begin on bars and follow with beam, floor and vault. LSU will compete alongside No. 2 Florida, No. 6 Auburn and No. 6 Alabama in the evening session.
 
The meet will be the final score to count toward the squad’s NQS, which will serve as the seeding for NCAA Championships.
 
“I think our team is really excited to get in to the arena in front of an electric crowd and just compete,” head coach Jay Clark said. “We will be on floor with some of the top teams in the country, and the message has been to just do our job and everything will follow. It is important to just take one routine at a time and use the energy and momentum in our favor on Saturday night.”
 
LSU’s History at the SEC Championship
The Tigers will fight amongst the best teams in the country for their fifth league title. LSU captured the SEC title when the Tigers hosted the first championship in 1981.
 
Here is a breakdown of LSU’s finishes at the SEC Championship: 1st Place - 4 times (1981, 2017, 2018,2019); 2nd Place – 6 (1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2015, 2021); 3rd Place - 10 (1982, 1983, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2016); 4th Place - 17 (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012); 5th Place - 3 (1992, 1996, 2011); 6th Place - 0; 7th Place - 0; 8th Place - 0
 
Gymnasts at the SEC Championships
Twenty-five LSU gymnasts have combined to win 47 SEC titles since 1981. A total of 97
All-SEC honors have been earned over the years and 17 SEC All-Freshman team honors. Sarah Finnegan, Rheagan Courville and Sandra Smith own the record for most SEC titles with five. Finnegan captured back-to-back all-around titles in 2018 and 2019. She also won three event titles in 2019.
 
Kiya Johnson is the reigning SEC floor champion and Haleigh Bryant and Elena Arenas are the reigning SEC vault champions. Johnson earned the program’s 14th floor title with her perfect score. Bryant and Arenas secured the vault titles with a 9.95 as freshmen in 2021.
 
Last Time Out
Last week, LSU put together the best performance of the season with a season-high 198.125 against fourth-ranked Utah. The Tigers and Utes went blow for blow on all 24 routines with the home squad ultimately winning. Bryant scored her third 10 of the season and the fifth of her career for the win. She also took the all-around title with a 39.700.
 
LSU also had outstanding performances from Kiya Johnson who scored a 9.975 on vault, 9.90 on bars and 9.95 on beam. Alyona Shchennikova also delivered a 9.925 on bars for the win and Sarah Edwards scored a career high 9.975 on floor on senior night. The score for LSU helped jump Auburn and Alabama in the polls and secure the No. 2 seed at SEC Championships.

Da Boot Sports
3/11/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE – The seventh-ranked LSU Gymnastics team scored a season high 198.125 to take down fourth-ranked Utah in the regular season finale Friday night inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
 
The Tigers defeated the Utes, who scored a 197.875, in a thrilling meet in front of a crowd of 10,845. LSU officially finished No. 1 in the country in average attendance for the first time in school history. The Tigers overtook Utah, who held the No. 1 ranking since 2004, for the top spot in the country.
 
Haleigh Bryant started the final home meet with a perfect score on vault. The 10 marked the fifth in her career. She is now four away from tying the record for career perfect scores.
 
“We really needed this meet,” head coach Jay Clark said. “We needed to have this type of performance after last week and all the things that we’ve had stacked against us. The biggest challenge was believing it. This was the best meet we have had all year and sustained energy throughout.”
 
Bryant won the vault with a perfect score as well as the all-around with a 39.700. Alyona Shchennikova scored a 9.925 for the win on bars and Sarah Edwards had a 9.975 on floor to win the event.
 
LSU opened on fire with a 49.525 on vault for a new season high, punctuated by Byrant’s perfect score. Elena Arenas led the meet off with a 9.90 and stick on her Yurchenko Full. Shchennikova and Sarah Edwards followed with a 9.80 and KJ Johnson scored a 9.85 on her stuck Yurchenko Full. Kiya Johnson just missed out on a perfect 10 on vault with a season-high 9.975 but she set her teammate Bryant in the anchor spot.
 
The Tigers scored a 49.425 to extend their lead at the halfway point. Kiya Johnson started the rotation with a 9.90 and Arenas followed with a 9.875. Bryant gave the Tigers a 9.90 in the fourth spot followed by Shchennikova’s 9.925 and 9.825 from Sami Durante.
 
It was another consistent rotation for the squad with a 49.500. In her final performance on beam inside the PMAC, senior Christina Desiderio scored a 9.925. Kai Rivers returned to the lineup for the Tigers and scored a 9.90. Senior Bridget Dean scored a 9.85 in her final performance in the PMAC followed by Bryant’s 9.85. Freshman Aleah Finnegan gave the squad a 9.875 and Kiya Johnson anchored with a 9.95.
 
LSU scored a 49.675 on floor to outlast Utah. Desiderio started the rotation with a 9.925 and Shchennikova scored a 9.90. Edwards won the event with a 9.975 in her final routine in the PMAC. In the final three routines, KJ Johnson scored a 9.90, Finnegan scored a 9.925 and Bryant wrapped up with a 9.95.
 
LSU will now compete at SEC Championships March 19 in Birmingham, Alabama. Seeding will be determined following Saturday’s meets and released via LSU Gymnastics social media.
 

Da Boot Sports
3/4/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: LSU Staff


   BATON ROUGE – The fifth-ranked LSU Gymnastics team scored a 197.450 in front of 12,838 fans in a loss to 10th-ranked Kentucky Friday night inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
   The Wildcats took the team win with a 197.500 in the SEC finale. LSU’s crowd marked the sixth-highest in the history of the gymnastics program.
   “We didn’t do our job tonight,” head coach Jay Clark said. “We had a lot of distractions in warmups, and we were not as dialed in as we have been. There were problems with a lot of landings, which was frustrating. I think the way we performed and the way it ended really stung, and I think they will come out hungry.”
   LSU seniors Sami Durante and Sarah Edwards along with sophomore Haleigh Bryant swept the event and all-around. Bryant scored a 9.95 on vault, bars and beam. Her score of 39.75 in the all-around marked a new career high. Durante also took home bars with a 9.95 and Edwards anchored floor with a 9.925.
   The Tigers opened vault with a 49.350 and fell behind the Wildcats. Sami Durante opened with a 9.875. Elena Arenas and KJ Johnson each scored a 9.85 and Kiya Johnson earned a 9.825. Bryant anchored the rotation with a. 9.95.
   On bars, Kiya Johnson and Arenas each scored a 9.825. Olivia Dunne earned a 9.875 and Bryant followed with her career high 9.95. Durante anchored with a 9.95 to post a 49.425 on bars.
   The Tigers scored another 49.425 on beam in the third rotation. Christina Desiderio opened with a 9.90 and Arenas followed with a 9.825. Dean returned to the lineup with a 9.85 and Bryant matched her career high with a 9.95. Freshman Aleah Finnegan also posted a 9.90 in the fifth spot for the Tigers.
   LSU was unable to find its landings on floor for a 49.250. Dunne and KJ Johnson scored a 9.80 and Finnegan put up a 9.825. Bryant scored a 9.90 in the fifth spot and Edwards ended the night with the 9.925 and win.
   LSU returns to the PMAC on Friday, March 11 against No. 4 Utah for the regular season finale. The meet will be the finale for LSU’s six seniors.

Photos Below By: Jonathan Mailhes

Da Boot Sports
2/28/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE – After scoring its second-highest team road score of the 2022 season, the LSU gymnastics team moved up to fifth in the second edition of the National Qualifying Score (NQS) rankings.
 
The Tigers own an NQS of 197.515, which is the average of a team’s top six scores, three of which must be away and the highest score dropped. LSU’s six scores are 196.950, 197.975 and 198.050 from home meets and 197.675, 197.825 and 197.200 away from the PMAC.
 
LSU is one of six teams with a team score of 198 or higher this season. Michigan owns the top spot with an NQS of 197.920 followed by Oklahoma (197.860), Florida (197.715) and Utah (197.685).
 
The Tigers rank second on vault, fourth on bars, eighth on beam and 10th on floor. Sophomore Haleigh Bryant is the No. 1 performer in the nation on vault and ranks eighth on bars. Junior Kiya Johnson is 17th on vault and 19th on beam. Senior Sami Durante ranks 12th on bars and freshman KJ Johnson is 17th on vault.
 
LSU has three more meets to improve its NQS before the NCAA bracket is released. The Tigers have two more chances to improve its low home score and one more away meet to replace its low of 197.200. The squad will take on Kentucky in the final SEC meet of the regular season at 7:15 p.m. Friday in the PMAC.
 
Top-25 Rankings, Average
1. Michigan, 197.920
2. Oklahoma, 197.860
3. Florida, 197.715
4. Utah, 197.685
5. LSU, 197.515
6. Auburn, 197.455
7. Alabama, 197.360
8. California, 197.065
9. Minnesota, 197.015
10. Kentucky, 196.985
11. Missouri, 196.890
12. Michigan State, 196.795
13. Denver, 196.710
14. BYU, 196.615
15. Arizona State, 196.520
16. Utah State, 196.435
17. UCLA, 196.430
18. Ohio State, 196.365
19. Iowa, 196.325
20. Stanford, 196.165
21. Southern Utah, 196.150
22. Illinois, 196.110
23. Boise State, 196.105
24. Towson, 196.065
25. San Jose State, 196.045
 

Da Boot Sports
​2/11/2022
​LSU Sports Information
By: LSU Staff


   GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No.5 LSU gymnastics team scored a 197.825 in a loss to No. 4 Florida Friday night at Exactech Arena.The Tigers dropped to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the SEC, while Florida improved to 8-0 and 5-0 in the SEC.
  “I was proud of our resiliency today,” head coach Jay Clark said. “It was a crazy environment and our team really responded when they need to. We know how hard it is to win at Florida, but we leave with a really strong road score. We’ll take a couple days off and get back in the gym before a tough stretch next weekend with two meets.”
  LSU and Florida were tied at 148.350 heading into the final rotation but the Tigers scored a 49.475 on beam and were unable to keep up with Florida’s 49.800 on floor.
  The squad opened the night on bars with a 49.425. Kiya Johnson and Kai Rivers each scored a 9.825. Olivia Dunne posted a 9.90 in the third spot and she was followed by Haleigh Bryant with a career high 9.95. Alyona Shchennikova scored a 9.85 and Sami Durante anchored with a 9.90.
  LSU cut into Florida’s lead on vault after a 49.475. Sarah Edwards scored a season high 9.875 and Elena Arenas followed with a 9.85. KJ Johnson matched her career high with a 9.90 and Kiya Johnson set a new career high with a 9.95. Bryant anchored vault with a 9.90.
  The floor lineup earned a 49.450 to tie things going into the final rotation. Christina Desiderio opened with a 9.90 and Alyona Shchennikova scored a 9.85. KJ Johnson matched her career high once again with a 9.95 and Aleah Finnegan set a new high with a 9.90. Kiya Johnson anchored the floor lineup with a 9.85.
  In the final rotation, LSU showed poise in a raucous environment to score a 49.475. Desiderio, Bridget Dean and Aleah Finnegan all scored a 9.875. Rivers entered the lineup for an injured Bryant in the fifth spot and scored a 9.90. Johnson wrapped up the night with a 9.95 to set a season high.
  LSU returns home for the start of a double weekend. The Tigers face off against Alabama at 8 p.m. CT Friday in the PMAC. The squad then travels to take on Missouri and Arkansas in a rescheduled meet on Sunday in Columbia, Missouri.

Da Boot Sports
2/6/2022
LSU Sports Information


   BATON ROUGE – In front of the second-largest crowd in the history of the program, the eighth-ranked LSU gymnastics team remained undefeated with a season-high score of 197.975 to take the win over No. 6 Auburn Saturday afternoon in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.A crowd of 13,569 fans watched LSU move to 3-0 and 2-0 in the SEC with the win. The victory marked the 300th in the history of the PMAC.
“Today was what it was supposed to feel like in the PMAC,” head coach Jay Clark said. “We really needed a meet like that. We were tight early but they settled down and started looking like what we see day in and day out. The fans today gave us the juice to finish strong today.
Haleigh Bryant and Kiya Johnson scored a perfect 10 on vault and floor to lift the Tigers to the victory. Bryant’s perfect score marked the third of her career with all coming on vault. Johnson ended the night in style with a perfect score on floor. The 10 marked the sixth of her career with one on vault, one on beam and four on floor. Bryant also picked up the all-around win with a career high 39.675 in the all-around.
   

All tied at 148.200 with only rotation remaining, the LSU floor lineup punctuated the day and win with a 49.775 for the highest score in school history. Christina Desiderio capped off the best night of her career with a 9.95 to set a new career high. Alyona Shchennikova followed with a 9.925 to tie her career high. Freshman KJ Johnson then set a new career high in her third collegiate routine with a 9.95. Following a 9.80 for Aleah Finnegan in her debut, Bryant Johnson made their triumphant return to the floor. Bryant scored a 9.95 and Johnson ended with a 10.
LSU opened the meet with a steady 49.375 on vault. Elena Arenas opened with a 9.85 and KJ Johnson matched her career high on vault with a 9.90. Sarah Edwards and Kiya Johnson scored a 9.875 in the fourth and fifth spot. Bryant anchored with the 10 to give LSU a slim lead after one rotation.
Auburn overtook the home team in the second rotation after LSU was unable to get their landings. Kiya Johnson opened with a 9.80 and Olivia Dunne scored a 9.825. Following Bryant’s 9.875, Shchennikova and senior Durante steadied the squad with a 9.925 and 9.975. Durante’s 9.975 matched a career high for the senior.
Down to Auburn 98.750-98.825, the LSU beam team delivered its best performance of the season with a 49.450. Desiderio started things off with a 9.925 and Durante also scored a 9.85. Bryant put up a 9.875 and Finnegan set a new career high with a 9.90. Following a fall, Johnson scored a crucial 9.90 to even the meet heading into the final rotation and put the Tigers in position to earn the win.
Next Up
LSU faces another top-5 team in the gauntlet of a schedule. The Tigers will travel to face Florida in Gainesville at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

Photos Below By: Jonathan Mailhes

Da Boot Sports
1/29/2022
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   ATHENS, Ga. – The sixth-ranked LSU gymnastics team improved to 2-0 in 2022 and secured its 16th-straight win over the Georgia Bulldogs in a 196.850-196.100 win on Friday night in Stegeman Coliseum.
 
The win marked the Tigers’ third straight over the Bulldogs in Athens. LSU earned its first league win of the year.
 
“I think we knocked off some rust tonight,” head coach Jay Clark. “Given that we haven’t competed in three weeks and it was the first road meet I was happy that we grinded it out and got the win. We missed some opportunities, but overall I was proud of this team because they never gave up the fight.
 
“Alyona (Shchennikova) responded tonight and got a 9.90 on floor when we needed it the most. That is some real growth. I also cannot say enough about Christina (Desiderio) and what she did on beam to start in that last rotation. She has a way to settle the team and she did it again tonight.”
 
LSU opened the meet on fire with three of the first four performers earning a 9.90 to secure wins on the night. Kiya Johnson opened with a 9.90 and Kai Rivers followed by matching her score. Olivia Dunne earned a 9.825 in the third spot and Haleigh Bryant followed with a 9.90. In the sixth spot, Sami Durante scored a 9.825 to give LSU a 49.350 and narrow lead after UGA’s opening 49.325 on vault.
 
The Tigers struggled to find their landings on vault and finished with a 49.150 to once again lead the Bulldogs by .050. Rivers and KJ Johnson opened with a 9.85 on their Yurchenko Full. Sarah Edwards scored a 9.725 in the fourth spot of the lineup. Kiya Johnson and Bryant wrapped up the rotation with a 9.875 and 9.85 respectively.
 
LSU scored a 49.100 on floor and mishaps by Georgia on beam allowed LSU to take a 147.600-147.025 lead going into the final rotation. Desiderio opened with a 9.70. Dunne sored a 9.80 in her first collegiate routine on floor and Edwards added a 9.825. In the final two spots, KJ Johnson earned a 9.875 and Shchennikova anchored with a crucial 9.90.
 
In the final rotation of the night, LSU scored a 49.250 with six hit routines to clinch the win. Desiderio opened beam with a 9.90 and in her first collegiate routine Aleah Finnegan scored a 9.875. Durante followed with a 9.775 in the third spot. Bridget Dean and Kiya Johnson closed out the night with scores of 9.80 and 9.90.
 
Shchennikova also earned the all-around victory, her second in as many meets. 
 
Next Up
LSU returns to the PMAC to face Auburn on Saturday, February 5. First vault is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the meet will be televised on the SEC Network.
 

Da Boot Sports
1/21/2022
By: Terrill J. Weil


   BATON ROUGE, LA: Friday night's gymnastics meet between #5 LSU and #11 Arkansas has been postponed due to COVID protocols within the Razorbacks program. This will be the second weekend in a row that the LSU gymnastics squad will have a meet postponed due to COVID concerns. 
   The SEC will look into possibly rescheduling the meet at a later date

   Next up LSU will travel to Athens, Ga. on Friday, Jan. 28th to take on the Georgia Bulldogs at 6:00pm

Da Boot Sports
1/13/2022
LSU Sports Information
By: LSU Staff


   ​BIRMINGHAM – The LSU at Missouri gymnastics meet scheduled for Friday, January 14 has been postponed due to COVID protocols within the LSU gymnastics program, consistent with Southeastern Conference COVID-19 management requirements.

​   The opportunity to reschedule the meet will be evaluated.

Da Boot Sports
​1/8/2022
By: Brittney Achord


BATON ROUGE, LA: The LSU Tiger gymnastics team brought more than new faces, routines, and skills to their season opener Friday night in the PMAC. They brought victory and their 10th straight season opener win with a 196.950.

As Tiger fans welcomed the new Assistant Coaches Garrett and Courtney Griffeth, they also welcomed a powerhouse freshman. KJ Johnson highlighted her night taking 2nd on Vault and 1st on Floor with matching scores of 9.90. A great start for this new Tiger.

In a post meet interview, Head Coach Jay Clark stated, “KJ is as explosive an athlete as we have. I think tonight did a lot for her confidence. She really came through in the clutch and delivered the only 9.90 we had on Floor tonight. She was nervous going out there, so it was great to see her go out there and do what she did.”

The Tigers started out strong on Vault opening up with a team score of 49.40. Sophomore Haliegh Bryant picked up right where she left off with a dynamic 9.925 that earned her 1st place on Vault. KJ Johnson also helped the Tigers with her 9.90, along with Kai Rivers and Kiya Johnson’s matching scores of 9.875 and Aloyna Shchennikova’s score of 9.825.

Over on Bars, the Tigers kicked off the season with the highest season opening score in school history, a 49.50. Aloyna Shchennikova brought a beautiful 9.950, matching her career high and landing her first place on bars. Haleigh Bryant and Olivia Dunne would also score big for the Tigers with matching scores of 9.925. This would be a new career high for Bryant. The Tigers would also count Kai Rivers 9.875 and Kiya Johnson’s 9.825.

Unfortunately, after an injury on bars, the Tigers lost their momentum on Balance Beam scoring a 49.075. Christina Desiderio opened up with an elegant routine scoring a 9.850 for the Tigers. Alyona Shchennikova and Kiya Johnson followed with matching scores of 9.80.Reagan Campbell would put up a fighting 9.750 for the Tigers. Haleigh Bryant would finish strong for the Tigers with a 9.875, sparking a hint of hope heading to Floor.

Opening night jitters seemed to follow the Tigers to Floor as the Tigers posted a 48.975. Sarah Edwards brought joy and excitement to Tiger fans as she opened with a 9.825. KJ Johnson amped up the PMAC with an explosive 9.90. The Tigers would finish the night on Floor with a 9.775 from Elena Arenas, 9.750 from Sierra Ballard, and a 9.725 from Alyona Shchennikova. Shchennikova’s 9.725 clinched the all-around for her with a 39.30 and a victory for the Tigers.

Overall the Tigers looked great. There were many areas where nerves played a huge role, some areas where injuries took over, and a few issues just from inexperience. They will work through all the early season jitters and dominate all four events.

After the meet Head Coach Jay Clark stated, “We started out really great and had some good things going for us, but after Sami Durante went out, it broke the momentum for us. Nothing horrible went on the last two events but I thought the mentality dropped and we never got going again. I am pleased with a lot of good moments though.”

The Tigers head to Missouri for their first SEC road meet on Friday, January 14 at 7 PM CT. You can catch this match up on SEC Network+ through Watch ESPN.com and the app.

​

Da Boot Sports
9/8/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE –LSU Gymnastics head coach Jay Clark announced the squad’s 2022 schedule, which features six meets inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
 
The schedule boasts nine teams that qualified for NCAA postseason competition and two teams that advanced to the NCAA Championship Finals in 2021.
 
“This is a really exciting schedule and especially intriguing home schedule from start to finish,” Clark said. “After only getting a couple thousand last year in the PMAC last year I know our fans are chomping at the bit to get back in and pack the place out. The environment in our home arena is unmatched, and I know our team is excited to see it at capacity again.”
 
The Fighting Tigers open the season at home against West Virginia on Jan. 7. LSU will also host SEC rivals Arkansas, Auburn, Alabama and Kentucky in Baton Rouge. The team will travel to face Missouri, Georgia, Florida and Texas Woman’s.
 
One of the most anticipated meets of the season will come on March 11 when Utah travels to Baton Rouge. The 2022 meet is part of a home and home agreement with the Tigers traveling to Salt Lake City in 2023.
 
The Tigers will compete for their fourth SEC Championship in five seasons on March 19 at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala. LSU will also compete for its 32nd berth in NCAA Championships March 31-April 2 at either Illinois, NC State, Auburn or Washington.
 
NCAA Championships will take place April 15-16 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
 
Meet times and television info will be available later this fall.
 
The 2022 season ticket request list is available at www.LSUTIX.net  The list is free to join and fans on the list will receive first opportunity to purchase season tickets for the 2022 season before tickets go on sale to the public.
 

5/17/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE – LSU gymnastics head coach Jay Clark announced that seniors Reagan Campbell, Bridget Dean, Sami Durante, Christina Desiderio and Sarah Edwards will return to compete for a fifth season.
 
All seniors were granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA due to COVID-19. Olivia Gunter elected not to use her extra year. The Mandeville, Louisiana, native graduated in May.
 
"We are so glad these five have chosen to return," Clark said. "Olivia Gunter and her daily presence will be dearly missed, but we are thrilled to have these five returning. There is no doubt that the progress of the underclassmen this year combined with the experience of these seniors will be a great combination for success."
 
The senior class brings a wealth of experience to the 2022 team. The group boasts more than 50 meets over the last four seasons. Campbell, Durante, Desiderio and Edwards have all earned All-America honors at LSU. Dean has been a large part of LSU’s success on beam with a hit routine in all 12 of the Tigers’ meets this year.
 
The group of five will make of one of the most talented teams in the country. LSU also returns outstanding all-around performers Kiya Johnson, Alyona Shchennikova and Haleigh Bryant. Johnson was named the SEC Specialist of the Year in 2021. Bryant won the 2021 NCAA vault title and was named the SEC Freshman of the Year.
 
Kai Rivers will be healthy and back in the LSU lineup after rupturing her Achilles in the fall. Sierra Ballard, Chase Brock, All-America Olivia Dunne and SEC champion Elena Arenas also bring valuable experience for the Tigers.
 
Clark will also welcome a talented freshman class in August with Aleah Finnegan, Kaytlyn Johnson and Tori Tatum set to join the Purple and Gold.