2 weeks Ago
Gymnastics legend Simone Biles (center, front row) poses with members of the LSU gymnastics team at their practice facility on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save As LSU gymnasts make a run for repeat in the national championships in Fort Worth, Texas, at the NCAA meet, which starts today, we must take time to praise the solidarity of this team. Last year, when the team won its first gymnastics national championships in school history, the odds were that it would be a favorite this year.
After all, several of the superstars of the 2024 championship season returned for an encore. They include Haleigh Bryant , Sierra Ballard , Chase Brock , Aleah Finnegan , Konnor McClain , Alyona Shchennikova and Olivia Dunne . And the team added promising newcomers, including freshman Kailin Chio who had standout season on vault and was named SEC Freshman of the Year.
Yet the only thing harder in sports than getting to the top of the mountain is staying there. This season, LSU gymnasts showed they were up for the challenge. Despite a few hiccups, including an upset loss to Arkansas in January that coach Jay Clark called “growing pains,” the team managed to stay focused.
We must add here that Clark and his team have been outstanding in building this program, and we're glad LSU is able to keep such talent despite efforts to lure him away. Clark called on the team to step up its mental toughness, and it responded. On its way to the NCAA championships, LSU was able to plow down the competition and has not lost a meet since Jan.
24. The team entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed, winning regionals with its highest score ever.
However, the semifinal field features eight teams, each with a strong shot at the title. Some have a long gymnastics pedigree, like Oklahoma, which won the two previous NCAA championships before LSU derailed its threepeat chances in a thriller last year. Some are hungry for redemption, including a UCLA team that hasn’t won a title since the 2003-24 season but is led by Olympian Jordan Chiles.
After today's competition, the top two teams in each semifinal will compete in the finals on Saturday. In addition to the team competition, LSU gymnastics is also highly favored for some individual awards. Bryant, who won the SEC all-around title in March, will be looking to defend the NCAA all-around title she won last year.
Safe to say, we expect there will be fireworks at Dickies Arena for the next few days. All eyes will be on LSU gymnasts as so many seniors are looking to end their college career on a high note. Whatever happens, we say they’re already winners.
Their success has no doubt been a big reason for the increasing crowds at women’s gymnastics events around the country and interest in women's sports in general. When we look at this team, we see the kind of camaraderie and dedication that we know will lead them to succeed in whatever the future holds..
