LSU Gymnastics’ Magical, Improbable Run Ends at NCAA Championship

All season long, the sixth-ranked LSU Gymnastics team fought through injuries and defied the odds to be one of the final four squads competing at the 2023 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship.

The Tigers started their postseason journey tying for first place with No. 11 Oregon State in the second round of the Denver Regional. But the script was flipped in the regional final after No. 14 Denver, the lowest-ranked team, shocked the field and took first.

LSU came back in the final rotation to secure a tie with No. 3 Michigan, and, after a tense few minutes while the judges conferred, it was announced that the Tigers won the tiebreaker to upset the Wolverines and advance to the next round.

They used their momentum to win the national semifinal with a 197.475 score to earn their ninth-ever berth to the NCAA Championship. LSU was joined in the Final Four by No. 2 Florida by virtue of a second-place finish in the semifinal.

“This team has been so gritty this entire year. They keep doing what they have to do,” said Coach Jay Clark. “I’m just so proud of this team and [I am] enjoying the ride. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose. They’re leaving their mark on this program regardless of outcome.”

Unfortunately, Clark’s squad ran out of magic and their improbable run was cut short.

The Tigers posted a 197.5250 score which saw them at the bottom of the standings. Despite LSU's last-place finish, junior Haleigh Bryant spent the day rewriting the record book.

She scored a 9.95 on the bars, 9.9875 on vault, and tallied a 39.725 allaround to set the team records at the NCAA Championship. As a team, the Tigers’ vault score of 49.525 set a new program mark at the event.

“We’ve been riding the wave and going where it takes us. The adversity of this team has been spoken about so much and you saw the fight in them today,” Clark said. “At the end of the meet, I just told them how in awe I am of them. I want them to enjoy these moments.”