The Reveille 4-04-24

REACHING GREATNESS

Haleigh Bryant’s journey to greatness: ‘One skill at a time’

BY AVA HERBERT @avahebe4

Rheagan Courville, Susan Jackson, Ashleigh Gnat, Sarah Finnegan, Ashleigh Claire-Kearney. These are just a few of the greatest gymnasts to walk the halls of Louisiana State University.

Another name you can add to that list: Haleigh Bryant.

There is no denying that the North Carolina native made her mark on LSU. In her career as a Tiger, she’s secured 86 total titles, 31 on vault, 14 on bars, six on beam and nine on floor. To top it off, she’s won a record 26 all-around titles.

Her ability to produce high scores at an elite level has attracted nation-wide attention.

Along with media superstar Olivia “Livvy” Dunne and Olympic qualifier Aleah Finnegan, the Tigers’ 2024 squad has done its part to promote collegiate gymnastics.

Although Bryant’s doing similar routines to her teammates, the thing that sets her apart is consistency. Bryant is dependable and exhibits it in every form of her gymnastics.

“I just take things one step at a time, one skill at a time, one event at a time,” Bryant said. “I just want to go out and do my normal every single time.”

Bryant’s rise to the top started early in her career as a Tiger. She ended her rookie season as the most decorated freshman in school history, accumulating her first NCAA vault title and Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year.

Her sophomore year was equally as impressive, but Bryant set herself apart in her junior season. In her third year,

she went 64 for 64 routines for the Tigers, competing in the allaround in every single meet. She became the first LSU gymnast to average a 9.90 or higher across all four events in a season.

It was also in her junior season that she became the all-time perfect 10 leader in school history, and she achieved it in the most historical way.

In a meet against West Virginia, Bryant earned three perfect scores in one meet, the only gymnast in LSU history to do it.

With perfect 10s on vault, uneven bars and floor, Bryant proved that she should be in the conversation as one of the greats.

“Haleigh is incredible at every aspect of everything she

does and the person that she is,” head coach Jay Clark said.

Bryant wasn’t carrying the team all on her back, though. In the 2023 season, she had the help of senior Kiya Johnson to lead the squad. However, once Johnson suffered a torn achilles, Bryant knew it was her time to step up.

“We had so much adversity that we had to go through,” Bryant said. “Jay always says, ‘you honor somebody with your actions …’ so we’re going to give them the best we have.”

After her junior season, Bryant secured her title as one of the greatest LSU gymnasts. She entered her senior year as the obvious leader of the Tiger squad.

Bryant’s perfect scores aren’t the only thing that set her apart from the rest of the team. In everything that she does, she is consistent.

In the 2024 season, Bryant hasn’t scored lower than a 9.850, which she only scored twice. Other than one other 9.875, Bryant’s scores were all over 9.90.

“This year I really was just trying to enjoy the whole entire experience,” Bryant said. “Not worry about the scores, not worry about the outcome, just doing my gymnastics for my team.”

During her iconic season, she managed to record a perfect 10 on the balance beam against Georgia, becoming the first LSU and 14th NCAA gymnast to record a gym slam, perfect 10s in all events.

“Her record is ridiculous and amazing,” Clark said. “Haleigh is incredible … Haleigh deserves everything she gets.”

Bryant’s final year as a Tiger has been nothing short of successful. Between an SEC Championship and five perfect scores,

there’s only one thing that could allow Bryant to have the perfect season, and that’s a national championship.

LSU enters the NCAA Regionals as the No. 2 seed, behind only Oklahoma. For the first time in history, the Tigers have a national qualifying score of over 198.

“The mindset is going to be the No. 1 thing that sets everybody apart because you’re going to be there for a reason,” Bryant said. “It’s going to come down to whose mindset is the strongest and who can handle the pressure.”

Just as any other team, the Tigers tend to perform better in their own gym in front of their own crowd. But moving further into the postseason, Bryant knows that the great teams can perform anywhere.

“We just really try to keep the same mentality like we came in here the week before,” Bryant said. “It’s different equipment, it’s a different environment, but we’re still doing the same exact gymnastics.”

LSU’s fan base is unique in the fact that it will follow the Tigers anywhere they go. The Pete Maravich Assembly Center has one of the highest attendance rates in the NCAA, averaging about 12,500 fans per meet.

On senior night, the PMAC hosted 13,283 fans, a new topfive attendance record.

Fans of all ages stay after the meet just to see and talk to Bryant. For as long as she can, she attends to each and every one of them.

An athlete like Bryant doesn’t come around often.

Bryant’s career at LSU has been unprecedented, and the only box left on her list to check off is a national championship.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille LSU gymnastics senior Haleigh Bryant celebrates her floor exercise with her teammates March 23 during LSU’s 198.075 victory in the 2024 SEC Gymnastics Championship in the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille LSU gymnastics senior all-around Haleigh Bryant high-fives her teammates Saturday, March 23, 2024, during LSU’s 198.075 victory in the 2024 SEC Gymnastics Championship in the Smoothie King Center in New

EDUCATION

TRANS VISIBILITY

LSU student organization advocates community and awareness

BY COURTNEY BELL @courtebell09

International Transgender Day of Visibility, a celebration of the experiences of transgender people that looks to raise awareness for the issues they face, was on Sunday, and some LSU students took part in commemorating it.

Louisiana Trans Advocates at LSU is a student-led chapter of the statewide organization Louisiana Trans Advocates, which aims to uplift and champion transgender students. LTA at LSU was relaunched this semester after years of dormancy after the previous administration board graduated.

Astrophysics graduate student Marz Newman is the secretary and co-founder of LTA at LSU. Newman revived the group to address issues facing transgender students such as unequal housing. Newman told the Reveille that gender-inclusive housing can minimize the isolation trans students face.

“There’s a lack of equality in housing,” Newman said. “Res Life has spoken for years about

POLITICS

BY PIPER HUTCHINSON Louisiana Illuminator

LSU’s College of Engineering will soon drill a new well on campus to research carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS).

The well will be added to LSU’s Petroleum Engineering Research, Training and Testing Lab, a hands-on research facility near Alex Box Stadium made up of two industrial-scale research wells, additional storage wells and surface facilities.

The two wells aren’t used to drill for oil, and no fluid is injected into them. Rather, they allow researchers to simulate conditions at real oil drilling sites. The new well will be similar in this regard, but will be capable of handling carbon dioxide, which is not possible in the existing facilities.

“The CO2 related research will be just to… gain a better understanding of all the physics, all the dynamics, all the technology that happens when you inject see OIL DRILLING, page

Gulf’s next wind auction puts focus on Louisiana after Texas

BY TRISTAN BAURICK Verite News

Political winds, rather than the strength of actual air currents, are steering offshore wind energy development from Texas to Louisiana.

After the Gulf of Mexico’s first-ever offshore wind lease auction drew zero bids for sites in the waters off Texas last year, federal regulators plan to tilt the second auction toward Louisiana. Two weeks ago, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management proposed two new lease areas, totaling about 200,000 acres, in federal waters south of the Texas-Louisiana line, an area that may strike a balance between the stronger winds near Texas and the more welcoming politics of Louisiana.

“Texas leaders said some inflammatory things about offshore wind right before the last lease sale,” said Jenny Netherton, a program manager for the Southeastern Wind Coalition. “That strongly suggested to some investors that Texas wasn’t the best bet.”

Anti-wind legislation and rhetoric from Texas state lead-

ers created uncertainty in the market and deepened interest in Louisiana’s offshore offerings.

Despite having the Gulf’s best conditions for offshore wind development, the Texas lease area, which covers 200,000 acres near Galveston, failed to attract a single bid from developers during the late August auction. Interest in a 100,000-acre lease area near southwest Louisiana was also low, but it at least drew two bids. The winning bidder, German wind energy developer RWE, is now planning a wind farm about 40 miles south of Lake Charles.

In addition to the new lease areas near Louisiana, BOEM plans to put the Galveston areas up for auction again, bringing the total acreage to more than 410,000. If fully developed, the second-round lease areas could generate enough power for 1.2 million homes, according to federal estimates.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is proposing a second offshore wind energy lease sale this year. The two lease areas to the east, and closer to Louisiana, would be new lease areas. The two areas closer to

Texas were offered during an auction last year but failed to draw any bids.

The lease sale proposal will undergo a public comment period that’s set to end in late May. The auction could be held as early as this summer.

Texas appears just as keen on scaring away offshore wind this year as it was last year, Netherton said. In early 2023, a state senator sponsored a bill that would have allowed Texas to block wind farms from connecting to the state’s power grid and issue fines for not meeting power generation goals. The bill failed, but the proposal had a chilling effect on the wind industry.

About a week before last year’s auction, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham pledged to do “everything in my power … to thwart this proposed boondoggle,” calling wind farms an impediment to shipping and commercial fishing.

While wind farms in federal waters are backed by many environmental groups, offshore wind opponents in Texas and other states have raised con-

cerns about harm to birds and other wildlife and potential waste from damaged or wornout turbines.

In contrast to Texas, Louisiana leaders have been touting offshore wind as a way to slow climate change and diversify the state economy. Former Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, highlighted the need to rapidly develop offshore wind energy to meet his goal of “net zero” carbon emissions. Edwards’ Climate Initiatives Task Force recommended that the state generate at least 5,000 megawatts per year – enough to power about 1 million homes – from offshore wind energy by 2035.

Bipartisan legislation paved the way for Louisiana’s fasttracked approval process for wind farms in state-managed waters, which extend three miles from the coast. Louisiana has approved agreements with two companies to build smallscale wind farms near Cameron Parish and Port Fourchon.

RWE had lobbied regulators to boost leasing opportunities near Louisiana because it was “the only state along the Gulf of Mexico that has signaled its in-

terest in pursuing offshore wind policy,” the company said in a letter to BOEM.

Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican who took office in January, hasn’t given strong indications on where he stands on offshore wind.

But support from Louisiana alone may not be enough to lure developers to the Gulf. That’s why BOEM also plans to remove a rule that limits bidders to a single lease.

Dropping the lease limit could make the Gulf more competitive with the East and West coasts, which are progressing with wind projects at a faster clip. The waters off New England boast some of the continent’s best wind speeds and large concentrations of energy customers. While Louisiana has set goals for offshore wind energy, some East Coast states have mandated that utilities draw a percentage of their power from wind and other renewable sources.

“That creates a built-in market for wind,” Netherton said. “We don’t have that here, so we need to take different approaches to make wind energy work.”

TARUN KAKARALA / The Reveille

Rally participants gather April 1 at the LSU parade grounds on Highland Road in Baton Rouge, La.

TRANS RIGHTS, from page 3

trying to expand the gender inclusive housing . . . but the fact that it’s been five years since, personally, I have heard of wanting to expand gender inclusive housing, it doesn’t give me a lot of hope or satisfaction in their responses.”

Transgender students have also found the process to change their name difficult. To be identified with the name they choose, students must change their name in several places, including on Moodle and in the Tiger Card Office. This is another issue that LTA at LSU hopes to address.

“It’s highly complicated,” Newman said. “You have to

OIL DRILLING, from page 3

CO2 into the ground,” Karsten Thompson, interim dean of LSU’s College of Engineering, said in an interview.

A functioning CCUS well would be unique, petroleum engineering professor Richard Hughes said.

Carbon capture is a process in which CO2 is captured from the atmosphere. It can then be used for industrial purposes or stored deep underground. The stated goal of the technology is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon capture does not yet exist on a meaningful scale, although 30 projects have so far been proposed in Louisiana.

Carbon capture has the support of the fossil fuel industry, though critics say it would be better for oil and gas companies to reduce their CO2 output directly. Many feel the environmental and safety impacts of underground carbon storage have

LEGISLATURE

change your name in multiple different areas in order for it to come together as a full name change. It’s just more complicated than it needs to be.”

LTA at LSU also advocates to expand the healthcare services at the LSU Student Health Center to include transgender students, such as an endocrinologist who offers hormone replacement therapy, Newman said.

Partnering with The Student Organization for a Democratic Society at LSU and the Real Name Campaign, LTA at LSU held a “Transgender Day of Visibility and Vengeance” rally on April 1 from 1–3 p.m., featuring student speakers from all three organizations.

not been fully vetted.

Louisiana has been at the forefront of carbon capture projects, although not without controversy. Proposed projects are often met with distrust from community members who have concerns about how the technology will impact the environment.

LSU and other universities in Louisiana have been the beneficiary of a series of federal grants to fund research into carbon capture and sequestration.

This facility will be funded through a combination of federal and state funds, with oil and gas industry partners supplying much of the equipment. The federal and state money totals about $5.5 million, and in-kind donations from industry could total millions more, Thompson said. Many of the engineering school’s projects include industry equipment donations.

Drilling of the new well could begin by the end of this year, according to Thompson. In ad-

The event celebrated transgender people in hopes that increasing trans visibility will help foster a supportive community for them on campus. Newman emphasized how this community is important to cultivate at LSU.

“I think that the people who are organizing this event, we see that there’s a lot of disconnect in the trans community at LSU,” Newman said. “There was a gap in having a trans-specific organization for a few years, and I think a lot of people feel alone.”

At the rally, students socialized and played sports such as frisbee and football on the Parade Ground with the hopes of contradicting the message that transgender people cannot play

dition to the well, the university will construct a building to house part of the external flow loop in order to conduct research in a climate-controlled environment. A flow loop is an above-ground piping system used to pump CO2 at its various phases.

About 10 engineering faculty members would be involved in carbon capture research at the facility. Numerous undergradu ate and graduate students would also have an opportunity to engage in research.

In the past three years, there has been a sharp uptick in the demand for research on specific issues related to carbon capture and sequestration, Hughes said. The new facility could be used to research leak detection and other CCUS safety issues, as well as the efficacy and sustainability of new components and other topics related to carbon capture. The facility could be expanded or altered later to answer future questions, Hughes added.

sports. In 2022, Louisiana became the 18th state to ban trans athletes from playing on female school sports teams.

LTA at LSU also hoped to inform students about pending legislation that could impact transgender people in the state, including bills that would restrict teachers from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation in schools and require parent permission for a student to change their name or pronouns.

The bills are similar to those passed in 2023 by the GOP-dominated legislature but were vetoed by former Gov. John Bel Edwards. Current Gov. Jeff Landry is likely to sign such legislation.

“This is kind of déjà vu from

last year,” Newman said. “These are the same bills. That’s kind of what got me motivated to pursue activism. Those bills really hit home for me. When I was in high school, I think without my teachers, I would have been a lot worse off without their support.”

Interested students can find out more information about the group on their Instagram page, @lta.at.lsu.

“There’s a lot of reasons why LSU students would feel alone, and I think that it’s important to have these event,” Newman said. “There’s got to be room for community and some sort of unification of queer people. I think that’s what is important about holding events like this.”

New bill would let parents use state money for private schools

BY ELIZABETH WHITE LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE—Parents in Louisiana would receive from $5,000 to $15,000 in state money to send their children to private schools under a Landry administration bill that is moving through the State Legislature.

The Louisiana GATOR Scholarship program passed the House Appropriations Committee in a 13-8 vote Tuesday despite concerns over cost and implementation.

The bill, proposed by Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, would create an Education Savings Account that will allow families to apply for state funding to send their children to private schools of their choice.

The bill passed the House Education Committee unanimously last week. Critics are concerned that it would cost taxpayers several hundred million dollars a year, weaken public school systems and reduce educational accountability.

Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, has ordered state agencies

to tighten spending and has expressed concern about the possible loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue when a portion of the state sales tax expires next year.

The Legislative Fiscal Office estimates that the education savings accounts could cost the state more than $250 million a year by the third year. Outside experts have estimated that the program could eventually add $350 million to $500 million a year to taxpayer costs.

Under the bill, funding levels would range from $5,100 for students in higher-income families to $15,000 for special needs children.

“There might be a group of students in some of those schools that their needs are just not being met and they’d like to seek other options, but they can’t afford it and this will help them afford it,” Emerson said.

For the first year of the program, supporters are requesting $1.8 million for setup costs, which includes contracting a vendor to create digital wallets for parents to access their accounts.

In the second and third year the costs will increase depending on student and school enrollment in the program.

“It’s going to be estimates, and we won’t really know until students start applying,” Emerson said. “So that’s going to be a decision for this Legislature in the coming years as far as the amount that’s appropriated for the program.”

Some members of the Appropriations Committee had concerns about the unknown costs as well as how the program will be implemented and who will monitor how participants use the funds.

“We have children that will never be able to afford education, and that’s part of the reason that we’re at the bottom of everything is because we have poor people that cannot afford to do that,” said Rep. Larry Bagley, R-Stonewall. “And I’m not sure that giving people money basically because you asked for it, you’re not happy, is going to be an answer to this question.”

Emerson said the bill has safe -

guards, such as having the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education oversee the program and create regulations and have the program be audited yearly to ensure it runs smoothly.

Steven Procopio, resident of the Public Affairs Research Council, a non-partisan policy group, raised concerns about what would happen if the appropriated funds were not enough to cover all the families who want to participate.

“Is it a first-come, first-choice?” Procopio said. “I’ve heard that as a possibility. I would be concerned about that because then potentially wealthier families would have access to it. I don’t know what that would look like proportionally. I’m concerned about that.”

However, he said this could be fixed by rules implemented by BESE, such as allowing children with disabilities and from lowincome families to have priority.

Danny Garrett from the executive council of the Louisiana School Board Association, explained that while his organization tried to get on board with LA GATOR, it couldn’t due to ac-

countability concerns since private schools don’t have to use the same accountability tests or adhere to the same content standards.

“When we spend that kind of money, we have to have true accountability, and the only way that we will know if they’re doing a good job is if we make them take the test,” said Garrett.

ENTERTAINMENT THIS WEEKEND IN BR APRIL

BY CLAIRE THERIOT @ClaireTheriot2

FRIDAY AT 5 P.M.

Baton Rouge Zydecos vs. Port Huron Prowlers Raising Cane’s River Center

Baton Rouge’s Zydeco ice hockey team will be playing the Port Huron Prowlers starting at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $5 to $17.

Walk it Out

AgBotanic Gardens Trees and Trails

Student Government will be hosting an end-of-year de-stressing walk on the LSU AgBotanic Garden’s 1 to 2 mile trail to help students relax and finish out the semester strong. This event will run from 5 to 6 p.m. and is open to all. Tickets are free and available online.

SUNDAY AT 10 A.M. 7 TH 6th

APRIL

SATURDAY AT 7 P.M.

The Flower Fest Pointe-Marie

The Flower Fest is back and here to celebrate the work of local florists and their artistry. This year’s theme of “One Upon a Dream” will showcase towering flower arrangements, live music, food trucks and other local vendors. All profits will be going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Tickets can be purchased here.

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille

BELLA BIONDINI / The Reveille

ANOTHER TIGER WIN

ANOTHER TIGER WIN

LSU defeated University of Louisiana Monroe 7-4 April 2 at home.

LSU softball freshman utility Maddox McKee (2) sticks her tongue out as she readies for the play.

LSU softball graduate student outfielder Ciara Briggs (88) watches the pitch.

LSU softball graduate student infielder Taylor Pleasants (17) tries to tag out a ULM player.

The LSU softball team celebrates McKenzie Redoutey’s (4) home run.

LSU volleyball head coach Tonya Johnson throws out the first pitch.

LSU softball redshirt junior pitcher Emilee Casanova (10) throws the ball.

LSU softball head coach Beth Torina looks down the field.

Photos by Matthew Perschall

SPORTS

OUTPLAYED

BASEBALL

BY TYLER HARDEN @ttjharden8

LSU women’s basketball’s season ends with 94-87 loss to Iowa LSU baseball continues to lose

The rematch of last year’s national championship game between LSU and Iowa lived up to the hype in every way.

But the blockbuster rematch had a different result, as Iowa knocked off the defending national champion LSU Tigers 9487.

With this loss to Iowa, the Tigers’ season comes to an end. They finish the season with a record of 31-6.

The game featured two of the pioneers who are paving the way in the women’s college basketball revolution: LSU’s Angel Reese, and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.

The rematch had arguably some of the most hype in the history of women’s college basketball. And when their teams needed them, they showed up.

But as the two stars showed up and scored at a high level, their teams did as well.

It was an offensive slugfest

LSU finished the game scoring 34-for-88 (38.6%) from the field, and 8-for-24 (33.3%) from three. The Tigers had to implement their 3-point shot to keep up with Iowa both scoring wise and intensity wise.

On the other hand, Iowa fin-

GYMNASTICS

ished scoring 32-for-69 (46.4%) from the field, and 13-for-31 (41.9%) from three.

“It’s amazing to be back in the Final Four,” Clark said. “LSU’s a really good team, they’re hard to guard, they’re really good players.”

When LSU needed her most, Reese came through. She finished the game scoring 17 points along with 20 rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks.

If this indeed was Reese’s last game in an LSU uniform, she certainly went out on a high note.

However, Iowa contained Reese in the second half, as she shot 1-for-11 from the field after halftime and fouled out of the game with just under two minutes left in the game.

“Caitlin’s very skilled. She’s a great player. She hit some tough shots,” Hailey Van Lith said. “There’s not a lot you can do with some of the shots she hit.”

It wasn’t just Reese and Clark, however.

Flau’jae Johnson continued to play some of her best basketball this NCAA Tournament. She finished with 23 points, shooting 10for-18 from the field along with six rebounds and two assists.

Mikaylah Williams was right there with Johnson, scoring 18 points along with seven rebounds. Williams shot more threes in order to keep up with Iowa’s fast-pace offense, as she shot 4-for-8 from three and 6-for16 from the field.

Aneesah Morrow scored 14 points along with 14 rebounds, and Van Lith added nine points, shooting 1-for-6 from three.

But Iowa’s offense was just as effective alongside Clark.

Kate Martin scored 21 points along with six rebounds. She shot 8-for-16 from the field and 4-for-4 at the foul line.

Sydney Affolter finished with 16 points along with four rebounds. She shot 5-for-10 from

Iowa needed Caitlin Clark just as much, and she also delivered with 41 points and 12 assists. She shot 13-for-29 from the field, 9-for-20 from three, and 6-for-7 at the free throw line.

BY MARTIN SULLIVAN @marty_sulli

LSU baseball lost 12-7 to Southern Monday night after a poor allaround performance, leading to its fourth consecutive loss.

A once-again feckless offense and a lackluster bullpen cost LSU the game in what felt like a competition to lose. Southern all but asked LSU to score through walks, hit batters, errors and wild pitches. Despite this, the Tigers had just four hits on the night.

The Jaguars were 8-for-18 and scored eight of their 12 runs with two outs. Not being able to put the inning away was a consistent issue all night for the Tigers.

That started in the second inning, when Southern put up the first runs of the night.

After consecutive strikeouts, starter Kade Anderson allowed a walk, a single, then a three-run home run. Fortunately, he would get out of the inning right after.

The Tigers were handed two in the fourth inning. Two walks and an error loaded the bases with no outs.

A Ben Nippolt flyout

‘Just Liv’: Olivia Dunne’s rise to fame and its team benefits

BY AVA HEBERT @avahebe4

The media superstar, leading female NIL athlete and successful entrepreneur isn’t known as Livvy Dunne to her teammates. To them, she’s just Liv.

Dunne’s rise to fame and beginning as a Tiger happened simultaneously. She joined the social media platform TikTok in 2020 and signed to LSU in the same year.

Since then, Dunne gained almost 7 million followers on Tiktok and 4 million followers on Instagram. In her athletic career, she’s gained three NCAA Tournament appearances and a Southeastern Conference Championship title.

Despite her seemingly flawless and luxurious lifestyle, Dunne’s rise to fame wasn’t all smoothsailing.

After The New York Times criticized her success, crediting it to her “sex appeal,” Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer claimed that Dunne’s success was “a step back” for women athletes.

Dunne responded with a TikTok, captioning it “only taking steps forward.”

Despite her controversial rise to fame, Dunne persevered and ultimately became the highest paid female college athlete, profiting off of social media and her Name, Image and Likeness.

She signed with Vuori to create her own line of athletic wear, was a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and was cited as one of Rolling Stone’s top 20 most influential creators.

With the Livvy Fund, she’s helped her own teammates including Konnor McClain, Ashley Cowan, Jillian Hoffman, Chase Brock, KJ Johnson, Haleigh Bryant, Sierra Ballard and Kiya Johnson, according to Sports Illustrated.

Although Dunne was making big moves for her brand, she was juggling many other things and quickly had to find balance in her life.

“My summers are usually pretty hectic, so it’s all about finding a balance,” Dunne said. “Between these brand deals that I put off during the season… and staying in shape to be a DI athlete, this year I had to find a different approach.”

Because she was dealing with so much outside of school, Dunne didn’t compete as regularly in the 2024 season. She took this as an opportunity to embrace a different role as a teammate.

“The Livvy Fund is definitely part of the legacy that I want to leave,” Dunne said. “It’s progressed so well so far … I started with the gymnastics team to have a good starting point.”

In addition to this, Dunne launched her own fund, The Livvy Fund, to “assist female studentathletes in earning new opportunities within NIL,” according to the Livvy Fund website.

Whether she was cheering on the side or going through warmups, Dunne was always ready to compete when asked.

She shined on senior night

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey looks down March 24 during LSU’s win against Middle Tennessee at the PMAC in Baton Rouge, LA.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

LSU junior all-around KJ Johnson (left) and senior all-around Olivia Dunne (right) kiss the SEC Championship trophy March 23 following LSU’s 198.075 victory in the 2024 SEC Gymnastics Championship in New Orleans, La.

ELITE 8, from page 9

the field and 2-for-3 from three.

Hannah Stuelke added eight points and five rebounds.

Clark found her 3-point shot when Iowa needed her to

While Clark and Iowa’s offensive attack certainly kept the Hawkeyes in the game, Clark’s 3-point shot was what the Hawkeyes needed to get separation from LSU.

In the third quarter, she found it better than she had all game.

Clark shot 6-for-12 from three in the second half. With how consistent Clark was and has proved to be, and partnered with her ball distribution, LSU didn’t have much of a long-term answer.

“There’s not a whole lot of strategy. You got to guard her, nobody seems to be able to guard her,” Mulkey said. “She’s a generational player. She makes everyone around her better. That’s what the great ones do.”

LSU’s offensive rebounding kept it in the game

LSU’s offensive rebounding was its X-Factor. The Tigers

LIVVY, from page 9

when she scored a career high exhibition score of 9.975 on beam, gaining a perfect 10 from one judge.

Dunne performed again at the SEC Championship, where she scored a 9.80 on bars.

“She’s doing everything right,” head coach Jay Clark said.

But she’s not finished yet. Dunne’s ultimate goal lies in Fort Worth, Texas, where she hopes to win a national championship.

Then lies the big question: What comes next?

Along with many of her other teammates, Dunne has another year of eligibility, but she’s unsure of whether she’ll use it.

“I could [come back], but I haven’t really thought about it yet,” Dunne said. “I’m so focused on the end of this year and bring-

LOSING STREAK, from page 9

and Alex Milazzo sacrifice bunt scored two. LSU didn’t get a hit all inning.

After Sam Dutton was pulled in the fifth, delivering a strong 2.1 innings, the bullpen fell apart.

Christian Little allowed a single and a walk before Justin Loer replaced him. Loer allowed a walk, a three-run double and a two-run home run. This brought the Jaguars to five on the inning, eight in the game.

LSU began to show some life in response. A Tommy White single and an error off a hit by Ashton Larson set the Tigers up for success with no outs. Hayden Travinski grounded out but scored White. Then, Brady Neal hit a two-run home run to shorten Southern’s lead to three.

Micah Bucknam replaced Loer in the sixth and quickly tallied two strikeouts. Immediately after, Southern singled twice and scored on an error by Michael Braswell.

In the bottom of the sixth,

grabbed 22 rebounds on offense compared to Iowa’s six.

Reese had 10 of those 22 rebounds, and Morrow had five.

But overall, LSU’s rebounding was its strength just as it was all season. With Iowa’s fast-pace

ing home the national championship.”

Her main goal at LSU was to inspire young girls that they can do whatever they want. She wanted to prove that boundaries are only meant to be broken.

“A big part of what I want to leave at LSU is that you can have it all,” Dunne said. “You can be a student, athlete and an entrepreneur. You can do it all and find success in all areas.”

Dunne, Bryant and Ballard are amongst many on the Tiger squad that have another year of eligibility. While Clark would welcome them back with open arms, the decision is ultimately up to the gymnasts.

Either way, it’s safe to say that Dunne left a long-lasting mark at LSU. She set the precedent for what NIL can do for women in sports.

offense, and their frequent perimeter shots, the Tigers knew rebounding would be something they could rely on.

The Tigers outrebounded Iowa 54 rebounds to 36.

Timely turnovers and timely

The landscape for female athletes is changing, and Dunne is just one of the many that is proving that to be true.

the Tigers plated one, thanks to a wild pitch, two walks and a hitby-pitch.

LSU’s last run of the night came in the eighth. Mac Bingham was

hit by a pitch and White singled to set up a Jared Jones sacrifice fly.

After finishing the eighth, former starter Thatcher Hurd was hoping to finish strong and set up

Williams and Johnson each had three turnovers, and Morrow, Van Lith and Reese each had two.

In addition, fouls were costly to LSU. Iowa finished 17-for-22 at the foul line (77.3%) compared to LSU’s 11-for-17 at the foul line (64.7%).

Reese fouled out of the game with 1:45 left in regulation, and Johnson finished the game with four fouls.

What’s next?

Iowa will now advance to the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio. It’ll take on No. 3 seed UConn, which tips off at 8:30 p.m. on April 5.

For LSU, this loss marks the beginning of the offseason, which right now may look unclear.

Angel Reese has announced that she’ll enter the WNBA Draft, leaving at least one big hole on the Tigers’ roster.

fouls for LSU

LSU finished the game with 13 turnovers compared to Iowa’s 12.

The turnovers were timely, and Iowa took advantage. The Hawkeyes outscored LSU 14-6 in points off turnovers.

“These young people will have a memory of being a part of something this great tonight,” Mulkey said. “I can’t describe to you how good women’s basketball is right now. I wish this could’ve been a Final Four game.”

LSU to catch up from trailing two runs in the ninth.

Instead, he allowed a single, hit a batter and walked another to load the bases with just one out. A second error from Braswell gave Southern its tenth run. Then, an overthrow from Neal scored two and stretched the lead to five.

To cap an embarrassing performance, LSU didn’t get a hit in the bottom of the ninth.

On the night, Southern walked 11, hit two batters, threw three wild pitches and had two errors. Looking at just half of the stat sheet, a loss would be more than likely. However, LSU had just four hits all night, and went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Hitters fundamental to LSU’s offense did not produce. Bingham, Travinski and Jones went a combined 0-for-10.

The Tigers were praised for having one of the deepest bullpens in college baseball entering the season. Southern scored nine runs against them.

Allowing 11 hits, two home

runs, six walks and three errors was too much to make up, though there were opportunities.

The few bright spots of the game included Neal, White and Dutton. The ever-reliable White went 2-for-3 with two walks, scoring twice. Neal was 1-for-2 with a home run, two runs batted in and three walks. Dutton threw 2.1 innings, struck out one and allowed no hits.

Despite a series sweep by Arkansas, LSU showed fight and talent against the top team in the country. Yet, after a humiliating loss, the Tigers find themselves at a new season low point, with a barrelful of questions.

While baseball is known for its unpredictability, good teams cannot win with unpredictable performances. LSU can’t afford to go into games unsure of if its bullpen will deliver, or if its offense can get hits.

Entering a home series against Vanderbilt, competitiveness will have to be apparent, and buttoned up play will be a must.

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille LSU women’s basketball players surround junior guard Aneesah Morrow (24) after a fall March 24 during LSU’s 83-56 second-round NCAA tournament win against Middle Tennessee at the PMAC in Baton Rouge, LA.

MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille LSU baseball graduate student catcher Hayden Travinski (8) hits the ball during LSU’s 6-4 loss against Florida March 23 in Baton Rouge, La.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille LSU gymnastics senior all-around Olivia Dunne swings between uneven bars March 23 during LSU’s 198.075 SEC Gymnastics Championship win.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

LSU gymnastics senior Olivia Dunne prepares for her uneven bars routine March 23.

OPINION

Parents are a bigger threat to education than LGBTQ+ rights

PELLITTIERI’S PERSPECTIVE

MATTHEW PELLITTIERI @m_pellittieri

For many young people, college is a life-changing experience that allows them to develop their own understanding of the world independent from their parents and upbringing.

Ideally, this process should begin long before students ever set foot on a university campus. But over the past couple of years, there’s been a wave of legislation sweeping across the country threatening students’ ability to begin their personal development from an early age.

Here in Louisiana, several bills in the 2024 regular legislative session are part of that widespread conservative effort to limit the supposed “indoctrination” of children. At the core of these efforts is the assertion that parents have a unique and important role to play in the education of their children.

This notion of “parental rights in education” argues that parents have a right to know — and to some extent, control — what their children learn and do in school.

Senate Bill 262 by Sen. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, would expand the already absurd “Parents’ Bill of Rights for Public Schools” to counter what she thinks is “critical race theory.” It would protect students from “discrimination” in the form of being taught about topics like oppression and privilege.

House Bill 121 by Rep. Raymond Crews, R-Bossier City, would require written parental permission for public school employees to use pronouns and names that deviate from a student’s “biological sex” according to their birth certificate.

House Bill 122 by Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, would restrict nearly all discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation through grade 12, upholding the notion that parents should be the ones to introduce their kids to such “controversial” content. It’d also require written parental permission for students to discuss their sexuality or gender with a licensed mental health professional.

The issue here isn’t with parents being involved in their children’s education but with them

potentially controlling it. What’s the problem with that? Well, the answer lies within a fundamental misinterpretation of education’s purpose.

There’s a gross misunderstanding among many that education is a one-sided transfer of information from the wise to the soon-tobe-wise. The teacher is to instruct students on how to complete a task, hone a skill or understand a concept.

They’re supposed to be objective, removing any sign of bias or opinion for the sake of giving neutral information to impressionable young minds.

For many conservative parents, this means transferring ideas of American exceptionalism, social conservatism and Christianity into the minds of children. They want teachers to enforce the status quo. Put simply, they’re the ones advocating for indoctrination — for the propagandistic manipulation of their own flesh and blood. Maybe they’re the “demonic” ones.

This isn’t how education actually works nor how it should work.

In reality, education is the development of a child’s understanding of the world guided by a teacher. A teacher who views themself as some sort of all-knowing master imparting their wisdom on the ignorant isn’t a very good teacher.

Their students, and broader society, would certainly suffer as a result of their negligence.

Education isn’t supposed to raise children to become intellectual, political and cultural clones of the previous generation. Parents have the right to influence their children — to give them advice, to offer arguments and counterarguments and to persuade — but they don’t have the right to dictate what their children think and know. Parents are just a part of a child’s life, not their whole world.

This is especially true if parents hold morally noxious views. Our education system should work to fix children who have been damaged by their parents’ bigotry. It should cure them of prejudices and squash blind adherence to arbitrary authority.

If parents aren’t legally allowed to physically beat their children, then they shouldn’t be able to intellectually beat them either.

Take gender identity as an example.

In what situation might parents not already know if their child is trans, nonbinary, etc.? In many

cases, the answer is one where the parents are transphobic, likely justifying their bigotry with religion.

A school that’s forced to reveal to such a parent that their child would like to use different pronouns or go by a different name would leave that child vulnerable to emotional distress, psychological torment and potentially even

physical abuse.

Society shouldn’t allow parents to subject their children to such an unjustifiable hell on earth.

Crews’ bill would require transgender children to out themselves to potentially transphobic parents in order to feel comfortable at school. Horton’s bill could lead to similar situations for all queer students.

And all bills like those discussed here would perpetuate harmful ideas that real education could root out once and for all. The myth of parental rights in education is just one such fiction that needs to be written off.

Matthew Pellittieri is a 19-yearold history and political science sophomore from Ponchatoula.

MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille

The Louisiana State Capitol sits on a cloudy day on March 1 in Baton Rouge, La.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Gov. Jeff Landry speaks March 25 during Coastal Day 2024 inside the Louisiana State Capitol.

Everything wrong with “Quiet on Set” and Dan Schneider

JEMIAH’S JUSTIFICATIONS

JEMIAH CLEMONS @Miclemah

After the release of the “Quiet on Set” docuseries, the internet has been in an uproar. This series uncovered the true horrors of Nickelodeon and the abuse suffered by child actors. Amanda Bynes and Drake Bell garnered the most attention with details pf trauma they endured.

Outside of Bell’s sexual assault, this series shined a light on some other issues that can no longer be ignored.

The perpetrator is always the one primarily responsible for an assault, but it should be acknowledged that the parents in this industry also play a role in the harming of their children.

For example, Brandi, a child actress on “The Amanda Show,” was emailed nude photos from the producer’s assistant, Jason Handy. Instead of alerting the police, Brandi’s mom, MJ, decided to distance Brandi from Handy in an effort to avoid judgment about her parenting. Brandi and MJ were not referred to with their last names in the series.

In the beginning of episode

two, MJ tells the audience that she always wanted to be an actress as a child, but her mother purposely kept her away from the film industry. In spite of her mother, MJ decided to put her 11-year-old daughter Brandi in acting.

This is a prime example of parents living vicariously through their children, and unfortunately, Brandi paid the price for her mother’s negligence and selfishness.

It’s the responsibility of all adults on set to protect the child actors. Parents, actors and producers are to blame for the trauma inflicted on these kids. Some viewers of the docuseries have gone on social media to sing the praises

of Jerry Trainor for protecting the children on the show “iCarly.” This is problematic for a few reasons.

In 2022, Jennette McCurdy released her book “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” in which she details the trauma she endured with her mother and “the creator,” who she says forced her to drink while underage and always gave her massages.

McCurdy also detailed that Nickelodeon offered her $300,000 to keep quiet about her experiences with “the creator.” While it’s not entirely clear, it’s been wildly speculated that “the creator” is referring to the show’s creator Dan Schneider.

So when people decide to ap -

plaud Trainor for protecting the children on set, it negates and discredits McCurdy’s experience with “the creator” and Nickelodeon as a whole.

Other child actors have decided to chime in regarding their experiences on Nickelodeon, and it caused major backlash. The main cast of “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide” went on their podcast and laughed at those who decided to share their stories.

Days later, they retracted their comments and apologized to the victims and viewers. Fans made it known that mocking survivors of sexual assault won’t be tolerated.

Even Dan Schneider decided to conduct the most random interview with the former “iCarly” actor who portrayed T-Bo on the show in an effort to repair the damage done to his reputation, but viewers saw right through his foolishness.

He must not realize that having a former cast member, a man who’s on his payroll, interview him is lazy and biased. Schneider claimed to have regret and remorse for his decisions, but the people he hurt still have to live with that pain.

The damage is already done, but true justice would put Schneider behind bars.

Most shockingly, the docuseries revealed that Bell was one of

the many victims. Bell’s story left many viewers sad and empathetic. There were so many moving parts, and most of the adults in his life missed the signs.

Joe Bell, his father, was weary of dialogue coach Brian Peck and his inappropriate behavior on set. After driving a wedge between the father and son, Peck convinced Bell’s mother to allow sleepovers at Peck’s house. This led to the disturbing assault that Bell suffered.

In 2004, Peck was sentenced tp only 16 months in prison, after which he registered as a sex offender and was promptly hired by Disney Channel.

Prior to the world learning of his story, Bell was sentenced to two years probation for child endangerment in 2021. Knowing what we know now, it can be concluded that there’s a cycle of abuse that needs to be broken.

Bell’s story has been polarizing for those who empathize with him. It’s easy to forget someone is a child predator when they’re also a survivor of unspeakable acts.

From Bynes to Bell, all of these actors should’ve been protected by the adults in their lives, but instead, they had to remain quiet.

Jemiah Clemons is a 20-year-old kinesiology sophomore from Miami, Florida.

PHOTO COURTESY OF INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY