LSU Gymnastics wins a fifth SEC Championship

The No. 3 nationally ranked LSU Gymnastics team secured their fifth conference title on Saturday night in the Smoothie King Center after finishing on top with their score of 198.075 in the second session of the SEC Championships. 

LSU’s score on the day matched the programs highest at the championships to place them in first overall across all eight teams in both sessions of the competition.

“It means everything to be able to bring this home. This is a great group and I’m very proud of how they’ve gone about their business all year long,” said head coach Jay Clark. “The SEC is a gauntlet, and to come in here and be able to do it at home in front of our fans was pretty special. LSU is a special place.”

The Tigers started the competition on vault, where KJ Johnson got things started with her yurchenko full that scored a 9.875. Aleah Finnegan followed Johnson, earning a 9.850. In the third spot, Amari Drayton posted a 9.825. Savannah Schoenherr put up a solid routine in the fifth spot with her 9.850. Kiya Johnson recorded the Tigers first score over a 9.900 with her yurchenko double that earned a 9.925. Haleigh Bryant earned a 9.975 in the anchor spot to close out the 49.475 vault rotation. 

Bryant’s vault routine helped to put the Tigers in the first overall spot through the first rotation and even with Alabama. 

LSU rotated to bars for the second rotation with Kiya Johnson leading off for the squad. Johnson scored a 9.825 while Ashley Cowan matched her career high in the second spot with a 9.950. Olivia Dunne competed in the third spot for her second appearance on bars this year, where she contributed a 9.800. Konnor McClain secured a 9.900 and Schoenherr followed with a 9.850. In the anchor spot, Bryant posted a 9.925. 

The LSU bars squad finished the second rotation with a 49.450, the second highest on the event by the Tigers at the conference championships. The Tigers were even with Kentucky by a score of 98.925 at the halfway point in the Smoothie King Center. Alabama followed in third with a 98.775 and Florida in fourth with a 98.575.

The Tigers kept the momentum going in the third rotation. In the beam leadoff position, Sierra Ballard scored a 9.800. Schoenherr made her beam debut in the second spot and earned a 9.850 for the Tigers. McClain earned the only perfect score of the championship meet with her second career 10 in the third spot. Kiya Johnson earned a 9.775 in the fourth position. Bryant posted a 9.950 in the fifth spot before Finnegan anchored with a 9.875. 

LSU finished beam with their second highest score in program history as they tallied a 49.475. Heading into their final rotation, the Tigers trailed Kentucky by .025. Through three rotations the top scores were as follows: 148.425 Kentucky, 148.400 LSU, 148.200 Alabama, and 147.850 Florida. 

McClain got things started on floor for the Tigers, continuing her stellar night with a 9.925 performance. Drayton followed in the second spot, where she earned a 9.850. KJ Johnson had one of her best routines of the year and scored a 9.975. The performance matched her season and career high on floor. Finnegan scored a 9.775 in the fourth spot while Bryant recorded her second 9.950 of the day to secure her all-around win. Kiya Johnson anchored the event with her 9.975.

The LSU floor squad closed out the meet with a score of 49.675, the highest recorded by the program at SEC’s, to take the lead and secure the win. Bryant finished the meet as the top all-around performer with her score of 39.800 on the night.

The Tigers took home titles on every event and had five gymnasts combine for five individual SEC champions in Haleigh Bryant, Ashley Cowan, Konnor McClain, KJ Johnson and Kiya Johnson. 

Cowan, McClain and KJ Johnson earned their first SEC title in their careers while Bryant and Kiya Johnson earned their second. The two earned individual titles in 2021 on floor and vault.

Bryant now owns two individual SEC titles on vault and earned her first in the all-around this year. Johnson earned her second title on floor.

Editor’s note: This is a press release from LSUSports.net