LSU’s gymnastics program is one of the best around at this moment
LSU Gymnastics, which featured Olivia Dunne, clinched their fifth conference title on Saturday night at the Smoothie King Center, asserting their dominance with a score of 198.075 during the second session of the SEC Championships.
This marked a significant achievement for the No. 3 nationally ranked team.
The Tigers‘ stellar performance matched their program’s highest score at the championships, propelling them to the top position across all eight teams participating in both sessions of the competition.
Head coach Jay Clark expressed immense pride in his team’s accomplishments.
“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.
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,” Clark declared.
The competition kicked off with the vault rotation, where standout performances set the tone for LSU.
Notable routines included KJ Johnson‘s Yurchenko full earning a 9.875, Haleigh Bryant‘s impressive 9.975 in the anchor spot, and Kiya Johnson‘s stellar 9.925 with her Yurchenko double. Olivia Dunne made third place with a 9.800.
Maintaining their momentum, LSU transitioned to the bars rotation, highlighted by Ashley Cowan‘s career-high matching score of 9.950 and Bryant’s strong performance earning a 9.925.
The Tigers sealed their victory with an outstanding floor routine, culminating in a program-record score of 49.675. Notably, Bryant claimed the all-around win with a remarkable score of 39.800.
How did Angel Reese react?
LSU’s dominance extended beyond team success, with individual achievements including five SEC champions: Haleigh Bryant, Ashley Cowan, Konnor McClain, KJ Johnson, and Kiya Johnson.
Bryant and Kiya Johnson secured their second individual titles, adding to their impressive legacy within the SEC gymnastics scene.
Angel Reese is a close friend of Dunne and was supporting her throughout her efforts in the SEC Championships, and it came as no surprise that she was on-hand to give a reaction to Dunne’s victory.
On Instagram she posted a picture of LSU’s victorious gymnastics team, showing her support for their triumph.