The LSU Tigers Gymnastics squad kicked off their 2025 campaign with a home meet against the Iowa State Cyclones. The defending national champions raised the championship banner for the first time in program history after a historic run in the 2024 tournament.
The Tigers kicked the night off on vault, as they always do at home meets. Senior KJ Johnson got the season started with a 9.825, but it was Aleah Finnegan who stole the show with a near-perfect vault which earned her a team-high 9.950. LSU's two star-studded freshmen, Kaliya Lincoln and Kailin Chio, started their careers off with a pair of 9.825s.
On bars, the Cyclones struggled in their opening event of the season, scoring a 47.750 after two falls on their first two performances tanked their score.
Scoring reminder: Six gymnasts perform with the top five scores counting.
After vault, the Tigers and Cyclones swapped places with the Tigers going to bars and the Cyclones going to vault.
True freshman Lexi Zeiss kicked things off on bars today, and after a conference between the two judges, they arrived on a score on 9.800 for her first collegiate score.
Ashley Cowan, who emerged as one of the best bar performers in the country late in the 2024 season, went second for the Tigers and posted a score of 9.850, but it was the true freshman Kailin Chio and senior Aleah Finnegan who posted the Tigers best scores on bars with a pair of 9.900s.
Konnor McClain, just six months off a torn achilles, performed on bars tonight and after a slight stumble on her landing, she earned a 9.800. Might not have been her best score, but her recovery time is very impressive.
Iowa State only had five gymnasts perform on vault, and while nobody fell, they couldn't crack into the 49's, scoring a 48.825.
Heading into the third rotation, LSU led by a score of 98.625 to 96.575.
The Tigers moved to the beam in the third rotation, which is the event where they clinched the program's first national title back in April.
Sierra Ballard, who was labeled as the Tigers fires tarter on beam last season, led things off again tonight, but slipped in the midst of her routine. She recovered nicely when she got back on, but earned a score of 9.250.
Kailin Chio continued to impress in her collegiate debut, scoring a 9.925 on her first beam routine. Through three events, the freshman posted scores of 9.825, 9.900 and 9.925 with floor still to come.
Fifth-year senior Olivia Dunne performed her first event of the season on beam, and after a slight lean on her dismount, she earned a 9.825.
Once again it was Aleah Finnegan who led the way for the Tigers with a 9.925 on the final beam routine.
Iowa State once again only had five performers on floor and scored a 48.800, bringing the total score to 147.800 to 145.375.
After beam, the Tigers moved to their final event of the night: floor, which is notoriously their best event.
After falling on beam, Sierra Ballard got the floor rotation started with a bang, scoring a 9.850 in the leadoff spot for the Tigers. Many in attendance felt she deserved a higher score. Chase Brock, Olivia Dunne and Amari Drayton all followed her up with three 9.875s in a row.
Kailin Chio finished out her first collegiate gymnastics meet with a 9.925 on floor, bringing her all-around total to 39.575. Her score of 9.925 was the second highest floor score of the night and her 39.575 on the all-around trailed only Aleah Finnegan, who finished with an astounding 39.725.
Aleah Finnegan wrapped things up with a meet-high 9.950 on floor to give the Tigers a team score of 49.500 on their final event. On the other side, Iowa State finished with a 48.725 on beam.
In their first meet of the season, LSU knocks off Iowa State in domination fashion, 197.300-194.100. It was a strong opening meet for the defending national champions as they look to make it back to the championship in 2025.
The Tigers don't get much rest though as next Friday they travel to Oklahoma City to face off with Oklahoma, Cal and Utah in the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad event.
