Maybe the 33rd time is the charm for the LSU gymnastics program. The LSU Tigers are competing in the NCAA Gymnastics Championships for the 33rd time and they had another outstanding performance in the semifinals scoring a 198.1125 on Thursday afternoon in Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
That’s the second highest score for the LSU Gymnastics program at the NCAA Championships and it’s the highest score out of the eight teams who competed in Thursday’s semifinals.
Even higher than the two-time defending national champion Oklahoma Sooners.
Despite having arguably its greatest season ever in LSU Gymnastics history, the expectation going into the championships was that LSU would put up a great showing, but Oklahoma would be a little better and win their seventh national title in program history.
But something happened that no one expected on Thursday night during the Sooners’ first rotation on vault. Three Oklahoma Sooners fell, which meant they had to count two low scores.
It appeared they rebounded on bars, but their dreams of winning a third consecutive title were dashed when they suffered two more falls on beam.
Florida and Utah advanced from the evening semifinal session, not Oklahoma.
This is very similar to Iowa beating South Carolina in the semifinals 2023 NCAA Women’s basketball tournament.
When that occurred, LSU fans said to themselves, “Hey maybe they could win it all.”
The same thing here, LSU now heads into Saturday’s final round of the NCAA Gymnastics Championships as the favorite.
They certainly have the best collegiate gymnast in the country.
If you haven’t seen Haleigh Bryant compete yet, I suggest you tune in on ABC on Saturday at 3 PM. She’s the best gymnast in LSU history and has already wrapped up the all-around individual national championship.
Earlier this week she was awarded the 2024 AAI Award, which goes to the top senior gymnast in the nation. It is often likened to the Heisman Trophy for Women’s Gymnastics.
Her all-around championship on Thursday is the 32nd title of the year to go along with nine championships on vault, two on beam, four on floor and now ten all-around titles. Her 29 all-around titles for her career are the most by any LSU gymnast.
Aleah Finnegan is the national champion on the floor after scoring a 9.9625 on Thursday. Finnegan is set to compete for the Philippines in the Summer Olympics this year.
This team is filled with other great performers like Kiya Johnson, Savannah Schoenherr, KJ Johnson, and Konner McClain to name a few.
But before you start planning for a parade to crown this special group of young women as champions, they still have to compete one more time against some really tough competition, Cal, Florida and Utah.
California is also looking for its first national championship in women’s gymnastics. They just won their first Pac-12 title and they’ve flipped flopped with LSU for most of the season as the second ranked team in the country.
Florida has won three national titles in gymnastics, most recently in 2015 and Utah is in the NCAA finals for a fourth consecutive year. The Red Rocks posted the highest score in the second session in the championship semifinal. Utah is looking for its first national title since 1995 and record-tying tenth overall.
Any of these four teams could win it all on Saturday, but it just feels like it’s LSU’s time.
Think about all the hard work former coach DD Breaux and current head coach Jay Clark have put into this program. Dozens of assistant coaches and the hundreds of former LSU gymnasts who laid the foundation for this program to finally win that natty.
Another score of 198 should do it, but easier said than done as Oklahoma found out on Thursday.
The national championships will take place on Saturday at 3 PM.
