- LSU Gymnastics wins 15th NCAA Regional Championship with a score of 198.050.
- This marks the Tigers’ third consecutive NCAA Championship appearance.
- Aleah Finnegan and Kailin Chio earned individual event titles.
- LSU set program records in multiple rotations during the meet.
- The NCAA Championship semifinals will be held on April 27 in Fort Worth, Texas.
LSU Gymnastics Secures 15th NCAA Regional Championship
The No. 1 nationally ranked LSU Gymnastics team made history on Saturday by clinching their 15th NCAA Regional Championship title at the 2025 Penn State Regional. With a stellar score of 198.050, the Tigers not only secured their spot in the NCAA Championship semifinals but also set multiple program records during the meet held at Rec Hall in State College, Pennsylvania.
Breaking Records and Making History
For the first time in program history, LSU scored over 198 in both rounds of regional competition. The Tigers’ 198.050 marked their sixth consecutive meet scoring 198 or higher, the longest streak in program history and the second longest in NCAA gymnastics history. Head coach Jay Clark expressed his pride in the team’s performance, stating, “There’s no complaints after scoring a 198. It was tough to get out of this thing, and we did what we needed to do to win and advance.”
LSU edged out No. 8 Michigan State, who scored 198.000, followed by No. 9 Kentucky (197.625) and No. 16 Arkansas (197.325). Michigan State’s second-place finish marked their best performance in the current regional format and secured their first NCAA Championship appearance since 1988.
Standout Performances
Senior Aleah Finnegan and freshman Kailin Chio shone brightly during the meet, each claiming individual titles. Finnegan won the floor title with a near-perfect 9.975 and shared the beam title with Chio, both scoring 9.950. These scores rank third in LSU’s record books for the highest individual event scores at a regional.
Finnegan’s achievements brought her career total to 43 individual titles, including 17 on floor, 13 on beam, and six in the all-around. Chio, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, added another title to her growing list, now totaling 23 in her young career.
Rotation Highlights
LSU opened the meet on bars, where freshman Lexi Zeiss matched her career-high with a 9.925. The team posted a 49.450 in this rotation, narrowly leading Michigan State (49.425) and Arkansas (49.400).
The Tigers excelled on beam, setting a program-high score of 49.675 in an NCAA Regional. Graduate student Sierra Ballard led off with a 9.900, followed by career-high performances from Kylie Coen (9.925) and Chio (9.950). Finnegan anchored the rotation with another 9.950, contributing to the team’s dominance in this event.
On floor, LSU scored a 49.575, their second-highest floor score of the season. Finnegan dazzled with her 9.975, while Coen, Ballard, and sophomore Amari Drayton also delivered strong performances.
The final rotation on vault saw senior KJ Johnson and Drayton each score 9.900, while Finnegan and Zeiss added solid 9.825s. Haleigh Bryant closed out the meet with a 9.900, securing the Tigers’ overall score of 198.050.
Looking Ahead to the NCAA Championship
With this victory, LSU earned their 34th NCAA Championship appearance and third consecutive trip to the national semifinals. The NCAA Championship semifinals will take place on April 27 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. The top two teams from each semifinal session will advance to the final four, competing for the national title on April 19.
Joining LSU and Michigan State in the Elite Eight are UCLA and Utah from the Salt Lake City Regional. The remaining four teams will be determined on Sunday, April 6, from the Seattle and Tuscaloosa Regional Finals. Teams competing for the final spots include Oklahoma, Missouri, Auburn, Arizona, Florida, Alabama, and Cal.
Follow the Tigers
Fans can stay updated on LSU Gymnastics by following their official social media channels @LSUgym on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. The NCAA Championship semifinals will air on ESPN2, with the National Championship broadcast live on ABC.
As the Tigers prepare for their next challenge, their record-breaking performance at the Penn State Regional sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting NCAA Championship run.