By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
The No. 2 LSU gymnastics team suffered its second loss of the season after falling 198.125-197.925 to No. 1 Oklahoma on Friday evening in Norman at the Lloyd Noble Center.
Despite the loss, LSU (6-2-1, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) recorded its highest road score of the season.
“I’m very proud of the fight they showed,” head coach Jay Clark told Tiger Rag after the meet. “We had to make a lot of changes, you know, no Kaliya on floor and no Konnor on anything. And the kids stepped in, did a great job and fought real hard.”
Sophomore Kailin Chio claimed her sixth all-around title this season, posting a 39.850 score. Chio earned two perfect tens – one on vault and one on beam.
Chio said her preparation in the gym each week sets the foundation for strong performances.
“I just take each meet as a reset,” Chio said on the ESPN broadcast after the meet. “Nothing in the meet prior matters anymore. Each meet is a reset of my mindset, just going in there and doing what I do every single day in the gym and it just shows up.”
Chio said celebrating her two tens made the night even more memorable.
“It’s awesome. It’s a feeling you’ll never forget,” Chio said. “The way they just want you to secceed so much and they’re just here for you every step of the way.”
After recording a season-high 49.575 on uneven bars against Auburn last week, LSU looked to set the tone early in Norman. Sophomore Lexi Zeiss led off with a 9.850, and senior Ashley Cowan followed with a season-high 9.90 in the second spot. Junior Madison Ulrich added a 9.90, while Chio posted an impressive 9.925 in the fourth position. Fifth-year senior Courtney Blackson scored a 9.800 in the fifth spot.
Graduate student Alexis Jeffrey returned to the bars lineup for the first time since the Penn State meet and anchored with a 9.850, bringing LSU’s total to 49.425. Jeffrey replaced junior Konnor McClain, who was injured during warmups.
Business as usual in Norman.
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) February 21, 2026
It's a 9.925 for @kailin_chio!
📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/4y2XDn1gGP
Oklahoma (11-0-1, 6-0 SEC) led LSU 49.575-49.425 after the first rotation of the night. LSU moved to vault for the second event of the night.
Zeiss led off for the Tigers for the second time of the night – this time on vault – and scored another 9.850. In the second spot, Blackson posted a 9.775 after taking a step back on her landing. Sophomore Victoria Roberts returned to the vault lineup for the second straight week and scored a 9.850 in the third position. Sophomore Kaliya Lincoln matched her season high with a 9.950 in the fourth spot, and junior Amari Drayton earned a 9.825 in her first routine of the night.
After scoring a 9.975 in each of the past two weeks, Chio earned her first 10.0 on vault this season. The perfect ten brought LSU’s vault total to 49.475. It was Chio’s third ten of the season.
It was only a matter of time.
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) February 21, 2026
Kailin Chio is perfect on vault for the first time this season and the second of her career!
📺 ESPN2 | @kailin_chio pic.twitter.com/eAm3A0U4NL
Oklahoma held a 99.175-98.900 lead at the midpoint of the meet. The Tigers looked to bridge the gap on floor. LSU looked to build on last week’s performance, when it tied the program record with a 49.775 against Auburn.
Senior Emily Innes led off with a 9.850, and freshman Nina Bllou matched her with a 9.850 in her first routine of the night. Junior Kylie Coen followed with the third straight 9.850 of the rotation. Drayton and Chio each added a 9.925. Zeiss made her floor debut this season and anchored with a 9.925, bringing LSU’s total to 49.475.
She's a star. 🤩@LexiZeiss scores a career-high 9.925 in the anchor spot in her floor debut for the Tigers!
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) February 21, 2026
📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/yqfKIMFd1z
LSU trailed Oklahoma 148.675-148.375 entering the fourth and final rotation of the night and moved to balance beam.
Coen led the beam team off with a very strong 9.875. In her second beam routine of the season, Innes posted a career-high 9.90. Drayton followed with a 9.850. In the fourth spot, Lincoln recorded a season-high 9.925. Chio earned her second 10 of the night and her fourth of the season. Ulrich anchored with a 9.825, bringing the Tigers’ beam score to 49.550.
The one and only @kailin_chio
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) February 21, 2026
She earns her second perfect score on beam this year, her fourth 10 of the season, and fifth of her career!
📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/zd8r2EtgNA
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