LSU Gymnastics Falls to Third at SEC Championships After Costly Vault Rotation

By TODD HORNE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

LSU put itself in position to win an SEC Championship on Saturday night, but a handful of small mistakes on the final rotation proved costly, as the Tigers finished third in one of the tightest meets of the season.

In a field featuring the nation’s top four teams, LSU (197.950) was within striking distance entering the final rotation before being overtaken by Florida (198.175) and Oklahoma (198.050) in a dramatic finish.

In a historic performance at the BOK Center, LSU’s Kailin Chio secured the SEC All-Around Championship with a career-high 39.775, punctuated by a near-perfect 9.975 on vault to edge out the field in a dramatic finish.

Strong Start, Early Contention

LSU opened the meet on uneven bars and immediately established itself as a contender.

Led by a 9.900 from Lexi Zeiss and a 9.950 from Kailin Chio, the Tigers posted a 49.475 in the opening rotation, finishing just behind Florida’s dominant beam performance and firmly in the mix.

The rotation set the tone—clean, controlled, and exactly what LSU needed in a meet where tenths would decide everything.

Beam Surge Puts LSU in Control

The meet turned in LSU’s favor during the second rotation.

Facing early pressure on beam, the Tigers delivered one of their strongest rotations of the night, highlighted by back-to-back 9.950s from Konnor McClain and Kailin Chio to close it out.

LSU posted a 49.500 on beam and moved into first place at the halfway point with a 98.975 total, narrowly ahead of Florida and Oklahoma.

At that moment, LSU looked every bit like a championship team.

Floor Keeps LSU in the Fight

LSU carried that momentum into floor, its top-ranked event nationally, and delivered another strong rotation.

Kaliya Lincoln’s 9.950 anchored a 49.525 total, keeping the Tigers within reach as Oklahoma surged on beam to reclaim the lead heading into the final rotation.

Through three rotations, LSU had done enough to win—clean routines, big scores, and no major mistakes.

But the margin was razor thin.

Vault Leaves the Door Open

That margin disappeared on vault.

LSU opened the final rotation needing a near-flawless performance to secure the title, but multiple routines featured small steps on landings that added up quickly.

Amari Drayton’s routine, which included multiple steps, dropped LSU’s scoring pace at a critical moment, and Florida capitalized with a massive bars rotation to take control of the meet.

Kailin Chio delivered a near-perfect 9.975 in the anchor spot, but by then, LSU had already fallen out of contention for the team title.

The Difference

In a meet where all four teams were separated by fractions, LSU didn’t fall apart—it simply gave away just enough.

The Tigers were strong on bars, excellent on beam, and delivered on floor. But on vault, where sticks separate champions from contenders, LSU couldn’t match the precision of Florida or the consistency of Oklahoma.

What It Means

LSU proved again it can compete with the best teams in the country.

But Saturday underscored the reality at this level: it’s not about how high you can score—it’s about how little you give away.

And on a night where every tenth mattered, LSU gave away just enough.