By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
The second-seeded LSU gymnastics team opened up the 2026 postseason with a bang. LSU placed first in Session II of the second round Baton Rouge Regional with a 198.375 score inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Thursday night.
The Tigers’ 198.375 was not only a season-high score, but it also set a program record for the highest score in an NCAA Regional. The previous record was 198.325, which was set in 2014.
“That exceeded even my own expectations,” head coach Jay Clark said. “We were excited to perform the way we did. I mean they just laced it for the most part and that’s exciting this time of the year because it’s a confidence builder and it came at the right time. We kind of kicked ourselves in the teeth a little bit last week and it was a nice reset. And this is what they’re capable of. I don’t care about scores. I’m talking about the level of performance that we had one through six on every event.”
Sophomore Kailin Chio continued to prove why she is the top gymnast in the country on Thursday. She added two more perfect tens to her resume – one each on vault and floor – and earned her 9th all-around title of the season after totaling a 39.825 score.
We are literally witnessing history in progress.
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 3, 2026
– Second gymnast with two 10's in a meet at regionals.
– Third meet with two 10's or more
– 11 perfect scores this season, 12 in her career
Kailin Freakin' Ch10 🐐 pic.twitter.com/meLO1PFSkq
Clark will be the first to tell you how special Chio is, but he also emphasized that her greatness isn’t defined by individual achievement alone.
“She’s unbelievable. I don’t know if she’s human sometimes, but she’s still one of 21,” Clark said after the meet on Thursday night. “That’s awesome. But It doesn’t happen without everybody else going ahead of her. She didn’t do it in a vacuum.”
With its first-place finish, LSU advances to the regional finals on Saturday (7 p.m., ESPN+) where it will look to punch its ticket to Fort Worth for the fourth consecutive year.
LSU (18-5-1, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) opened up Thursday night’s meet on vault. Sophomore Lexi Zeiss led the Tigers off with a steady 9.850. Junior Konnor McClain followed with an outstanding turn, recording a 9.90 in the second spot. Sophomore Victoria Roberts then posted a 9.875 in the third spot before sophomore Kaliya Lincoln scored a 9.850 in the fourth. Junior Amari Drayton earned a 9.850 in the fifth spot. LSU needed a big finish. And that’s just what it got.
Chio anchored with a perfect ten to close out the vault lineup. It was her 10th total perfect score of the year and third on vault this season. Her routine bolstered LSU’s vault score to 49.475.
First routine of the night and gets a 10.@kailin_chio is automatic.
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 3, 2026
📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/57SgZzpo20
Chio also earned her 11th vault title of the season, placing her tied for third in program history for most vault titles in a single season with Ashleigh Clare-Kearney in 2017. She is one vault title shy from tying the program record.
After one rotation, LSU held a comfortable lead. The Tigers’ closest challenger was No. 15 seeded Clemson, which scored 49.200 on bars. LSU moved to bars.
Zeiss led off once again – this time on bars – with an impressive 9.90. Then, senior Ashley Cowan posted a season-high 9.950 in the second spot. Junior Madison Ulrich earned a 9.850 in her first routine of the night. Chio followed with a season-high 9.950 in the fourth spot. Fifth-year senior Courtney Blackson posted a strong 9.875 before McClain anchored the lineup with a 9.950 to bring the Tigers’ score to a season-high 49.625 on bars.
LSU’s 49.625 on bars tied a program record for highest score on the event in an NCAA Regional.
Okay then @_KonnorMcClain 😮💨
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 3, 2026
The junior anchors with a 9.950!
📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/aHmjuRaXco
LSU’s score at the halfway point was 99.100. Clemson followed in second place with a 98.425. The Tigers moved to balance beam.
Junior Kylie Coen led the beam team off with a 9.90. Zeiss followed with a 9.750 in the second spot. Drayton matched her season-high of 9.950 in the third spot. Lincoln then put together a nearly impressive routine, earning a 9.950 in the fourth spot. McClain kept the high scores going, posting a 9.90. Chio anchored with a steady 9.875, her season-low on the event. Her score brought LSU’s score on the event to 49.575.
Kaliya keeps it going with another 9.950 in spot four 😤
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 3, 2026
📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/XHAa3Q3F2s
Through three rotations, LSU’s total score was 148.675. Clemson continued to keep its lead in second place with a score of 147.575. The Bayou Bengals looked to finish the night strong on floor.
Senior Emily Innes led the floor lineup off with a strong 9.90. Freshman Nina Ballou also earned a 9.90 in the second spot. Coen followed with a 9.875. In the fourth spot, Drayton matched her season-high with a 9.950.
And then it happened again. Chio recorded her second ten of the night, sending the PMAC into an uproar. It was her 11th total ten of the season and her second on floor. Chio now boasts 12 career tens.
Lincoln ended the meet off on a high note, posting a 9.950 to give LSU a 49.700 on the event. Its 49.700 ties the highest score in program history in an NCAA Regional.
What does one even say anymore????
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 3, 2026
We'll just leave this here. Kailin Ch10 is back for another tonight 🤯
📺 ESPN+ | @kailin_chio pic.twitter.com/ILgbx6c5t6
FINAL SCORES
LSU – 198.375
Clemson – 196.800
Auburn – 195.500
Nebraska – 195.000
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