By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
The LSU gymnastics team fell short of its ultimate goal of winning another national championship, but that shouldn’t overshadow just how special the 2026 team truly was.
LSU finished second in the nation despite facing a number of obstacles throughout the season. Multiple Tigers battled nagging injuries throughout the year, and still, they put themselves in position to reach the pinnacle.
Sophomore Kaliya Lincoln dealt with Achilles tendon soreness, while junior Konnor McClain pushed through an arm injury she suffered just two weeks before nationals. On top of that, LSU relied heavily on the same core group of gymnasts for most of the year, which is a workload that can take significant wear and tear on the body over the course of a season.
So what does all that show? For starters, it highlights the culture Jay Clark has built over his six years as head coach in Baton Rouge. Reaching the top of the sport is difficult. Sustaining that level and returning to the national stage year after year is even harder, but Clark has LSU doing exactly that.
It certainly helps that the foundation was laid by legendary coach D-D Breaux, but Clark’s ability to consistently get the most out of his teams, regardless of circumstances, is what makes LSU an elite program.
There’s no doubt that Oklahoma remains the gold standard in collegiate gymnastics. No one will argue that, and they’d be foolish to. Eight national championships in program history and four of the last five titles speak for themselves. But the Sooners also understand LSU’s capabilities and the pressure the Tigers are applying as they continue to close the gap.
And Clark is still building. It takes time to reach the level Oklahoma has sustained, but LSU is clearly trending in the right direction.
Even Clark sees it that way.
“That’s a 800-pound gorilla dynasty that we’re trying to climb over and we’re just going to keep knocking on the door,” Clark said after the national championship meet.
So watch out, Oklahoma, because LSU isn’t close to where Clark believes it can be.
“We’re not going away. We’re not going anywhere,” Clark said. “We’ve got a great group coming back and we fully expect to be back in the mix and take another swing at this next year.”
This LSU program is built to win now and in the future.
In the short term, the Tigers return all but two routines for the 2027 season, bringing back 91.7% of their lineup. The only losses come from Courtney Blackson (vault/bars) and Ashley Cowan (bars).
LSU will return all but two routines on bars and floor next season. They’ll be bringing back 91.7% of their lineups, losing only those two routines. They should be the favorite to win the national championship next season. https://t.co/XoNrdELMdV
— popcorn (@volleyaura) April 18, 2026
The core remains intact, with sophomores Kailin Chio, Lexi Zeiss and Lincoln alongside juniors Kylie Coen, Amari Drayton and McClain. Young talent is also emerging: freshman Nina Ballou made key contributions on floor this season, while freshman Haley Mustari is poised for a breakout 2027 campaign, with Clark envisioning her as an all-arounder.
So yes, LSU is built to win now and over the next few years, but also for the long haul. And that comes down to one seven-letter word: culture.
During Clark’s tenure, only one gymnast has transferred out of the program. It’s extremely significant, especially in today’s NIL-driven era, where athletes have more freedom than ever to move from program to program. LSU has created an environment that players don’t want to leave.
Seniors have even chosen to stay an extra year or two just to remain part of something special, even without guaranteed competitive roles. And Clark ensures every gymnast contributes meaningfully to the team’s success, regardless of their time on the floor.
It’s safe to say Clark’s Fighting Tigers aren’t going anywhere. And sooner rather than later, they may give Oklahoma a serious run for its money.
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