By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
The No. 2-seeded LSU gymnastics team is headed back to the national championship. The Tigers will compete in the NCAA Championship finals for the 11th time in program history after finishing second in Session I of Thursday’s NCAA Semifinals with a 197.4375, edging No. 6 Georgia by 0.1750.
It didn’t come easily. LSU found itself outside the top two after a costly third rotation on beam and needed a strong finish on floor. The Tigers delivered, posting a 49.520, highlighted by standout routines from junior Amari Drayton and sophomores Kailin Chio and Kaliya Lincoln.
Chio’s 9.9625 in the fifth spot is what solidified LSU moving on to Saturday. She was emotional after the meet after a dramatic ending.
“I told this team I was not having a repeat of last year,” Chio said on the ESPN broadcast after the meet. “I told the team, ‘We got to get it together,’ and I’m just so proud of this team. I did it for them and did it for us and we’re moving on, so I couldn’t be any happier.”
LSU, along with No. 3 Florida, advances to Saturday’s national championship, where the Tigers will look to win their second title in three years.
LSU opened Thursday afternoon’s meet on vault. Sophomore Lexi Zeiss led off with a stick, scoring a 9.850. Junior Konnor McClain, back in the lineup after recovering from an elbow injury, posted a 9.8250 in the second spot. Sophomore Victoria Roberts followed with a 9.7250 after taking an extra step on her landing.
The Tigers needed a strong routine to get the rotation back on track, and Lincoln delivered, sticking her landing for a 9.9625 in the fourth position. Drayton followed with an impressive 9.8750. LSU built even more momentum when Chio anchored with a near-perfect 9.9625, closing out a strong vault rotation and helping the Tigers to a 49.4750.
CLOCK. WORK.
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 16, 2026
It's a 9.9625 for Kailin Chio in the anchor spot!
📺 ESPN2 | @kailin_chio pic.twitter.com/Y0AjGxPsNF
LSU held a slim 49.4750-49.4625 lead over No. 3 seed Florida after the first rotation. No. 7 seed Stanford sat in third with a 49.2500, while No. 6 seed Georgia was fourth at 49.1500. The Tigers moved to the uneven bars for their second event of the meet.
Zeiss led off the bars lineup with a steady 9.8375. Senior Ashley Cowan followed with another 9.8375, before junior Madison Ulrich posted a 9.7750 in the third spot after a rough landing. Chio recorded a 9.80 in the fourth position, and in her first NCAA Semifinals bars appearance, Haley Mustari also earned a 9.80.
LSU needed a strong score to steady the rotation, and McClain delivered. She stuck her landing for a 9.9125 to close out the lineup, giving LSU a 49.1875 on bars.
THAT'S our closer.@_KonnorMcClain anchors with a 9.9125!
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 16, 2026
📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/dzogj8RWR0
Florida carried a 98.9000-98.6625 lead over LSU at the halfway point. Georgia followed in third with a 98.4000, while Stanford sat in last at 98.1250. The Tigers moved to the balance beam.
Junior Kylie Coen led off the beam lineup with a 9.7875, putting LSU in third place. Zeiss followed with a 9.7625 in the second spot. The Tigers needed strong routines to close out the rotation, and Drayton delivered a 9.8625 in the third position. Lincoln followed with a 9.4250, putting LSU in a tough spot.
McClain responded with a clutch 9.9500. Chio needed at least a 9.925 to keep LSU ahead of Georgia, but she scored a 9.8875, giving the Tigers a 49.2500 on beam.
Steady force. It's a 9.9500 for Kon!
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 16, 2026
📺 ESPN2 | @_KonnorMcClain pic.twitter.com/3CE2FRZObw
Florida remained in first with a 148.1250, while Georgia moved into second at 147.9375. LSU sat in third at 147.9125, still within striking distance, heading into its strongest event on floor, to close the meet. Stanford remained in fourth with a 147.4125.
Senior Emily Innes gave LSU a great start in the leadoff spot as she earned a 9.8625. Freshman Nina Ballou scored a 9.775 in the second spot, which left no more margin for error for the Tigers moving forward. Coen earned a 9.8500 in the third spot. Drayton followed with a much-needed 9.9375 to bring Chio to the floor. The top gymnast in the country put together an impressive performance with a huge 9.9625. Lincoln anchored with a very strong 9.9125 to give LSU a 49.520 on floor.
I MEAN DUH @kailin_chio
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 16, 2026
That's a 9.9625 for Kailin in the fifth spot!
📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/H3tSY6bPG7
FINAL SCORES
No. 3 Florida – 197.7875
No. 2 LSU – 197.4375
No. 6 Georgia – 197.2625
No. 7 Stanford – 196.9375
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