Talkin' 10's - Inside LSU Gymnastics

LSU Interactive Media Guide Available

2011-02-04T12:55:00.000-06:00

Click the link below to check-out the 2011 LSU Gymnastics Media Guide - an interactive version.

LSU vs. BYU Gymnastics still on tomorrow!

2011-02-03T15:22:00.001-06:00

LSU officials announced this afternoon that Friday night's gymnastics meet is on. BYU safely landed at the Baton Rouge airport this afternoon and judges are expected to be available for the 7pm meet inside the Maravich Center.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Florida Meet Recap; Preview Metroplex

2011-01-29T13:51:00.001-06:00

The LSU Tigers are in Fort Worth, Texas to participate in the 2011 Metroplex Challenge tonight at 7:30pm. LSU will take on Missouri, Nebraska, and Alabama inside the Fort Worth Convention Center in front of, what we expect to be, the largest contingent of LSU fans to see a road gymnastics meet ever. If you're not in North Texas and can't make the easy drive over to Fort Worth, you can catch all the action of tonight's meet LIVE and FREE inside the GeauxZone on LSUSports.net. Here's a quick and easy link to the broadcast.

A Look Back At Florida

The first home meet of the 2011 season is one that this young LSU team has already put behind them. In front of one of the largest season-opening meet crowds ever inside the PMAC, the Tigers were chomped by the Gators by nearly two and a half points. It was the worst home loss for LSU in 14 years. Injuries to key gymnasts kept the lineups thin with experience at the start of the meet for LSU. But the Tigers also hurt themselves with a disastrous bars effort - 48.1 - one of the lowest scores on the event in recent memory. With 8 freshmen of 14 gymnasts on the roster, Head Coach D-D Breaux has worked hard this past week to rid the Tigers' memory banks of that night and focus them squarely on improving in tonight's meet, instead.

Hall of Fame Rocker Gene Simmons Greets Tigers At DFW

The photos on the blog here say it all. Legendary rock star Gene Simmons was apart of the "official" welcoming party as LSU arrived at the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport on Friday afternoon. In fact, Simmons was temporarily "stuck" inside a malfunctioning security carousel with LSU gymnast Gloria Johnson, who is currently using crutches to get around. After the carousel began to move, Simmons made a beeline for the down escalator towards baggage claim. He was "intercepted" by Tony Morrison (no, not the other legendary performer), rather the father of LSU gymnast Sarie Morrison. Tony asked Gene (thinking he was just "some guy") to hold the end of the LSU banner in the photo. The rest is history as Simmons posed for photographs with the LSU entourage. The team was buzzing about the chance meeting well into the night.

Team Hotel A Part of History

The team is staying in the Fort Worth Hilton Hotel directly across the street from the Ft. Worth Convention Center, site of tonight's meet. The hotel is the place where President John F. Kennedy slept the night before he was assassinated on November 22, 1963. At the time, the hotel was known as The Texas Hotel. The president spoke in the hotel ballroom at breakfast and then gave a press conference in the hotel lobby before departing for Dallas, and the event that would stop the world.

Tigers Remain In Top 25

With the 194.000 score against Florida last week, LSU slipped one spot to #25 in the national rankings, according to GymInfo.com. LSU's average score is 193.942. According to research completed by LSU SID Jake Terry, the Tigers have been in the Top 25 for 142 consecutive polls. That's a streak of 517 weeks, or nearly 10 years. This is truly an amazing statistic and shows the consistency with which the Tigers have performed for the past decade.

Susan Jackson Back In Action

No, her collegiate eligibility is complete. But former LSU gymnast and 3-time National Champion Susan Jackson begins her own coaching career today in Ft. Worth. Jackson is coaching the team from the Louisiana Gymnastics Training Center, which is participating in the large age group meet taking place prior to tonight's collegiate event. Good luck Susan!

Injuries Force Lineup Changes

Injuries have piled up against this young Tiger team to start the 2011 season. This week, freshman Mckenzie Fox was lost for the season with a freak lower leg injury during practice. Also this week, freshman Sarah Zoldos, already a 3-event mainstay for the Tigers, suffered a sprained ankle and will compete only bars tonight at the Metroplex meet. LSU will look forward to the return of senior Sam Engle to the bars line-up tonight after a two meet absence. She continues to rehab a sprained ankle and hopes to return to her normal 3-event routines within the next two weeks.

These injuries will thrust sophomore Janelle Garcia into tonight's vault line-up for the first time. Should Zoldos not be able to go on bars, Janelle would also slot into the bars line-up. Freshman Casey Duvall will see her first action as a Tiger tonight. The Gretna, LA native will exhibition on balance beam.

Tonight's Lineup

Here is tonight's pre-meet lineup for the LSU Tigers (0-3, 0-1, ranked 25th). LSU drew the traditional "home team" rotation order of vault, bars, beam, and floor.

Vault

Ericka Garcia, SO

Ashley Lee, JR

Kaleigh Dickson, FR

Maliah Mathis, FR

Sarie Morrison, FR

Janelle Garcia, SO

Bars

Ericka Garcia, SO

Shelby Prunty, SO

Sarah Zoldos, FR

Kaleigh Dickson, FR

Sam Engle, SR

Sarie Morrison, FR

Balance Beam

Shelby Prunty, SO

Janelle Garcia, SO

Maliah Mathis, FR

Kaleigh Dickson, FR

Sarie Morrison, FR

Ericka Garcia, SO

Casey Duvall, FR (exhibition)

Floor Exercise

Ashley Lee, JR

Janelle Garcia, SO

Shelby Prunty, SO

Kaleigh Dickson, FR

Sarie Morrison, FR

Maliah Mathis, FR

All Around

Kaleigh Dickson, FR

Sarie Morrison, FR (39.1 AA vs. Florida last week)

See the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Hall of Fame Rocker Greets Tigers

2011-01-28T13:53:00.001-06:00

Rocker and actor Gene Simmons welcomed the Tigers upon arrival at DFW on Friday.

See the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Meet Two: LSU at Auburn

2011-01-14T15:28:00.001-06:00

This morning, the LSU Tigers awakened to a 14 degree day in Auburn, Alabama, nearly 25 degrees colder and 3 time zones removed from last Friday's season opening gymnastics meet at Oregon State. But when the curtain falls on the first SEC meet of the season tonight inside the new Auburn Arena, expect a competitive event between two young teams.

Here are a few story lines we'll be watching tonight:

We will have our first look inside the new Auburn Arena. With a capacity of less than 9,000 in the gymnastics configuration, expect a cozy meet with fans on top of the action. It will be Auburn gymnastics' first meet in their new digs and several promotions are planned including glow-in-the-dark wands for fans and an indoor fireworks show. The arena sits directly across the street from Jordan-Hare Stadium and, yes, the campus is still buzzing from Monday night's BCS National Championship football game.
LSU will be without senior team leader Sam Engle for tonight's meet. Sam sprained an ankle earlier this week at practice and is receiving treatment. Hopefully she can return to the bars, beam and floor lineups within the next couple of weeks. This means that additional freshmen will receive early season opportunities to gain experience which can only help the Tigers down the road.
LSU will also be without the services of junior Gloria Johnson. Gloria had been nursing a foot injury from off-season workouts but had surgery earlier this week. She will be redshirted this season.
By contrast, Auburn has only 4 underclassmen on its gymnastics roster. However, the team is trying to find its way under first-year Head Coach Jeff Graba. Last week at Iowa State, the Auburn Tigers scored 192.775 and were led by junior Petrina Yokay who competed three events she hadn't competed in over three years.
So which one of the young Tiger teams will come out on top tonight? Join us on our broadcast live and free in the GeauxZone on LSUSports.net beginning at 7:00pm Central Time.

D-D Breaux Talks Up Team

Catch a short video of Head Coach D-D Breaux "coaching up" the Tigers with a pre-meet speech before the Auburn meet. Click here for D-D's short speech. You can also catch LSU sophomore Shelby Prunty in this morning's "Power Circle" - a visualization exercise that the Tigers complete the morning of each meet.

Streak Ends, Tigers Look To Start Another

A remarkable 8-year streak came to an end last Friday at Oregon State when no Tiger won an individual event title against the Beavers. The streak began on February 23, 2003 at Nebraska's Masters Classic.

LSU Commands Series Against Auburn

Tonight marks the 74th meeting between the Tigers and War Eagles. LSU commands the series 62-11, including 10-4 at Auburn. One of the four losses for LSU at Auburn came in 2009, the last time LSU visited the Plains in the old Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. Widely regarded as one of LSU's worst-ever dual meet road performances, the Tigers bounced back from that loss and reeled-off 6 straight wins to end the regular season on their way to LSU's second Super Six appearance in school history.

Tonight's Lineup

Here is tonight's pre-meet lineup for the LSU Tigers (0-1, 0-0, ranked 25th)

Bars

Ericka Garcia, SO

Mckenzie Fox, FR

Kaleigh Dickson, FR

Shelby Prunty, SO

Sarah Zoldos, FR

Sarie Morrison, FR

Janelle Garcia, FR (exhibition)

Vault

Ericka Garcia, SO

Sarah Zoldos, FR

Ashley Lee, JR

Kaleigh Dickson, FR

Maliah Mathis, FR

Sarie Morrison, FR

Mckenzie Fox, FR (alternate)

Floor Exercise

Ashley Lee, JR

Sarah Zoldos, FR

Shelby Prunty, SO

Kaleigh Dickson, FR

Sarie Morrison, FR

Maliah Mathis, FR

Janelle Garcia, FR (exhibition)

Balance Beam

Shelby Prunty, SO

Maliah Mathis, FR

Kaleigh Dickson, FR

Sarie Morrison, FR

Janelle Garcia, SO

Ericka Garcia, SO

Sarah Zoldos, FR (exhibition)

All Around

Kaleigh Dickson, FR (first AA at LSU)

Sarie Morrison, FR (2nd place AA at Oregon St. last week)

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Photo gallery: LSU at Oregon State

2011-01-10T10:29:00.001-06:00

LSU started the 2011 gymnastics season with a trip to Corvallis, Oregon to take on the Oregon State Beavers. Here are a few pictures taken prior to the competition in Gill Coliseum.

See the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Meet One: The Start of Something New

2011-01-07T17:07:00.001-06:00

Good afternoon Tiger Fans from the Great Northwest! The LSU Tigers gymnastics team is here in Corvallis, Oregon to start the 37th season of LSU Gymnastics against the Oregon State Beavers. Paige Cipolloni and Ashleigh Clare-Kearney will join me on the broadcast beginning at 9:00 pm Central time and we invite you to join us in the GeauxZone on LSUSports.net.

New Year, New Look Team

D-D Breaux begins her 34th year as LSU head coach tonight and she faces a season of rebuilding ahead after the departure of the winningest senior class in school history. In fact, when the Tigers arrive in Gill Coliseum this evening, it will mark the first time since 2006 that LSU has not returned its leading gymnast from the previous year. Expect 5 of the 8 freshmen on the 2011 roster to see action in tonight's first meet of the season. These newcomers will complement sophomores Shelby Prunty, Ericka Garcia, and Janelle Garcia along with junior All-American Ashley Lee. Samantha Engle, a second team All-American last season, is the Tiger's lone senior in 2011. She will be called on to provide important leadership to a team certain to search for its identity early this season.

Eight freshmen on this year's roster is the most since 2001. That number includes two redshirt freshmen (Kaleigh Dickson, Lanie Fleming) who sat out last season due to injuries. Likewise, one senior on this year's squad is the fewest since 2008.

Youth Ready To Roll

Tonight will mark the much anticipated debut of redshirt freshman Kaleigh Dickson (Oldsmar, FL-Lafleur's Gym). Dickson was set to be a solid contributor for the Tigers last season before a serious knee injury ended her year just prior to the start of the 2010 campaign. Though not in tonight's all-around, expect Dickson to claim a spot in each event in the coming weeks. The diminutive 4' 10" Sarah Zoldos (Clearwater, FL-Lafleur's Gym) is also in three events tonight. Don't let her size fool you, though. She is expected to be a mainstay for the Tigers on vault, bars and floor this year.

Tonight, Sarie Morrison (Dallas, TX-Metroplex Gym) becomes the first LSU freshman since April Burkholder (38.700 in 2003) to debut in the All-Around. Many eyes will be on this promising young freshman as she works to sharpen her routines throughout the season. Watch for freshmen Mckenzie Fox (bars) and Maliah Mathis (vault, floor) to make impacts as well.

ACK Back With The Program

Now a law school student at LSU, two-time National Champion Ashleigh Clare-Kearney has rejoined the Tiger gymnastics program as a volunteer assistant coach. She has choreographed each of the team's floor exercise routines this season.

Pre-Season Rankings Bode Tough Schedule Ahead

As has become the norm in Baton Rouge, the LSU gymnastics team faces another tough schedule of opponents in 2011. Nine of the the Tiger's opponents are ranked in the pre-season Top 25 with five of those in the Top 10. LSU will face 6 of these Top 25 opponents on the road and only 3 inside the Maravich Center.

A Look At Oregon State

LSU is repaying the Beaver's visit to Baton Rouge last season with tonight's meet here in Corvallis. LSU defeated Oregon State in the Maravich Center by nearly a point and a half in 2010, 196.925 to 195.525. But it was the Beavers who finished one spot ahead of LSU at the 2010 National Championships to end last season. Tonight marks the first time since 1981 that the Tigers and Beavers have dueled it out in a regular season dual meet in Corvallis.

Coach Tanya Chaplin begins her 14th year as gymnastics coach at Oregon State. Her team enters the 2011 campaign with a #8 pre-season ranking and last season's PAC-10 Freshman of the Year Makayla Stambaugh. Stambaugh, along with seniors Mandi Rodriguez and Laura-Ann Chong, led the Beavers to their highest-ever finish under Chaplin at the National Championships in 2010. Rodriguez and Chong are back with the program as graduate student assistants this season. So watch for Stambaugh, junior Leslie Mak, and junior Olivia Vivian to provide the scoring for OSU. Senior Jen Kesler could sit out tonight's meet with an injury.

Congratulations to Oregon State for starting its own live webcasts of home gymnastics meets in 2011. Welcome!

Mike's Eye On The Tigers

If this morning's walk-through was any indication, the 2011 LSU Tigers are a youthfully enthusiastic bunch. It's too early to think about wins and losses, instead it's important for LSU to focus on the long-term. That means tonight will be all about setting a baseline for performances to come. Expect some early jitters from this bunch of Tigers. But also expect them to improve significantly from week to week.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Tigers Support Young Gymnast Stricken With Cancer

2010-12-17T09:31:00.004-06:00

The LSU gymnastics team had the pleasure of meeting with local gymnast Brenna Huckaby to offer encouragement after practice Thursday. Huckaby, 14, has osteosarcoma which is an aggressive form of bone cancer, and the Baton Rouge native has undergone chemotherapy and has also had an above-the-knee amputation on one leg.

However, she and her family are determined to put up a fight. Brenna is currently doing physical therapy as well as more chemotherapy, and she is working toward being fitted with an artificial limb to start walking again. Brenna is a level 9 gymnast and wants nothing more than to experience the thrill of tumbling on the floor exercise mat again. “I really want to be a coach or a judge when I get older,” Huckaby said. “Right now I really want to start doing floor again once I get my prosthetic leg and start tumbling and see how that goes.”

Head coach D-D Breaux arranged for Brenna and her father Jeff to come by the gym after practice because the entire team wanted to meet the girl who refuses to give up on her dreams. “I’ve known about her for a very long time because the gymnastics community in Louisiana is very close,” head coach D-D Breaux said. “The entire gymnastics community was shocked when we heard of her cancer, so for us to be able to do something that lifts her spirit and takes her mind of what she has faced and what she is facing is comforting to me and my team.”

When Brenna and her father arrived at the gym Breaux presented them with a quilt made by D-D’s mother. “The quilt is one of a kind,” Huckaby said. “It’s really cute, and it has a collage of different LSU things on it. I love it.”

The entire gymnastics team met with Brenna after she received the quilt and shared words of encouragement. “It was amazing meeting them,” Huckaby said. “I always see them competing, and I really liked meeting them face to face and talking to them. It was awesome, and I felt like I was a part of the team.” Breaux said the team was equally as excited to meet Brenna. “Without really knowing who she was, a lot of the team attended a fundraiser for her in October out of respect for her and the situation, and they came away impressed and humbled by her spirit.”

Brenna may have visited the team Thursday as a LSU gymnastics fan, but every member of the LSU gymnastics family is now a fan of hers.

Story by Jake Terry, LSU Associate Sports Information Director

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Coach D-D Breaux In Houma Thursday

2010-08-23T07:32:00.001-05:00

D-D Breaux and other LSU coaches will join Director of Athletics Joe Alleva
as guests of honor at the annual meeting of the Bayou Bengal Booster Club in
Houma.

The meeting will be held at the Woodmen of the World Lodge, 309 S. Hollywood
Rd. and begins with a jambalaya supper at 6:30 p.m.

Tiger gymnastics fans in the Houma area, come on out and support your local
LSU Tigers Booster Club! Dues are only $10 per person or $25 per family.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

BBC: 2010 Olympic Gymnastics In 3-D

2010-06-30T12:36:00.001-05:00

Move over James Cameron, the BBC is getting into the business of 3-D
television just in time for the 2012 Olympics. According to TechRadar.com,
the broadcast giant of Great Britian is set to highlight gymnastics and
boxing as its primary 3-D sports.

Not that they will compete for Team USA, but just imagine NCAA vault
champions Ashleigh Clare-Kearney and Susan Jackson sprinting down the vault
runway and into your living room...Or the next young Evander Holyfield
throwing an overhand right into your easy chair. Wow.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Susan Jackson: SEC Female Athlete of the Year

2010-06-29T17:31:00.001-05:00

The Southeastern Conference announced today that Susan Jackson has been
awarded the 2009-2010 SEC Female Athlete of the Year Award. The vote was
taken among the conference's Athletic Directors. Heisman Trophy winning
running back Mark Ingram of Alabama received the Male Athlete of the Year.

With the award, Jackson becomes the first LSU gymnast, second LSU woman, and
fifth Tiger overall to win SEC Athlete of the Year. Other Tiger recipients
include Seimone Augustus, Xavier Carter, Walter Davis, and Shaquille O'Neal.

She joins an elite list of world-class athletes including Rowdy Gaines,
Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, Tracy Caulkins, Chamique Holdsclaw, Peyton
Manning, Tim Tebow, and Courtney Kupets.

Susan Jackson is now the most decorated gymnast in LSU gymnastics history.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Susan Jackson's Highlight Video From Honda Awards

2010-06-22T14:56:00.001-05:00

Check out the highlight video recapping the season of LSU's Susan Jackson,
the first-ever Tiger to win the prestigious Honda Award recognizing the top
female collegiate gymnast. http://awards.honda.com/?p=6

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Conference Shakeup: What It Means For Women's Gymnastics

2010-06-21T14:14:00.001-05:00

The ripple effects of Nebraska's decision to leave the Big 12 Conference for
the Bigger 10 will be felt well beyond the football field. No sport will be
more impacted than Big 12 women's gymnastics which, with the Huskers exit
next season, is left with only 3 teams to compete the sport. That's the
fewest number of teams in any sport in the conference. 2010 National
runner-up Oklahoma, 2010 National finalist Missouri, and Iowa State are all
that will remain.

Meanwhile, with Nebraska added to the roster, Big 10 women's gymnastics
grows to 8 total teams - one larger than the Southeastern Conference. It
will include traditional powers Michigan and Penn State along with emerging
programs like Iowa and Illinois.

But that's not all. Utah, whose gymnastics program had not been affiliated
with a conference, has signed up to join the Pac-10. This move cements the
Pac-10 as a true conference powerhouse - one that will rival the SEC year in
and year out. To wit: Utah and UCLA have won a combined 15 of the 29
National Championships in women's gymnastics. And Oregon State and Stanford
are consistent Super Six qualifiers in their own right.

The first question one might ask is "Will the Big 12 continue to sanction
women's gymnastics with only 3 teams?" In the short term, the answer is
most likely yes. With both Title IX and budget concerns looming, large
conferences are not usually keen on canceling, or expanding, women's sports.

However, in the long run, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Missouri could, like
Utah, opt for independent status in the sport - or even join other
conferences for women's gymnastics. Though unlikely, the Big 12 could
persuade another school to start a women's gymnastics program. Both the
University of Texas and Baylor have long been mentioned as possibilities.
There is currently no major university in the State of Texas with a NCAA
women's gymnastics program.

These conference changes will also have significant impacts on scheduling.
Utah has regularly trekked eastward to take on SEC teams such as LSU,
Florida, Georgia, and Alabama in past seasons. But with 7 weeks of
conference opponents to book each year - and a conference championship meet
- there will be precious little time on the calendar for the Utes to
schedule a ton of non-conference opponents.

The opposite holds true for remnants of the Big 12. The Sooners, Tigers and
Cyclones will each have one additional week in which to schedule a
non-conference opponent. Since each of these programs has, and can again,
host NCAA Regional meets, look for some big name opponents to travel to
Norman, Columbia, and Ames - and vice versa.

Nebraska's long gymnastics tradition, terrific fans, and great home venue
are a huge boost to the Big 10. Likewise, Utah's history as a national
power and NCAA leading attendance will elevate the Pac-10 to the next level.
The unfortunate losers in this shakeup are the 3 remaining teams in the Big
12 that sponsor women's gymnastics.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Susan Jackson Wins Yet Another Award

2010-06-03T12:08:00.005-05:00

Former LSU Tiger Susan Jackson has been awarded the 2009-2010 Corbett Award recognizing her as the top female amateur athlete in the State of Louisiana. Former LSU baseball pitcher Louis Coleman received the men's Corbett Award, marking the first time since 2000 that LSU has swept both awards. Read more here.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Vote On Best Road Trip of 2011 Season

2010-06-02T17:47:00.002-05:00

Take a second to vote for your most anticipated road trip of the 2011 LSU Gymnastics season in the poll in the left column of this page. The 2011 schedule is among the toughest ever for the Tiger program. LSU has the opportunity to compete in as many as 7 states over the course of the season. And, for the Dallas trip in late January, we're making plans for a Tiger Caravan and Tailgate! More to follow...

New Tiger Already Making Sports Illustrated

2010-06-02T17:28:00.003-05:00

She's only just arrived on campus but LSU freshman Sarie Morrison is already making news. Morrison appeared in Sports Illustrated's popular column "Faces In The Crowd" last week. Click the link to read the full story.

Morrison recently completed a rare feat by winning the All-Around title at the Texas State Gymnastics Meet for a third year in a row. In helping her high school team the state championship last month, Morrison also won the vault, bars, beam and floor individual championships in the Lone Star State. She has been named the All Area Gymnast of the Year by the Dallas Morning News.

Morrison joins the likes of two-time National Champion Ashleigh Clare-Kearney in appearing in SI's "Faces In The Crowd" column. ACK appeared in April 9, 2007 issue of SI.

Susan Jackson's Story Top Feature On USA-Gymnastics.org

2010-06-02T17:22:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, LSU gymnastics Sports Information Director Jake Terry wrote a terrific piece on former Tiger Susan Jackson. The story appeared on LSUSports.net and has been picked up by USA-Gymnastics.org and is currently on the front page of this heavily read website.

While you're at it, also read Terry's piece on former LSU great Summer Hubbard.

Click on the links to read the stories. Nice work Jake!

2011 Season Schedule Set

2010-05-18T22:12:00.002-05:00

The final touches have been put on the 2011 LSU Gymnastics season. The lineup features 10 regular season meets in which the Tigers will take on a total of 12 opponents. All 12 opponents made the NCAA postseason during 2010. So, you can see where this is heading: this is a very tough schedule for LSU.

The Tigers begin the season with consecutive road meets - at Oregon State on Jan. 7 and then at Auburn on Jan. 14. LSU travels to Dallas, Texas to take on 3 NCAA Championship qualifiers from this past season in the annual Metroplex Challenge Meet on Jan. 29. LSU will take on powerhouses Alabama, Missouri, and Nebraska inside the Dallas Convention Center on a Saturday night in front of thousands of age group gymnasts and their parents. The Metroplex meet is one of the largest age group meets in the nation annually.

LSU's road schedule includes stops in Lexington to take on ever-improving Kentucky on Feb. 25 and then at Alabama to take on the Tide on March 11. LSU is traveling to Alabama because the Tide did not want to count the Metroplex meet as an SEC meet.

Because the Tigers picked up the Metroplex meet in Dallas and allowed Iowa out of its commitment to travel to Baton Rouge next season, LSU will have only 5 home meets in 2011. However, each of the meets should be outstanding.

The first home meet of the 2011 season will be on Jan. 21 when the Florida Gators come to the PMAC. LSU will host three meets in a row on Feb. 4, 11, and 18 against BYU, Arkansas, and Georgia, respectively. The Georgia meet will serve as the annual Etta James Memorial "Breast Cancer Awareness" Meet. The meet against Arkansas should be a doozy. The Hogs and Tigers tied this season in Fayetteville and have quite a budding rivalry underway.

The final home meet of the 2011 season will be on Mar. 4 when LSU hosts New Hampshire. New Hampshire was paired with LSU in the 2010 Penn State Regional.

The SEC Championships will be held on March 19 and NCAA Regionals on April 2. Cleveland, Ohio's Wolstein Center will be the site of the 2011 National Championships April 14-16.

Susan Jackson: LSU's First 3-Time National Champion

2010-04-24T20:07:00.001-05:00

With tonight's National Beam Title, LSU's Susan Jackson becomes the first
Tiger to win 3 Individual National Championships. She also won the 2008
Vault title and the 2010 All-Around title. She finished second in tonight's
Vault competition and fourth in the bars competition.

Summer Hubbard is the 2010 National Runner-up on the bars and Ashley Lee
finished 9th in her first-ever national final on vault.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

SUSAN JACKSON NATIONAL BEAM CHAMPION!

2010-04-24T19:34:00.001-05:00

Susan Jackson has won the National Balance Beam title with a 9.9625 in
Gainesville, Florida!

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

SUSAN JACKSON NAMED NATIONAL GYMNAST OF YEAR

2010-04-24T16:17:00.001-05:00

LSU senior Susan Jackson was named the 2010 NCAA/AAI Gymnast of the Year at this morning's Annual Awards Banquet. It's the first time an LSU gymnast has won the award.

Jackson also won the 2010 National All-Around title on Thursday night in Gainesville, Florida - also the first such title for an LSU gymnast.

Tonight, Tiger gymnasts Ashley Lee and Summer Hubbard will join Jackson in the individual event finals at the NCAA Championships. Listen live and free of charge in the Geaux Zone on LSUSports.net beginning at 5:00 p.m. Central to see if the Tigers can bring home more gold!

Here's the link to the audio broadcast:
http://www.lsusports.net/mediaPortal/player.dbml?&id=388941&catid=0&KEY=&DB_OEM_ID=5200

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Suddenly Susan! Jackson Becomes LSU's First All-Around NCAA Champion

2010-04-22T22:33:00.001-05:00

LSU senior Susan Jackson went out in style in what became her final team gymnastics meet as an LSU Tiger. With her outstanding 39.650 score holding all day - and into the night - in Gainesville, Florida, Jackson became LSU's first-ever All-Around National Champion. She also set a new LSU school record with 11 All-Around titles for the season, breaking a 30 year-old school record.

Ironically, it was a fall on balance beam that locked up the National Championship for Jackson when Missouri's Sarah Shire fell on the apparatus in the evening session and ended her chance to catch or better Jackson's score. It was balance beam that ended LSU's chance to repeat as a Super Six finalist for the third consecutive year earlier in the day as the Tigers were forced to count a fall towards their team score.

Jackson's title marks the third year in a row that LSU has recorded some sort of individual National Championship. Jackson won the vault title in 2008. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney won both the vault and floor titles in 2009.

Saturday evening Jackson will have a chance to add up to 3 more championships to her credit as she competes in the event finals on bars, beam, and vault.

Posted via web from LSU Gymnastics

Pre-Meet Interview With D-D Breaux

2010-04-22T11:18:00.001-05:00

Download now or watch on posterous

Premeet Interview.mp4 (26426 KB)

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It's NCAA Meet Day: LIVE from Gainesville!

2010-04-22T08:27:00.001-05:00

The LSU Tigers have just concluded their team breakfast at the University of Florida Hilton Hotel and Conference Center - just steps off the Gator’s campus. At 9:45 a.m. Eastern Time, the Tigers will bus the short distance over to the Stephen O’Connell Center and begin preparations for this afternoon’s first session of the 2010 NCAA Gymnastics Championships. Meet time is 1:00 p.m. (noon Central) and, along with two-time National Champion Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, we will call all the action LIVE and FREE of charge in the Geaux Zone on LSUSports.net beginning at 12:55 p.m. Eastern (11:55 a.m. Central).

The Tigers, seeded No. 9, are looking for their third consecutive trip to the Super Six Finals tomorrow. To get there, LSU must outscore five other teams in today’s first session. Using the NCAA’s seeding formula, LSU is paired with No. 1 seed UCLA, No. 4 seed Oklahoma, No. 5 seed Utah, No. 8 seed Oregon State, and No. 12 seed Nebraska. Most observers believe this is the more competitive and wide-open of the two preliminary sessions today.

Only 4 programs have ever won the National Championship in NCAA women’s gymnastics. Two of those programs – UCLA and Utah – take on the Tigers today. The Bruins and Red Rocks have 14 National Championships between them. LSU has faced both Oklahoma and Oregon State earlier this season – defeating the Beavers in Baton Rouge and finishing just behind the Sooners at the NCAA Regional meet two weeks ago. Oklahoma is undefeated on the season at 22-0.

To advance to tomorrow’s Super Six, LSU will need to post scores between 49.000 and 49.250 on each event. The Tigers are very capable of doing this, especially with 4 senior leaders who are no strangers to the pressures of the National Championships.

Also determined today will be the participants in Saturday’s individual event championships, the All-Around Champion, and All-America awards. The top 4 finishers (plus ties) on each event will be named First Team All-American and advance to the event finals. Those finishing fifth through eighth (plus ties) will receive Second Team All-America honors. Today’s All-Around competitors from both sessions will be ranked by their respective scores after tonight’s second session. The winner will be named the National All-Around Champion.

LSU seniors Sabrina Franceschelli (All Around), Summer Hubbard (bars), Susan Jackson (All Around, beam, vault), and Kayla Rogers (floor) are each looking to repeat as All-Americans. Jackson won the National vault title in 2008 and nearly repeated in 2009, finishing just behind LSU’s Ashleigh Clare-Kearney.

As the only SEC team in today’s first session, it will be interesting to see how many fans from the other SEC schools participating in this year’s Nationals show up to support the Tigers. LSU should be well represented in their own right – having fulfilled a record number of ticket requests for any away meet in Tiger history.

We’re delighted to be here and bring you all the action live in the Geaux Zone on LSUSports.net beginning at 12:55 p.m. Eastern/11:55 a.m. Central today!

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

LSU National Championship Travel Plans Announced

2010-04-18T12:15:00.001-05:00

The LSU Tigers' quest for a third consecutive NCAA Super Six berth begins on
Tuesday with the team's departure from Louis Armstrong International Airport
in Kenner at 5:10 p.m. LSU will fly into the Sunshine State via Tampa and
then bus to Gainesville in the evening. The Tiger's team hotel will be the
Hilton on the University of Florida campus.

Wednesday is practice day inside the Stephen O'Connell Center, site of this
year's NCAA Gymnastics Championships. LSU will practice at 12:20 p.m.
Eastern Time.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday are each competition days and we'll have
plenty of information coming your way throughout the week. LSU is set to
travel home on Sunday morning, arriving back in Kenner at 12:45 p.m.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics