BATON ROUGE — LSU’s gymnastics team dropped 12 spots to No. 20 in the country according to the latest national rankings, released Monday. The slide comes following the Tigers’ 193.725 performance at the season opening Michigan State quad meet Friday.
With rankings based on a team’s high score through Jan. 23, perennial national power, Utah, tops this week’s standings with a 197.675. Defending national champion UCLA follows in second with a 197.300, while Oklahoma (195.900), Michigan (195.900) and Arizona State (195.700) round out the top five.
Auburn is the topped ranked team in the SEC this week at No. 7 with a 195.325. Georgia follows at No. 10 (194.850), Florida in 12th (194.450), Arkansas is 13th (194.250) and Alabama is 16th (193.875).
LSU is also ranked among the top 25 on each of the four individual events. The Tigers are listed at No. 12 on both the floor (48.925) and bars (48.675) and 24th on the vault (48.250) and beam (47.875).
The Tigers also have four athletes ranked individually. Sophomore Kelly Phelan is ranked 20th in the all-around after placing second at Michigan State with a 38.950. She is also ranked seventh on the beam.
Junior Terin Martinjak is tied with Phelan at No. 7 on beam. Each posted a 9.850 in opening week action. Sophomore Nicki Butler is listed at No. 11 on the bars (9.850) and junior April Burkholder is 19th on the floor exercise (9.900).
The Tigers return to action this Friday when they open both the home and SEC schedules against No. 12 Florida at 7 p.m. in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
NATIONAL RANKINGS (as of Jan. 10)
Place Team High Score
1. Utah 197.675
2. UCLA 197.300
3. Oklahoma 195.900
– Michigan 195.900
5. Arizona State 195.700
6. Michigan State 195.475
7. Auburn 195.325
8. Oregon State 195.200
9. Iowa State 194.925
10. Georgia 194.850
11. Washington 194.625
12. Florida 194.450
13. Arkansas 194.250
14. Nebraska 194.200
15. Maryland 193.975
16. Alabama 193.875
– Denver 193.875
18. Illinois 193.825
19. Minnesota 193.800
20. LSU 193.725
21. Arizona 193.425
22. CS Fullerton 193.225
23. Missouri 193.050
24. Central Michigan 192.350
25. Sacramento State 192.275