DULUTH, Ga. — The accolades rolled in for the second-ranked LSU gymnastics team Saturday night at the SEC Championships as junior April Burkholder was named the conference’s Gymnast of the Year and D-D Breaux garnered Coach of the Year honors, but the Tigers came up just short in the final team standings, finishing .275 points behind eventual champion Georgia.
The meet-high 49.325 on the beam by the Gym Dogs in the final rotation secured UGA its second straight title with a 197.250. The Tigers tallied a 196.975 in placing second, the program’s best finish at the conference championships since the 1995 season.
Alabama followed in third with a 196.700, while Florida (196.150), Arkansas (195.325), Auburn (195.125) and Kentucky (193.800) rounded out the competition.
“They competed like champions tonight,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “I have been riding them hard all week in practice and I felt like they really rose to the occasion. I couldn’t have asked them to do any better.
“Obviously we would rather have the big award (the team title), but it does reflect the opinion other people have of the program,” said Breaux on the gymnast and coach of the year honors. “In this company I believe that speaks volumes.”
The Coach of the Year award is the fifth in Breaux’s career. Burkholder’s honor marked the second straight for the four-time All-American. She is only the second athlete in conference history to ever win the award more than once.
Additional recognition came for Burkholder and sophomore Nicki Butler as each were selected to the all-conference team. Burkholder was named to the league’s first team after finishing third in the all-around (39.525) and second on the vault. Butler earned second-team honors for her fourth-place showing in the all-around. The Virginia Beach, Va., native recorded four scores of 9.825 or better in posting a career-high 39.375.
The meet began with the Tigers recording a solid 49.150 on the vault. Georgia countered with a 49.400 on the floor to take the early team lead.
Burkholder led all LSU scorers on the event with a 9.900. She was followed by Butler and Kelly Phelan who posted marks of 9.850 and 9.825, respectively.
LSU sat out the second rotation with a bye before returning to competition on the bars. Behind a pair of 9.900s by Burkholder and sophomore Lisa Rennie the Tigers turned in an impressive 49.325, LSU’s second-highest score of the season.
The mark was enough to keep the Tigers in second-place with a two-event total of 98.475. Georgia maintained the slim .125 point led with its own 98.600.
The Tigers added a 49.200 on the beam in the fourth rotation to move into the lead with a 147.675. LSU didn’t count a score below 9.825 as Butler, Rennie and senior Annie Gagnon turned in a trio of 9.850s and Burkholder and Phelan added 9.825s.
While LSU sat out the fifth rotation with a bye Georgia recorded a 49.325 on the bars to regain the lead with a 147.925.
The Tigers gave it everything they had in the final rotation, scoring a 49.300 on the floor, but the Gym’Dogs would not be denied, notching a 49.325 on the beam to secure the victory.
Burkholder again led all scorers, posting her third 9.900 of the meet. Freshman Ashleigh Clare-Kearney was just off her pace with a 9.875.
Up next, the Tigers will await their destination for the NCAA Regional Championships to be held Sat., April 9. Regional announcements are expected Monday afternoon.
TEAM RESULTS
1. Georgia – 197.250 (VT – 49.200, UB – 49.325, BB – 49.325, FX – 49.400)
2. LSU – 196.975 (VT – 49.150, UB – 49.325, BB – 49.200, FX – 49.300)
3. Alabama – 196.700 (VT – 49.300, UB – 49.450, BB – 48.875, FX – 49.075)
4. Florida – 196.150 (VT – 8.825, UB – 49.125, BB – 48.975, FX – 49.150)
5. Arkansas – 195.325 (VT – 48.225, UB – 48.800, BB – 49.125, FX – 49.075)
6. Auburn – 195.125 (VT – 48.400, UB – 48.550, BB – 49.125, FX – 49.050)
7. Kentucky – 193.800 (VT – 48.550, UB – 48.675, BB – 48.425, FX – 48.125)
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (Winner plus all LSU competitors)
All-Around – 1, Katie Heenan, UGA, 39.625. 3, April Burkholder, 39.525. t4, Nicki Butler, 39.375.
Vault – 1, Ashleigh Miles, ALA, 9.925. t2, April Burkholder, 9.900. t5, Nicki Butler, 9.850. t10, Kelly Phelan, 9.825. t14, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.800. t17, Annie Gagnon, 9.775. 23, Rikki L’Heureux, 9.725.
Bars – t1, Ashley Miles, ALA, 9.950. t1, Terina Humphrey, ALA, 9.950. t3, April Burkholder, 9.900. t3, Lisa Rennie, 9.900. t9, Nicki Butler, 9.850. t9, Annie Gagnon, 9.850. t16, Kelly Lea, 9.825. t20, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.800.
Beam – 1, Katie Heenan, UGA, 9.950. t5, Nicki Butler, 9.850. t5, Annie Gagnon, 9.850. Lisa Rennie, 9.850. t16, April Burkholder, 9.825. t16, Kelly Phelan, 9.825. 39, Terin Martinjak, 9.575.
Floor – 1, Ashley Miles, ALA, 9.950. t2, April Burkholder, 9.900. t7, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, 9.875. t11, Terin Martinjak, 9.850. t11, Kelly Phelan, 9.850. t20, Nicki Butler, 9.825. t22, Lisa Rennie, 9.800.