BATON ROUGE — After posting a pair of 194.000-plus scores in the first two meets of the season the LSU gymnastics team slipped five spots to No. 14 in the latest national rankings released Monday. Rankings are based on a team’s season average.
SEC foe Florida tops this year’s first regular season rankings, averaging a 197.600 team score. Georgia follows with a 196.675 average, while Utah (196.325), Alabama (195.700) and Nebraska (195.200) round out the top five.
The bottom half of the top 10 include Iowa State (195.062), UCLA (194.987), Arizona (194.975), Michigan State (194.925) and Michigan (194.850). The Tigers follow in 14th with an average of 194.475.
LSU is also ranked nationally on three of the four individual events.
The Tigers earned the nation’s top billing on the vault, averaging an impressive 49.400 through two meets.
LSU is also listed at No. 12 on the bars (48.762) and No. 20 on the floor (48.525).
The Tigers also have five athletes who earned individual national rankings just two weeks into the season.
After winning two straight meet titles on the vault, junior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney is ranked second on the event with a season average of 9.962. She is also listed at No. 21 in the all-around with a 39.075 average.
LSU’s top ranked vaulting squad has three other athletes ranked among the nation’s 25.
Seniors Kelly Phelan (9.912) and Nicki Butler (9.900) are listed at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, while junior Emily Ellis comes in at No. 15 (9.850).
In addition, freshman Summer Hubbard earned the first national ranking of her career as she is listed at No. 25 on the bars with a 9.850 average.
Gymnastics National Rankings ? Jan. 15
Team, Avergae
1. Florida, 196.700
2. Georgia, 196.675
3. Utah 196.325
4. Alabama, 195.700
5. Nebraska, 195.200
6. Iowa State, 195.062
7. UCLA, 194.987
8. Arizona, 194.975
9. Michigan State, 194.925
10. Michigan, 194.850
11. West Virginia, 194.800
12. Stanford, 194.600
13. Oklahoma, 194.500
14. LSU, 194.475
15. Minnesota, 194.400
16. Auburn, 194.262
17. Denver, 194.175
18. Penn State, 194.087
19. Southern Utah, 194.075
20. Arkansas, 193.825
21. Oregon State, 193.800
22. SE Missouri, 193.700
23. BYU, 193.675
24. Ohio State, 193.625
25. Kentucky, 193.575