BATON ROUGE — Following solid outings in back-to-back weeks, the LSU gymnastics team is listed at No. 7 in the first regular season rankings, released Monday.
Rankings are based on season average until Feb. 18 when a team’s regional qualifying score will determine its place in the standings.
Two weeks into the season, the Tigers are averaging a solid 195.637 after notching a 195.725 at the season-opening Cancun Classic and then posting a 195.550 in the home opener versus Iowa last week.
Three fellow SEC schools hold down the top-three spots in the rankings as Florida paces the pack with a 197.125 average, followed by Georgia at 196.537 and Alabama and Utah tied at No. 3, each with a 196.300. Stanford rounds out the top five (196.150).
The Tigers are also ranked among the top 15 nationally on each of the four individual events. LSU enters the rankings at the No. 4 on both the vault (49.200) and floor (49.187), No. 7 on the bars (48.875) and No. 15 on the beam (48.412).
Individually, juniors Ashleigh Clare-Kearney and Lauren Klein have earned spots among the national ranks.
Clare-Kearney is tied for first in the nation on the vault with a 9.925 average. She is also listed at No. 3 in the all-around (39.512), No. 4 on the floor (9.900) and No. 8 on the beam (9.862)
Klein enters the floor rankings at No. 12, averaging a 9.887.
The Tigers return to action this Friday when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for a dual meet with No. 8 Arkansas.
Gymnastics National Rankings ? Jan. 14, 2008
Rank Team Team Ave
1 Florida 197.125
2 Georgia 196.537
3t Alabama 196.300
3t Utah 196.300
5 Stanford 196.150
6 Michigan 196.075
7 LSU 195.637
8 Arkansas 195.250
9 Oklahoma 195.150
10 UCLA 194.975
11 Nebraska 194.525
12t Missouri 194.100
12t Arizona 194.100
14t Penn State 194.050
14t Denver 194.050
16 Oregon State 193.875
17 Ohio State 193.850
18 Kentucky 193.450
19 Illinois-Champaign 192.775
20 Minnesota 192.725
21 Boise State 192.625
22 California 192.525
23t Arizona State 192.475
23t Iowa State 192.475
25 N.C. State 192.350