BATON ROUGE — With the 2009 gymnastics season just around the corner, LSU gymnastics fans have the opportunity to reserve their season tickets for what is sure to be another record-setting season for the Tigers.
Fans wishing to catch all of the Tigers’ regular season home action can do so by reserving their season tickets today. Prices are $25 for adults and $15 for children. Tickets can be purchased online at www.LSUsports.net, over the phone by calling 225-578-2184 or in person at the LSU Ticket Office.
“The purchasing of the tickets and the support of our fans makes a huge difference,” said head coach D-D Breaux. “When the fans come out, it’s like having another person on the bench with you, it truly helps our success. It’s gratifying for us when we have a packed arena because it helps us build and become one of the top teams in the nation.”
In 2008, LSU reached the NCAA Super Six for the first time in the program’s history. The “Super Six” is the equivalent of college football’s BCS, basketball’s Final Four and baseball and softball’s College World Series.
The Tigers look to repeat success in 2009 as they return 10 gymnasts from the 2008 team.
What’s even more impressive for the Tigers is returning NCAA Vault Champion, Susan Jackson. Her two scores of 9.900 and 9.8125 averaged a 9.8563, beating out the field for first place. It was the fourth individual title for LSU and the first ever for vault.
Along with Jackson, senior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney won the all-round event title at the SEC Championships. She won the all-around title, posting a 39.600. Clare-Kearney is only the second LSU gymnast to win the SEC all-around title since Rachelle Fruge’ in 1991. She was also named 2008 SEC Gymnast of the Year.
The Tigers continued to rack up accolades in the 2008 season. Clare-Kearney, Jackson and Summer Hubbard all scored well enough in the NCAA Prelims to earn first-team All-American honors. Five Tigers matched their athletic performances in the classroom and earned Academic All-American honors. Clare-Kearney, Kristi Esposito, Sabrina Franceschelli, Lauren Klein and Kayla Rogers all earned that distinction.
The 2009 season will host the second annual Etta James Memorial Meet, which will take place on Saturday, March 7, at 6 p.m. Last season, the meet raised $30,950 which was donated to Foundation56, a breast cancer awareness foundation created by former LSU linebacker and current Dallas Cowboy Bradie James.
Not only did the “Pink Meet” raise money and awareness for the first time in 11 years, LSU Gymnastics set a new attendance record. On Feb. 22, more than 7,700 fans attended the meet at the PMAC against Alabama. The pervious record was set on Feb. 24, 1995, when 5,076 fans watched the Tigers compete against Georgia.
The Tigers open the season on Jan. 2 at the Cancun Classic in Cancun, Mexico. From there they travel to Iowa on Jan. 9 for a non-conference match-up. LSU then jumps right into the heart of SEC competition when they host against the defending national champions Georgia Gym Dogs on Jan 16.