NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The fourth-ranked LSU gymnastics squad started strong through three rotations, but the Tigers stumbled on beam to finish in fourth place with a 196.550 Saturday at the Southeastern Conference Championship in the Sommet Center.
Individually, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney won the floor title and earned First-Team All-SEC honors for the third straight year, and junior Susan Jackson earned First-Team All-SEC recognition for the second straight year by winning the beam title and finishing second in the all-around standings.
Clare-Kearney’s 9.95 on floor marked her 110th career individual title and moved her into sole possession of first place in LSU history. Clare-Kearney was tied with April Burkholder who captured 109 titles from 2003-06.
LSU (16-5) opened the meet on floor, which has been the weakest event of the season for the Tigers, but LSU came out strong and scored a 49.175 in the event. The Tigers kept the momentum rolling in the second rotation by scoring a 49.325 on vault.
LSU continued its strong meet with a 49.150 on bars as the Tigers only trailed Alabama heading into the fourth and final event. However, LSU could not keep pace with the Crimson Tide as the Tigers scored a 48.900 on beam to finish in fourth place.
No. 5 Alabama captured the SEC title and finished with a 197.300 while top-ranked Georgia came in second with a 196.925, and Florida was third with a 196.750.
“This is a long meet for everybody. Some teams had their mistakes early on and we had our mistakes late,” LSU head coach D-D Breaux said. “If you are going to win a meet like this you have to do every bit of difficulty you have, and we went to beam, were a little cautious and the pressure jumped on their backs a little bit.”
Individually, Jackson shined for LSU as she finished in a tie for second place in the all-around standings with a 39.525, including a tie for the beam title with a 9.90. The title marked Jackson’s second of her career at the SEC Championship as she was the vault champion last season.
Jackson also finished in a tie for eighth on vault with a 9.875 and a tie for sixth on floor with a 9.90.
Clare-Kearney finished her final SEC Championship meet with a third-place finish on vault with a 9.90. Her title on floor marked the second straight season Clare-Kearney has been the SEC Floor Champion, and she was also the All-Around Champion last season.
Junior Summer Hubbard also earned a top 10 score for the Tigers as she finished in a tie for seventh on beam with a 9.80. Junior Kayla Rogers was also impressive as she led LSU off with a 9.85 on vault and a 9.825 on floor to open the meet for the Tigers.
“This meet will make us better in the long run because it is possible we will have this rotation again at regionals or nationals, and we had a great effort tonight,” Breaux said.
LSU will have a week off to prepare for a berth in an NCAA Regional which will be held April 4, and the Tigers will have to wait to see where they will travel to compete.
2009 SEC AWARDS
SEC Gymnast of the Year ? Courtney Kupets, Georgia
SEC Freshman of the Year ? Whitney Rose, Kentucky
SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year ? Grace Taylor, Georgia
SEC Coach of the Year ? Suzanne Yoculan, Georgia
MEET RESULTS
Team
1. Alabama 197.300 (VT ? 49.450, UB ? 49.350, BB ? 49.025, FX ? 49.475)
2. Georgia 196.925 (VT ? 49.325, UB ? 49.500, BB ? 48.600, FX ? 49.500)
3. Florida 196.750 (VT ? 49.200, UB ? 49.325, BB ? 48.825, FX ? 49.350)
4. LSU 196.550 (VT ? 49.325, UB ? 49.150, BB ? 48.900, FX ? 49.175)
5. Auburn 196.350 (VT ? 49.125, UB ? 49.250, BB ? 48.850, FX ? 49.125)
6. Arkansas 195.650 (VT ? 49.200, UB ? 49.075, BB ? 48.275, FX ? 49.100)
7. Kentucky 195.000 (VT ? 49.225, UB ? 48.650, BB ? 48.300, FX ? 48.825)
Individual (Includes first place and all LSU competitors)
All-Around ? 1. Courtney Kupets (UGA) 39.775; t2. Susan Jackson 39.525; 15. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 39.100; t16. Sabrina Franceschelli 38.975
Vault ? t1. Courtney Kupets (UGA) 9.95; t1. Morgan Dennis (UA) 9.95; t3. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.90; t8. Susan Jackson 9.875; t12. Gloria Johnson 9.85; t12. Staci Schwitkis 9.85; t12. Kayla Rogers 9.85; t31. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.800
Bars ? 1. Courtney Kupets (UGA) 9.975; t6. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.90; t15. Susan Jackson 9.85; t15. Staci Schwitkis 9.85; t24. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.80; t32. Summer Hubbard 9.75; 40. Samantha Engle 9.125
Beam ? t1. Susan Jackson 9.90; t1. Courtney Kupets (UGA) 9.90; t1. Casey Jo Magee (ARK) 9.90; t7. Summer Hubbard 9.80; t20. Gloria Johnson 9.75; t20. Samantha Engle 9.75; 27. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.70; t35. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.35
Floor ? t1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.95; t1. Courtney Kupets (UGA) 9.95; t1. Morgan Dennis (UA) 9.95; t6. Susan Jackson 9.90; t25. Summer Hubbard 9.825; t25. Kayla Rogers 9.825; 38. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.675; t39. Gloria Johnson 9.650