BATON ROUGE — The annual LSU gymnastics awards banquet was held Friday night at the LSU French House as the coaches honored both team and individual success from the 2009 season.
LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva gave an introduction to open the banquet, and Mike Smith ? the voice of Tiger Gymnastics ? served as Master of Ceremonies.
Laura Leach, a member of the LSU Board of Supervisors, presented the team with their Super Six rings, and she also presented Ashleigh Clare-Kearney a championship ring for winning two national titles at the NCAA Championships as well as the floor exercise title at the SEC Championship.
Susan Jackson also received a championship ring for winning the SEC beam title.
Academic counselor Mary Boudreaux honored the five Tigers who were named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll: Sabrina Franceschelli, Lauren Klein, Kayla Rogers, Clare-Kearney and Jackson.
Boudreaux also presented certificates to Amanda Morales, Clare-Kearney and Klein for earning NACGC/W Scholastic All-America honors.
Sonny Gilbert, the husband of the late Dee Dee Fulmer Gilbert, presented Jackson with the Dee Dee Fulmer Gilbert Award that is given annually to the gymnast who consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to academic and athletic excellence.
Assistant coaches Bob Moore and Philip Ogletree presented senior Summer Hubbard with the Most Improved award. Hubbard trained all four events in 2009, competed on bars, beam and floor and helped lead LSU to its second-straight Super Six.
Associate Athletic Director Miriam Segar and Compliance Coordinator Blair Napolitano presented certificates to the school-record six gymnasts who earned All-America honors ? Staci Schwitkis, Rogers, Franceschelli, Hubbard, Jackson and Clare-Kearney.
Head coach D-D Breaux presented Daniel Nunes, the gymnastics marketing director, with the Eye of the Tiger Award, given annually to the person who displays exemplary dedication and effort in representing LSU gymnastics.