BATON ROUGE – After posting a season-high 196.350 score against Georgia last week, the LSU gymnastics team checked in at No. 20 in the first regional qualifying score rankings released Monday by GymInfo.
LSU (2-7, 0-4 Southeastern Conference) earned a RQS of 194.825 to move into the top 20 nationally, and freshman Sarie Morrison jumped into the all-around rankings at No. 20 with a 38.960 RQS.
The RQS is based on a team’s and all-around competitor’s six best regular-season meet scores, but three meets must be away. To obtain the regional qualifying score, the high score is eliminated and the remaining five scores are averaged.
After scoring season highs as a team on beam and floor against the Gym Dogs, LSU advanced four spots in the beam rankings to No. 10 with a 48.655 RQS and stayed put at No. 25 on floor with a 48.760 score. The Tigers also moved up one spot to tie Kentucky for 11th on vault with a 48.975 RQS.
Morrison has captured three straight all-around titles, including her career-high 39.575 against Georgia that ranks as the fourth-highest all-around total nationally this season. It is also the highest all-around score by an LSU freshman since April Burkholder posted the school’s all-time record 39.875 on March 21, 2003.
Morrison also ranked 22nd on bars with a 9.835 RQS.
After becoming only the seventh gymnast in school history to score a 9.975 on floor, freshman Maliah Mathis moved into the floor rankings at No. 24 with a 9.830 RQS. Mathis’ 9.975 ties her with Florida’s Marissa King for the nation’s best score on the event.
LSU travels to face Kentucky at 6 p.m. CT Friday in Memorial Coliseum. Live audio will be available in the Geaux Zone on www.LSUsports.net/live and live score updates will be posted on www.Facebook.com/lsugym and @LSUgym on Twitter.
GymInfo Top 25 – February 21, 2011
Rank, Team, Regional Qualifying Score
1. Florida 197.055
2. Stanford 196.585
3. Oklahoma 196.250
4. Georgia 196.175
5. Alabama 196.115
6. Oregon State 195.935
7. Nebraska 195.595
8. Michigan 195.575
9. UCLA 195.355
10. Penn State 195.300
11. Washington 195.265
12. Denver 195.245
13. Boise State 195.215
14. Illinois 195.150
t15. Iowa 195.145
t15. Arkansas 195.145
17. Ohio State 195.055
18. Auburn 194.835
19. Kent State 194.829
20. LSU 194.825
21. Minnesota 194.775
22. Iowa State 194.750
23. Missouri 194.620
24. West Virginia 194.440
25. Arizona 194.400