BATON ROUGE – For the third straight week the LSU gymnastics team climbed in the RoadToNationals.com rankings as the Tigers moved up to No. 3 following a third-consecutive season-high score against Alabama, the site released Monday.
LSU (10-2, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) defeated Alabama, 197.925-196.225, Friday in front of a Maravich Center record crowd of 13,296, and the Tigers traded positions with the Crimson Tide in the national rankings.
LSU improved its regional qualifying score (RQS) from 197.150 to 197.340 to move into the No. 3 national ranking behind Oklahoma at No. 1 and Florida at No. 2.
The Tigers rank No. 1 nationally on vault, No. 3 on floor, No. 5 on bars and No. 10 on beam.
Individually, Ashleigh Gnat is No. 1 on vault and No. 2 on floor. Myia Hambrick is No. 6 in the all-around, No. 15 on beam and No. 20 on vault. Sydney Ewing is No. 9 on vault, while Sarah Finnegan is No. 12 on bars, Erin Macadaeg is No. 15 on beam and Randii Wyrick is No. 25 on floor.
LSU heads to Denton, Texas for the final regular season meet of the year this week. The Tigers will compete at a quad meet hosted by Texas Woman’s along with No. 16 Oregon State and New Hampshire.
The meet will begin at 6 p.m. CT Saturday, and FloGymnastics will have live video coverage for subscribers.
Last Week’s Result
Friday, March 4
No. 4 LSU def. No. 3 Alabama, 197.925-196.225
This Week’s Schedule
Saturday, March 12
No. 3 LSU at Texas Woman’s with No. 16 Oregon State, New Hampshire • Denton, Texas • 6 p.m. CT • FloGymnastics
Notes on the Tigers
For the third-straight week LSU earned a season-high score as the Tigers cruised past Alabama, 197.925-196.225, in front of a sold out Maravich Center and record crowd of 13,296 fans. The victory also sealed LSU’s third consecutive season with an undefeated home record. The Tigers have earned 21 straight home wins dating back to the end of the 2013 season. LSU used a season-high 49.475 on bars along with a 49.625 on floor, 49.450 on beam and 49.375 on vault to reach the season-best 197.925 to defeat the Crimson Tide. Junior Ashleigh Gnat made her first appearance in the all-around since Feb. 5, and she delivered stellar performances to finish with a season-high 39.625 total. Gnat earned her nation-leading fourth perfect 10.0 of the season and second on floor in the final performance of the night to punctuate LSU’s victory over Alabama and give the Tigers a season-high team score. Gnat also won her eighth vault title of the season with a 9.95. Gnat’s all-around title was her second of the year. She now leads the SEC with 20 total individual titles, eight vault titles and seven floor titles this season. Sarah Finnegan and Randii Wyrick shared the bars title with 9.925s, and Erin Macadaeg won her third beam title of the year with a 9.925. LSU’s 197.925 is tied as the nation’s third-highest score of the season. LSU moved up one spot to No. 3 in the national rankings with a 197.340 regional qualifying score, and the Tigers ranked No. 1 on vault at 49.415, No. 5 on bars at 49.330, No. 10 on beam at 49.170 and No. 3 on floor at 49.440. Individually, Ashleigh Gnat is No. 1 on vault and No. 2 on floor, Myia Hambrick is No. 6 in the all-around, No. 15 on beam and No. 20 on vault, Sydney Ewing is No. 9 on vault, Sarah Finnegan is No. 12 on bars, Erin Macadaeg is No. 15 on beam and Randii Wyrick is No. 25 on floor. LSU will close out the regular season in a quad meet hosted by Texas Woman’s. The Tigers will square off against TWU, Oregon State and New Hampshire at 6 p.m. CT Saturday in Kitty Magee Arena in Denton, Texas. FloGymnastics.com will have live video coverage of the meet.
RoadToNationals Gymnastics Top 25
March 7, 2016
Rank, Team, Regional Qualifying Score
1. Oklahoma 197.765
2. Florida 197.580
3. LSU 197.340
4. Alabama 197.325
5. Utah 197.105
6. Michigan 197.085
7. Auburn 196.940
8. UCLA 196.865
9. Georgia 196.820
10. Denver 196.605
11. Arkansas 196.470
12. Boise State 196.365
13. Stanford 196.305
14. California 196.290
15. Missouri 196.235
t16. Oregon State 196.205
t16. Nebraska 196.205
18. Iowa 196.200
19. Minnesota 196.105
20. Arizona 196.080
21. Kentucky 195.965
22. George Washington 195.905
23. Illinois 195.765
24. Washington 195.750
25. West Virginia 195.665
LSU in the Individual National Rankings
Sydney Ewing: 9th VT
Sarah Finnegan: 12th UB
Ashleigh Gnat: 1st VT, 2nd FX
Myia Hambrick: 6th AA, 15th BB, 20th VT
Erin Macadaeg: 15th BB
Randii Wyrick: 25th FX