BATON ROUGE – The second-ranked LSU gymnastics team closed out the fall before more than 2,500 fans with a team score of 197.400 in the fourth annual Gym 101 showcase Monday evening inside the Maravich Center.
“We had a great crowd and it has consistently grown every year,” head coach D-D Breaux said. “It was great to get the kinks out in our home arena since it’s not like being in the gym. They were a little tight during warmups, but I’m proud of the way we came out tonight.”
“Ashleigh Gnat was absolutely incredible tonight and Myia Hambrick was strong. We could not have asked for a better preparation for a season opener in January.”
The 2017 squad was able to perform for the first time inside the PMAC in preparation for the opening meet of the season against Georgia on Jan. 6. Season tickets are on sale through the LSU Ticket Office. Fans can purchase online at LSUtix.net for all six of the Tigers’ meets this season.
During Gym 101, Breaux used a lineup of seven gymnasts for the four-rotation intrasquad. Breaux along with associate head coach Jay Clark walked the crowd through many of the performances throughout the night.
On vault, the team totaled a score of 49.50 to start off with a bang. Veterans Hambrick and Gnat each totaled scores of 9.95 to wrap up the lineup. Freshman Kennedi Edney also highlighted vault with a 9.90.
Hambrick and sophomore Lexie Priessman tied for the squad lead on bars with scores of 9.90. Freshmen Ruby Harrold and Edney also finished with scores of 9.85 to close out the second rotation with a score of 49.30.
On beam, three gymnasts tied for the lead with Hambrick, Gnat and sophomore Sarah Finnegan all totaling score of 9.90. Priessman also totaled a 9.85 in the final spot of the lineup to push the rotation score to 49.350
To close out the meet, Gnat and Finnegan each scored 9.90’s on floor. McKenna Kelley also finished with a score of 9.85.
In 2017, LSU will face off against 10 teams ranked in the Top-25, including five in the Top-10. Four home meets in 2017 will come against teams ranked in the Top-25 of the preseason poll beginning with the ninth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 6 inside the Maravich Center. The Tigers will take on No. 19 Missouri on Feb. 3, No. 25 George Washington and No. 22 Iowa on Feb. 19, and No. 5 Florida on March 10.
Fans can follow the Tigers on the team’s social media channels: @LSUgym on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, www.Facebook.com/lsugym and at YouTube.com/lsugymnastics.