BATON ROUGE – The LSU gymnastics team stayed put at No. 2 in the RoadToNationals.com rankings released Monday after its 197.475 team score and win over No. 6 Kentucky on Friday night in Lexington.
The Tigers own the second-highest average score in the country, a 197.588. LSU has opened the season with a 197 or better in every meet for the best start in school history. The 197-plus streak dating back to last season is at 12, which is two shy of the school record. LSU, Oklahoma and Florida continue to be the only teams in the country with scores of 197 or better in all four meets.
The Sooners remained in the top spot with an average of 197.781. The Gators are in third with an average of 197.431. National rankings are based on a team’s overall season average for the first few weeks of the season before switching to the regional qualifying score (RQS).
After a season-high score of 49.475, LSU ranks No. 1 on beam with an average of 49.388. Junior Myia Hambrick is tied for seventh in the country, junior Erin Macadaeg is tied for 18th, freshman Kennedi Edney is tied for 22nd and senior Ashleigh Gnat rounds out the list at 25.
The Tigers scored a season-high score of 49.550 on floor to push their average to 49.475 for second in the country. The team score was the highest on the road against an SEC opponent in school history. Individually three gymnasts rank in the top-10 with Hambrick at No. 5, Gnat at No. 6 and Edney at No. 8.
Gnat ranks No.2 on vault with an average of 9.938 through four meets. Edney also ranks No. 14 and Priessman checks in at No. 21 for the vault team that ranks third in the nation with an average score of 49.388.
The squad also checks in at No. 3 in the bars rankings with an average of 49.338. Sophomore Sarah Finnegan ranks No. 12 and freshmen Ruby Harrold and Edney are at No. 14 and No. 25 respectively.
Edney, Gnat, Finnegan and Hambrick all rank in the top-15 of the all-around. Gnat is tied for seventh, Finnegan is 12th and Hambrick is 15th. Edney competed in the all-around for the first time Friday and totaled a score of 39.625 for the second-highest score by a freshman in school history.
LSU returns to the Maravich Center Meet on Friday, February 3 against Missouri. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets ahead of time and arrive early for introductions at 7:10 p.m. The meet will be streamed live on WatchESPN.com through SECNetwork+
RoadToNationals Gymnastics Top 25
Jan. 30, 2017
Rank, Team, Season Average
Rank Team, Average
1 Oklahoma, 197.781
2 LSU, 197.588
3 Florida. 197.431
4 Utah, 197.075
5 UCLA, 196.617
6 Alabama, 196.44
7 Michigan, 196.381
8 Denver, 196.25
9 Georgia, 196.115
10 Kentucky, 196.035
11(t) Southern Utah, 195.975
11(t) Missouri, 195.975
11(t) Boise State, 195.975
14 Oregon State, 195.925
15 California, 195.8
16 George Washington, 195.731
17 Auburn, 195.645
18 Washington, 195.6
19 Ohio State, 195.538
20 Nebraska, 195.517
21 Illinois-Champaign, 195.256
22 Iowa, 195.245
23 Minnesota, 195.075
24 Arkansas, 195.038
25 West Virginia, 195.031
LSU in the Individual National Rankings
Myia Hambrick: 5th FX, 7th BB, 15th AA
Sarah Finnegan: 12th AA, 12th UB,
Ashleigh Gnat: 2nd VT, 6th FX, 7th AA, 25th BB
Kennedi Edney: 2nd AA, 8th FX 14th VT, 14th UB, 22nd BB
Lexie Priessman: 9th UB, 21st VT,
Ruby Harrold: 25th UB,
Erin Macadaeg: 18th BB