BATON ROUGE – Following 11 weeks of the regular season, the LSU gymnastics team ranks second in the nation heading into postseason competition with a Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 197.890, RoadToNationals.com released Monday.
The Tigers’ RQS jumped up from 197.755 to 197.890 following a team score of 198.125 at home against No. 36 Arizona. LSU has now scored a school record four team scores of 198 or higher this season.
The RQS is ascertained by taking a team’s top six scores – three of which must be from road/neutral meets – dropping the high score and averaging the remaining five scores.
LSU’s meet scores counting toward its RQS are: 198.075 at GymQuarters Invite, 197.575 at Georgia, 197.575 at NC State, 198.175 at home against TWU, 198.100 against Auburn, and 198.125 against Arizona
The squad must drop the 198.175 against TWU as it’s the highest of the six. The remaining scores average out to 197.890 for second in the nation behind Oklahoma. LSU is in front of UCLA with a 197.840 for third and Utah with a 197.540 for fourth.
In the event rankings, the squad owns the top spot on bars with an RQS of 49.580. LSU’s bars lineup posted a 49.750 for a new school record and tied for the second-highest in NCAA gymnastics since at least 1998. The Tigers have now put together two scores of 49.700 or higher on bars this season.
LSU also ranks second on floor, third on beam and fifth on vault nationally. Junior Sarah Finnegan, who earned a perfect 10.0 score on both bars and beam against Arizona, owns the top spot on bars in the nation. Senior Myia Hambrick is the top floor performer in the nation this year.
The defending SEC Champions will return to St. Louis to go for a second-straight meet title at 6 p.m. CT Saturday. The meet will be televised live on ESPN2.
RoadToNationals Gymnastics Top 25
March 19, 2018
1. Oklahoma, 198.120
2. LSU, 197.890
3. UCLA, 197.840
4. Utah, 197.540
5. Florida, 197.365
6. Alabama, 197.165
7. Michigan, 197.075
8. Washington, 196.915
9. Kentucky, 196.800
10. California, 196.775
11(t). Oregon State, 196.765
11(t). Arkansas, 196.765
13. Denver, 196.675
14. Nebraska, 196.660
15. Boise State, 196.650
16. Auburn, 196.595
17. Arizona State, 196.510
18. Georgia, 196.470
19. George Washington, 196.460
20. BYU, 196.430
21. Missouri, 196.375
22. North Carolina State, 196.300
23. Minnesota, 196.160
24. Ohio State, 196.085
25. West Virginia, 196.070
LSU in the Individual National Rankings (Top-25)
Myia Hambrick – 1st FX, 5th BB, 5th AA, 11th VT, 13th UB,
Kennedi Edney – 9th FX, 10th AA, 12th UB, 16th VT
Sarah Finnegan – 1st UB, 4th BB, 4th AA, 7th FX, 23rd VT
Lexie Priessman – 5th UB