BATON ROUGE — The LSU gymnastics team took advantage of its home floor and captured its first regional title in 16 years, winning the NCAA Central Regional title before 1,196 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
By virtue of its win, the Tigers qualify for the 12-team field at the NCAA Championships, to be held in Tuscaloosa, Ala., from April 18-20.
“This has been our goal all season long,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “We left everything we had on the floor tonight. I’m so proud of the effort from this team. I’ve said all year long that this is the best team that I’ve ever had and they deserved to have a regional banner hanging from the PMAC ceiling for what they’ve done.”
LSU came up with a total of 196.450, easily outdistancing runner-up Florida, which posted a 195.900. Iowa State finished third followed by Central Michigan, New Hampshire and Illinois State.
Nicki Arnstad won the floor and all-around titles and electrified the Assembly Center crowd with her second 10.0 of the season. Arnstad posted a 10.0 on floor and a four-event total of 39.450. Arnstad also finished second on beam with a 9.825.
LSU opened with a surprisingly low score of 48.975 on bars, as the judging was very tight. Beth Boudreaux finished second with a score of 9.825, while Sharene Mamby and Marina Degteva tied for fourth with identical 9.800s.
After a 48.700 on beam, highlighted by Arnstad’s runner-up finish, the Tigers turned it up a notch on floor.
Breaux calmed her team down during a bye on the third rotation and her team to her message to heart.
The Tigers fired on all cylinders en route to a score of 49.525, the third highest score in school history. Arnstad’s 10.0 capped the run as the Tigers’ seized control of the meet. Degteva and Boudreaux both came up with 9.90s, while Lauren Companioni and Rachel Franzella came up with scores of 9.875 and 9.85 respectively.
After four rotations, the Tigers took control of the meet with Florida and Iowa State right on their heels.
LSU closed out on vault with a 49.250 and took the wind out of Iowa State’s sails. Shanyn MacEachern led the way with a 9.875 while Arnstad, Kristin Uranksy and Adrienne Couret came up with scores of 9.85.
After five rotations both LSU and Iowa State were finished and the Tigers knew that they had beaten one opponent and that the Cyclones could not catch them. Florida, however, still had one rotation remaining and needed a 49.400 to beat LSU.
The Gators could muster only a 48.875, which was enough to catapult them past Iowa State to claim the final regional berth, but was not enough to catch LSU as the Tigers had their first regional crown since 1986.
LSU will be making its fifth appearance at the NCAA Championships in the past six years and will attempt to qualify for the Super Six for the first time in school history.
at Baton Rouge, La.
| Team Results | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total | |
|
1 |
LSU |
49.250 |
48.975 |
48.700 |
49.525 |
196.450 |
|
2 |
Florida |
49.100 |
48.625 |
48.825 |
49.350 |
195.900 |
|
3 |
Iowa State |
48.900 |
48.775 |
48.650 |
49.075 |
195.400 |
|
4 |
Central Michigan |
48.925 |
47.375 |
48.075 |
49.300 |
193.675 |
|
5 |
New Hampshire |
48.550 |
48.050 |
47.950 |
48.525 |
193.075 |
|
6 |
Illinois State |
48.225 |
45.850 |
47.475 |
48.425 |
189.975 |
at Corvallis, Ore.
| Team Results | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total | |
|
1 |
Utah |
49.125 |
49.300 |
49.225 |
49.450 |
197.100 |
|
2 |
Oregon State |
48.700 |
49.250 |
49.225 |
49.625 |
196.800 |
|
3 |
Oklahoma |
48.975 |
49.025 |
49.100 |
49.525 |
196.625 |
|
4 |
Washington |
48.675 |
48.950 |
48.000 |
49.150 |
194.775 |
|
5 |
Boise State |
48.275 |
48.525 |
48.625 |
49.125 |
194.550 |
|
6 |
Southern Utah |
48.550 |
47.275 |
48.325 |
49.200 |
193.350 |
at College Park, Pa.
| Team Results | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total | |
|
1 |
Nebraska |
49.400 |
48.725 |
48.675 |
49.125 |
195.925 |
|
2 |
Michigan |
49.100 |
48.200 |
49.125 |
49.175 |
195.600 |
|
3 |
Iowa |
48.875 |
48.775 |
49.050 |
48.775 |
195.475 |
|
4 |
George Washington |
48.375 |
47.900 |
47.725 |
48.675 |
192.675 |
|
5 |
Penn State |
48.275 |
48.250 |
47.600 |
48.100 |
192.225 |
|
6 |
Pittsburgh |
48.475 |
45.725 |
48.250 |
48.525 |
190.975 |
at Denver, Colo.
| Team Results | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total | |
|
1 |
Stanford |
49.075 |
49.325 |
48.425 |
49.300 |
196.125 |
|
1 |
Georgia |
49.075 |
48.900 |
49.325 |
48.825 |
196.125 |
|
3 |
Denver |
48.975 |
48.550 |
49.075 |
49.400 |
196.000 |
|
4 |
Missouri |
48.700 |
49.125 |
48.250 |
48.925 |
195.000 |
|
5 |
Air Force |
47.850 |
48.700 |
48.200 |
49.025 |
193.775 |
|
6 |
Utah State |
48.450 |
48.400 |
48.100 |
48.450 |
193.400 |
at Morgantown, W.V.
Team Scores
1. Alabama 197.900
2. Minnesota 196.050
3. West Virginia 194.850
4. North Carolina 194.825
5. Kentucky 194.225
6. Michigan State 193.150
at Tempe, Ariz.
| Team Results | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total | |
|
1 |
UCLA |
49.125 |
49.475 |
49.475 |
49.350 |
197.425 |
|
2 |
Arizona |
48.625 |
48.600 |
49.125 |
48.600 |
194.950 |
|
3 |
Arizona State University |
48.675 |
48.825 |
48.325 |
49.050 |
194.875 |
|
4 |
Brigham Young |
48.500 |
48.125 |
48.750 |
48.625 |
194.000 |
|
5 |
Cal State Fullerton |
47.575 |
48.050 |
48.200 |
48.175 |
192.000 |
|
6 |
Illinois-Chicago |
47.900 |
48.150 |
48.200 |
47.675 |
191.925 |