No. 2 LSU Gymnastics Hosts No. 7 Florida in Top-10 SEC Showdown

BATON ROUGE, La. – The No. 2 LSU gymnastics team (3-1) will face No. 7 Florida (3-0) in a highly anticipated top-10 Southeastern Conference (SEC) showdown at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Friday, January 17, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The meet, broadcast nationally on ESPN2, marks LSU’s conference opener and a chance to build on their strong start to the season.

“We’ve had a strong start to the year so far, and our mindset doesn’t change as we enter conference competition this week,” said LSU head coach Jay Clark. “We want to continue to move forward each week. This team has done exactly what it needs to do so far, and this week is just step three in the process. We’re excited to get back in front of our home fans for a big matchup against a top-10 team.”

This will be the 125th meeting between the two programs, with Florida leading the all-time series 78-46-0. The Tigers are coming off a historic 2024 season, where they defeated the Gators in the NCAA Finals to claim their first-ever national championship. LSU aims to continue their momentum in front of a home crowd, with the first 1,000 fans receiving mini replica national championship rings.

LSU enters the meet ranked No. 2 nationally with an average score of 197.475. The team is coming off a record-breaking performance at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad Meet in Oklahoma City, where they posted a program-high road opener score of 197.650. Senior Aleah Finnegan and freshman Kailin Chio have been standout performers, with Finnegan ranking second in the all-around nationally and Chio sitting at fifth.

Florida, meanwhile, remains undefeated this season and is ranked No. 7. The Gators boast a strong lineup, including Danie Ferris, who shared the SEC Specialist of the Week award with LSU’s Ashley Cowan. The matchup is one of three top-10 SEC duals this weekend, alongside No. 10 Missouri at No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 3 Alabama at No. 8 Kentucky.

LSU’s roster features 15 returners, including 2024 NCAA All-Around Champion Haleigh Bryant and All-American Olivia Dunne. The Tigers also welcome a talented freshman class, led by Chio, who has already earned back-to-back SEC Freshman of the Week honors. “This team has a lot of depth and experience,” Clark said. “We’re focused on taking it one meet at a time and continuing to improve.”

Fans can expect an electric atmosphere at the PMAC, with doors opening at 5 p.m. CT. The meet will feature LSU’s signature superhero-themed leotards and a chance to witness one of the nation’s premier gymnastics rivalries.