FORT WORTH – The No. 1 LSU Gymnastics team concluded their impressive 2025 season during the evening session of the 2025 NCAA Championship Semifinals, finishing in third place with a team score of 197.5250 on Thursday night at Dickies Arena. The Tigers faced tough competition, finishing behind Utah (197.7625) and UCLA (197.7375), who advanced to the finals on Saturday based on their top two finishes. Despite their efforts, LSU managed to outperform Michigan State (197.3625) on the night.
Freshman standout Kailin Chio capped off an extraordinary debut season by clinching the title of 2025 NCAA Vault Champion with a remarkable score of 9.9750. This victory marks the 19th individual national championship for LSU and the eighth title specifically on vault.
The Tigers began the evening strong on the balance beam, where freshman Lexi Zeiss set the tone with a score of 9.9000. Following her, junior Ashley Cowan contributed with a 9.8125, and Chio earned a 9.8250 in the third position. Senior Aleah Finnegan scored 9.8500, while sophomore Konnor McClain finished with a 9.8750. The anchor, senior Haleigh Bryant, matched McClain with a score of 9.8750, leading to a solid rotation score of 49.3250.
After the opening rotation, LSU was in third place with a score of 49.3250, trailing behind UCLA (49.5250) and Michigan State (49.3875).
In the second rotation, LSU continued on beam, with graduate student Sierra Ballard starting strong with a score of 9.8750. Sophomore Kylie Coen followed up with a 9.8000, and Chio once again delivered with a 9.8750. McClain contributed a score of 9.9000, while Bryant added another 9.8750. Unfortunately, Finnegan faced a setback with a fall, scoring 9.2250. This rotation resulted in another 49.3250 score.
At the halfway mark, LSU's total of 98.6500 placed them fourth overall, behind Michigan State (98.8375), Utah (98.7750), and UCLA (98.7625).
The Tigers then moved to the floor exercise, where McClain led with a score of 9.8625. Ballard contributed with a 9.8250, while Chio followed with a score of 9.8875. In the fourth spot, sophomore Amari Drayton scored 9.9000, and Finnegan impressed with a 9.9375. Bryant anchored the rotation with a score of 9.9125, culminating in a strong rotation score of 49.5000.
Heading into the final rotation, LSU's score of 148.1500 placed them second, just behind UCLA (148.1875) and ahead of Utah (148.1125) and Michigan State (148.0000).
LSU concluded the night on vault, with senior KJ Johnson starting with a score of 9.8375. Zeiss followed with a 9.8000, and Finnegan recorded 9.8500. Drayton scored 9.8125, and Chio executed a stunning yurchenko one and a half, earning a score of 9.9750. Bryant capped the rotation with a score of 9.9000, bringing LSU’s final rotation score to 49.3750.
Unfortunately, this score was not enough to secure a top two finish for the Tigers, thus preventing them from advancing to the final round on Saturday. However, Chio’s remarkable vault score of 9.9750 earned her the title of 2025 NCAA Vault Champion. This victory marked a significant achievement, as it was the first vault title for LSU since 2021.
Chio joined an elite group, becoming just the third freshman in LSU gymnastics history to win an individual national championship, following in the footsteps of Haleigh Bryant and Kennedi Edney. LSU's overall score placed them fourth among both semifinal sessions on Thursday, with Finnegan and Bryant finishing in the top 10 performers of the day. Bryant placed fifth on vault and tenth on floor, while Finnegan also secured fifth on floor. Chio finished tied for sixth in the all-around during her first nationals appearance as a freshman.
LSU's third-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championship Semifinals marks the end of a historic season, highlighted by a regular season championship, their sixth SEC Championship title, their first-ever No. 1 seed, and the program’s 15th regional championship.
Semifinal I: Oklahoma 197.5500, Missouri 197.3000, Florida 197.2000, Alabama 196.8250
