Friday, February 4, 2011

LSU Interactive Media Guide Available

Click the link below to check-out the 2011 LSU Gymnastics Media Guide - an interactive version.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

LSU vs. BYU Gymnastics still on tomorrow!

LSU officials announced this afternoon that Friday night's gymnastics meet is on.  BYU safely landed at the Baton Rouge airport this afternoon and judges are expected to be available for the 7pm meet inside the Maravich Center.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Florida Meet Recap; Preview Metroplex

The LSU Tigers are in Fort Worth, Texas to participate in the 2011 Metroplex Challenge tonight at 7:30pm.  LSU will take on Missouri, Nebraska, and Alabama inside the Fort Worth Convention Center in front of, what we expect to be, the largest contingent of LSU fans to see a road gymnastics meet ever.  If you're not in North Texas and can't make the easy drive over to Fort Worth, you can catch all the action of tonight's meet LIVE and FREE inside the GeauxZone on LSUSports.net.  Here's a quick and easy link to the broadcast.

A Look Back At Florida
The first home meet of the 2011 season is one that this young LSU team has already put behind them.  In front of one of the largest season-opening meet crowds ever inside the PMAC, the Tigers were chomped by the Gators by nearly two and a half points.  It was the worst home loss for LSU in 14 years.  Injuries to key gymnasts kept the lineups thin with experience at the start of the meet for LSU. But the Tigers also hurt themselves with a disastrous bars effort - 48.1 - one of the lowest scores on the event in recent memory.  With 8 freshmen of 14 gymnasts on the roster, Head Coach D-D Breaux has worked hard this past week to rid the Tigers' memory banks of that night and focus them squarely on improving in tonight's meet, instead.

Hall of Fame Rocker Gene Simmons Greets Tigers At DFW
The photos on the blog here say it all.  Legendary rock star Gene Simmons was apart of the "official" welcoming party as LSU arrived at the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport on Friday afternoon.  In fact, Simmons was temporarily "stuck" inside a malfunctioning security carousel with LSU gymnast Gloria Johnson, who is currently using crutches to get around.  After the carousel began to move, Simmons made a beeline for the down escalator towards baggage claim.  He was "intercepted" by Tony Morrison (no, not the other legendary performer), rather the father of LSU gymnast Sarie Morrison.  Tony asked Gene (thinking he was just "some guy") to hold the end of the LSU banner in the photo.  The rest is history as Simmons posed for photographs with the LSU entourage.  The team was buzzing about the chance meeting well into the night.

Team Hotel A Part of History
The team is staying in the Fort Worth Hilton Hotel directly across the street from the Ft. Worth Convention Center, site of tonight's meet.  The hotel is the place where President John F. Kennedy slept the night before he was assassinated on November 22, 1963.  At the time, the hotel was known as The Texas Hotel.  The president spoke in the hotel ballroom at breakfast and then gave a press conference in the hotel lobby before departing for Dallas, and the event that would  stop the world.

Tigers Remain In Top 25
With the 194.000 score against Florida last week, LSU slipped one spot to #25 in the national rankings, according to GymInfo.com.  LSU's average score is 193.942.  According to research completed by LSU SID Jake Terry, the Tigers have been in the Top 25 for 142 consecutive polls.  That's a streak of 517 weeks, or nearly 10 years.  This is truly an amazing statistic and shows the consistency with which the Tigers have performed for the past decade.

Susan Jackson Back In Action
No, her collegiate eligibility is complete.  But former LSU gymnast and 3-time National Champion Susan Jackson begins her own coaching career today in Ft. Worth.  Jackson is coaching the team from the Louisiana Gymnastics Training Center, which is participating in the large age group meet taking place prior to tonight's collegiate event.  Good luck Susan!

Injuries Force Lineup Changes
Injuries have piled up against this young Tiger team to start the 2011 season.  This week, freshman Mckenzie Fox was lost for the season with a freak lower leg injury during practice.  Also this week, freshman Sarah Zoldos, already a 3-event mainstay for the Tigers, suffered a sprained ankle and will compete only bars tonight at the Metroplex meet.  LSU will look forward to the return of senior Sam Engle to the bars line-up tonight after a two meet absence.  She continues to rehab a sprained ankle and hopes to return to her normal 3-event routines within the next two weeks.

These injuries will thrust sophomore Janelle Garcia into tonight's vault line-up for the first time.  Should Zoldos not be able to go on bars, Janelle would also slot into the bars line-up.  Freshman Casey Duvall will see her first action as a Tiger tonight.  The Gretna, LA native will exhibition on balance beam.

Tonight's Lineup
Here is tonight's pre-meet lineup for the LSU Tigers (0-3, 0-1, ranked 25th).  LSU drew the traditional "home team" rotation order of vault, bars, beam, and floor.

Vault
Ericka Garcia, SO
Ashley Lee, JR
Kaleigh Dickson, FR
Maliah Mathis, FR
Sarie Morrison, FR
Janelle Garcia, SO

Bars
Ericka Garcia, SO
Shelby Prunty, SO
Sarah Zoldos, FR
Kaleigh Dickson, FR
Sam Engle, SR
Sarie Morrison, FR

Balance Beam
Shelby Prunty, SO
Janelle Garcia, SO
Maliah Mathis, FR
Kaleigh Dickson, FR
Sarie Morrison, FR
Ericka Garcia, SO
Casey Duvall, FR (exhibition)

Floor Exercise
Ashley Lee, JR
Janelle Garcia, SO
Shelby Prunty, SO
Kaleigh Dickson, FR
Sarie Morrison, FR
Maliah Mathis, FR

All Around
Kaleigh Dickson, FR
Sarie Morrison, FR (39.1 AA vs. Florida last week)

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Friday, January 28, 2011

Hall of Fame Rocker Greets Tigers

Rocker and actor Gene Simmons welcomed the Tigers upon arrival at DFW on Friday.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Friday, January 14, 2011

Meet Two: LSU at Auburn

This morning, the LSU Tigers awakened to a 14 degree day in Auburn, Alabama, nearly 25 degrees colder and 3 time zones removed from last Friday's season opening gymnastics meet at Oregon State.  But when the curtain falls on the first SEC meet of the season tonight inside the new Auburn Arena, expect a competitive event between two young teams.

Here are a few story lines we'll be watching tonight:
  • We will have our first look inside the new Auburn Arena.  With a capacity of less than 9,000 in the gymnastics configuration, expect a cozy meet with fans on top of the action.  It will be Auburn gymnastics' first meet in their new digs and several promotions are planned including glow-in-the-dark wands for fans and an indoor fireworks show. The arena sits directly across the street from Jordan-Hare Stadium and, yes, the campus is still buzzing from Monday night's BCS National Championship football game.
  • LSU will be without senior team leader Sam Engle for tonight's meet.  Sam sprained an ankle earlier this week at practice and is receiving treatment.  Hopefully she can return to the bars, beam and floor lineups within the next couple of weeks.  This means that additional freshmen will receive early season opportunities to gain experience which can only help the Tigers down the road.
  • LSU will also be without the services of junior Gloria Johnson.  Gloria had been nursing a foot injury from off-season workouts but had surgery earlier this week. She will be redshirted this season.
  • By contrast, Auburn has only 4 underclassmen on its gymnastics roster. However, the team is trying to find its way under first-year Head Coach Jeff Graba. Last week at Iowa State, the Auburn Tigers scored 192.775 and were led by junior Petrina Yokay who competed three events she hadn't competed in over three years.
  • So which one of the young Tiger teams will come out on top tonight?  Join us on our broadcast live and free in the GeauxZone on LSUSports.net beginning at 7:00pm Central Time.
D-D Breaux Talks Up Team
Catch a short video of Head Coach D-D Breaux "coaching up" the Tigers with a pre-meet speech before the Auburn meet.  Click here for D-D's short speech.  You can also catch LSU sophomore Shelby Prunty in this morning's "Power Circle" - a visualization exercise that the Tigers complete the morning of each meet.

Streak Ends, Tigers Look To Start Another
A remarkable 8-year streak came to an end last Friday at Oregon State when no Tiger won an individual event title against the Beavers.  The streak began on February 23, 2003 at Nebraska's Masters Classic.

LSU Commands Series Against Auburn
Tonight marks the 74th meeting between the Tigers and War Eagles.  LSU commands the series 62-11, including 10-4 at Auburn. One of the four losses for LSU at Auburn came in 2009, the last time LSU visited the Plains in the old Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.  Widely regarded as one of LSU's worst-ever dual meet road performances, the Tigers bounced back from that loss and reeled-off 6 straight wins to end the regular season on their way to LSU's second Super Six appearance in school history.

Tonight's Lineup
Here is tonight's pre-meet lineup for the LSU Tigers (0-1, 0-0, ranked 25th)

Bars
Ericka Garcia, SO
Mckenzie Fox, FR
Kaleigh Dickson, FR
Shelby Prunty, SO
Sarah Zoldos, FR
Sarie Morrison, FR
Janelle Garcia, FR (exhibition)

Vault
Ericka Garcia, SO
Sarah Zoldos, FR
Ashley Lee, JR
Kaleigh Dickson, FR
Maliah Mathis, FR
Sarie Morrison, FR
Mckenzie Fox, FR (alternate)

Floor Exercise
Ashley Lee, JR
Sarah Zoldos, FR
Shelby Prunty, SO
Kaleigh Dickson, FR
Sarie Morrison, FR
Maliah Mathis, FR
Janelle Garcia, FR (exhibition)

Balance Beam
Shelby Prunty, SO
Maliah Mathis, FR
Kaleigh Dickson, FR
Sarie Morrison, FR
Janelle Garcia, SO
Ericka Garcia, SO
Sarah Zoldos, FR (exhibition)

All Around
Kaleigh Dickson, FR (first AA at LSU)
Sarie Morrison, FR (2nd place AA at Oregon St. last week)

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Monday, January 10, 2011

Photo gallery: LSU at Oregon State

LSU started the 2011 gymnastics season with a trip to Corvallis, Oregon to take on the Oregon State Beavers. Here are a few pictures taken prior to the competition in Gill Coliseum.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics

Friday, January 7, 2011

Meet One: The Start of Something New

Good afternoon Tiger Fans from the Great Northwest!  The LSU Tigers gymnastics team is here in Corvallis, Oregon to start the 37th season of LSU Gymnastics against the Oregon State Beavers.  Paige Cipolloni and Ashleigh Clare-Kearney will join me on the broadcast beginning at 9:00 pm Central time and we invite you to join us in the GeauxZone on LSUSports.net.

New Year, New Look Team
D-D Breaux begins her 34th year as LSU head coach tonight and she faces a season of rebuilding ahead after the departure of the winningest senior class in school history.  In fact, when the Tigers arrive in Gill Coliseum this evening, it will mark the first time since 2006 that LSU has not returned its leading gymnast from the previous year.  Expect 5 of the 8 freshmen on the 2011 roster to see action in tonight's first meet of the season.  These newcomers will complement sophomores Shelby Prunty, Ericka Garcia, and Janelle Garcia along with junior All-American Ashley Lee.  Samantha Engle, a second team All-American last season, is the Tiger's lone senior in 2011.  She will be called on to provide important leadership to a team certain to search for its identity early this season.

Eight freshmen on this year's roster is the most since 2001.  That number includes two redshirt freshmen (Kaleigh Dickson, Lanie Fleming) who sat out last season due to injuries.  Likewise, one senior on this year's squad is the fewest since 2008.

Youth Ready To Roll
Tonight will mark the much anticipated debut of redshirt freshman Kaleigh Dickson (Oldsmar, FL-Lafleur's Gym).  Dickson was set to be a solid contributor for the Tigers last season before a serious knee injury ended her year just prior to the start of the 2010 campaign.  Though not in tonight's all-around, expect Dickson to claim a spot in each event in the coming weeks.  The diminutive 4' 10" Sarah Zoldos (Clearwater, FL-Lafleur's Gym) is also in three events tonight.  Don't let her size fool you, though.  She is expected to be a mainstay for the Tigers on vault, bars and floor this year.

Tonight, Sarie Morrison (Dallas, TX-Metroplex Gym) becomes the first LSU freshman since April Burkholder (38.700 in 2003) to debut in the All-Around.  Many eyes will be on this promising young freshman as she works to sharpen her routines throughout the season.  Watch for freshmen Mckenzie Fox (bars) and Maliah Mathis (vault, floor) to make impacts as well.

ACK Back With The Program
Now a law school student at LSU, two-time National Champion Ashleigh Clare-Kearney has rejoined the Tiger gymnastics program as a volunteer assistant coach.  She has choreographed each of the team's floor exercise routines this season.

Pre-Season Rankings Bode Tough Schedule Ahead
As has become the norm in Baton Rouge, the LSU gymnastics team faces another tough schedule of opponents in 2011.  Nine of the the Tiger's opponents are ranked in the pre-season Top 25 with five of those in the Top 10.  LSU will face 6 of these Top 25 opponents on the road and only 3 inside the Maravich Center.

A Look At Oregon State
LSU is repaying the Beaver's visit to Baton Rouge last season with tonight's meet here in Corvallis.  LSU defeated Oregon State in the Maravich Center by nearly a point and a half in 2010, 196.925 to 195.525.  But it was the Beavers who finished one spot ahead of LSU at the 2010 National Championships to end last season.  Tonight marks the first time since 1981 that the Tigers and Beavers have dueled it out in a regular season dual meet in Corvallis.

Coach Tanya Chaplin begins her 14th year as gymnastics coach at Oregon State. Her team enters the 2011 campaign with a #8 pre-season ranking and last season's PAC-10 Freshman of the Year Makayla Stambaugh.  Stambaugh, along with seniors Mandi Rodriguez and Laura-Ann Chong, led the Beavers to their highest-ever finish under Chaplin at the National Championships in 2010.  Rodriguez and Chong are back with the program as graduate student assistants this season. So watch for Stambaugh, junior Leslie Mak, and junior Olivia Vivian to provide the scoring for OSU.  Senior Jen Kesler could sit out tonight's meet with an injury.

Congratulations to Oregon State for starting its own live webcasts of home gymnastics meets in 2011.  Welcome!

Mike's Eye On The Tigers
If this morning's walk-through was any indication, the 2011 LSU Tigers are a youthfully enthusiastic bunch. It's too early to think about wins and losses, instead it's important for LSU to focus on the long-term.  That means tonight will be all about setting a baseline for performances to come.  Expect some early jitters from this bunch of Tigers.  But also expect them to improve significantly from week to week.

Posted via email from LSU Gymnastics