WATCH: LSU gymnastics returns to action with ‘Gym 101’ showcase event

The LSU gymnastics team returned to action in the PMAC Monday night in Gym 101.
Chris Parent/LSU Athletics
Nick Suss
Nick Suss

BATON ROUGE, La. — The LSU gymnastics team returned to action Monday night for “Gym 101,” its annual exhibition meet. Fresh off an SEC title and a national runner-up finish in 2017, the new-look Tigers showed off their skills Monday night, excelling in some areas while showing room for growth in others.

Led by veterans Myia Hambrick, Sarah Finnegan and Kennedi Edney participating in the all-around, LSU posted multiple scores of 9.90 or better on all four events. Hambrick was excellent, scoring 9.95s on the uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. Finnegan scored 9.90s of her own on beam and floor, and Edney earned a 9.90 on vault, where she was national champion in 2017.

“We see the light at the end of the tunnel,” LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux said about her team’s performance Monday. “This right here, us being able to do the type of vaulting we did tonight on this surface, we put together some beautiful beam routines, I thought bars was as good as we’ve done in a long time, and we’ve got a bunch of kids that didn’t get in the lineup with great routines. So we’re very encouraged.”

In addition to the all-arounders, senior Eric Macadaeg had an impressive night, scoring 9.90s on vault and balance beam. Between Hambrick and Macadaeg, LSU started with back-to-back scores of 9.90 or better on the balance beam.

Some of the Tigers’ new freshmen earned the opportunity to compete. Mississippi native Sarah Edwards impressed with a 9.85 on vault, while Christina Desiderio showed her beam and floor routines and Sami Durante performed a portion of her bars routine, minus the dismount.

Overall, the team isn’t where it was when it ended the 2017 season, but it shouldn’t be expected to be. Breaux said the team lacks some of the “explosiveness” it had last year as a result of graduations and injuries. But it makes up for that with plenty of grace and finesse.

In all, approximately 3,600 fans attended the meet Monday night, filling the Pete Maravich Assembly Center to nearly one-third capacity for a Monday night scrimmage. Expect the PMAC to be full on Jan. 5 when the Tigers open up regular season competition against SEC rival Arkansas at 7:00 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.

Scroll through below for full scores and highlights from Gym 101 Monday night:

LSU gymnastics higlights

Sophomore Kennedi Edney on vault: 9.90

Junior Sarah Finnegan on bars: 9.80

Junior Julianna Cannamela on beam: Exhibition run

Senior Myia Hambrick on floor: 9.95

Full scores*:

VAULT:

Sarah Finnegan: 9.80

Erin Macadaeg: 9.90

Sarah Edwards: 9.85

Ruby Harrold: 9.80

Kennedi Edney: 9.90

BARS:

Ashlyn Kirby: 9.85

Myia Hambrick: 9.95

Ruby Harrold: 9.85

Kennedi Edney: 9.80

Lexie Priessman: 9.95*

Sarah Finnegan: 9.80

BALANCE BEAM:

Erin Macadaeg: 9.90

Myia Hambrick: 9.95

Kennedi Edney: 9.80

Sarah Finnegan: 9.90

FLOOR:

Ashlyn Kirby: 9.85

Myia Hambrick: 9.95

Sarah Finnegan: 9.90

Kennedi Edney: 9.85

*scores below 9.80 were not announced

*Priessman didn’t do a full dismount

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