If you thought scoring a perfect 10 in NCAA gymnastics was a piece of cake, think again. These days, it’s more like chasing a ghost. Ever since the NCAA rolled out its new judging rules in January 2025, judges have been tighter. The goal? Cut the fluff, stop the score inflation, and make sure every 10 is truly earned. But not everyone’s clapping. Olivia Dunne, who’s already sounded the alarm on the disappearing 10s, just saw her LSU teammates get what fans are calling flat-out robbed of a perfect score. And now? The pot’s boiling!
So, April 5 rolled around, and yeah… LSU was feeling it. The Tigers came in hot and walked out even hotter, locking down a spot at the NCAA Championships with a 198.050 at the University Park Regional Final. Michigan State barely clung on with a 198.000, while Kentucky and Arkansas waved goodbye. LSU’s headed to Fort Worth for the third straight year, and the vibes were sky-high… mostly. Because while the team was celebrating, fans were side-eyeing those scores for Aleah Finnegan and Konnor McClain.
Let’s start with Aleah. She stepped up on the beam like it was just another day at the gym. So chill. So smooth. Honestly, she looked like she was doing the floor the way she flowed through the routine. And then—boom—stuck the dismount like a boss. She scored a 9.95, tying for first with teammate Kailin Chio, Arkansas’ Joscelyn Roberson, and Kentucky’s Sharon Lee. Gorgeous routine. But fans weren’t buying it. “Where’s the 10?” was the chorus on X.
TIGERS ON TOP
No. 1 LSU finishes on top of the Penn State Regional to win their second straight regional title! pic.twitter.com/7BdBPt9vGh
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 5, 2025
And then came Konnor. This was her floor comeback—the first time she’s been on that event since tearing her Achilles last May—and she walked out like she never left. First pass? A double layout that had the crowd holding their breath. Her energy? Electric. Her landings? Sharp. And then the scoreboard dropped a 9.90. And just like that, the internet broke. Fans were posting clips, ranting, and retweeting. No shade to anyone else, but Konnor’s return was a moment. And the fans? They weren’t just watching—they were riding the emotional rollercoaster right with Olivia Dunne’s teammates.
Fans stand with Olivia Dunne’s teammates in demanding better scoring
LSU and Olivia Dunne’s fans weren’t shy about expressing their confusion, either. One fan said, “I just cannot see where those deductions came from,” while another joked, “Me…. (Unsuccessfully) Looking for the deduction.” And the most frustrated one chimed in with, “SHOW ME THE DEDUCTION.” Clearly, fans were scratching their heads over those scores.
The shift in judging standards is all about cleaning up the mess left by previous years of score inflation. Back in 2022, there were 71 perfect 10s—a total shocker when you stop and think about it. Sure, those moments were electrifying, but some routines didn’t exactly scream perfection. Fans and insiders noticed, and the buzz around score inflation grew louder. The NCAA finally took action and tightened things up.
Now, judges are on their toes, scrutinizing every little detail, like tiny balance checks or the slightest knee bend. This means routines that might’ve snagged a 10 a couple of years ago are now landing in the 9.90 or 9.95 range. The goal? To bring the scoring back down to earth, ensuring that when a 10 pops up, it truly represents perfection.
Another fan wasn’t holding back, saying, “NCAA need to get better officials cause these guys are shit,” while another added, “We need better referees to keep the sport running.” Honestly, it’s easy to see why people are frustrated—there’s a lot of head-scratching going on when it comes to the judging.
Even Olivia Dunne spoke out about this back in January 2025. After noticing some empty seats at an LSU meet, she raised concerns about how frequent deductions—sometimes a little unclear—might be turning fans away. She put it like this: “It’s like watching a basketball game and constantly seeing penalties—it just takes away from the fun of the sport.” That’s a pretty solid point. If fans can’t follow the deductions, it’s hard to really enjoy the routines. Olivia suggested that the scoring needs to be more straightforward so everyone can enjoy the performance and understand where those scores are coming from.
And with athletes like Alea Finnegan, who nailed the NCAA floor title in 2024 and helped LSU secure the team title, and Konnor McClain, who snagged the 2022 U.S. National all-around title and Winter Cup balance beam championship, there’s no denying the talent in the sport. So, when the scores don’t seem to reflect that level of performance, it makes you wonder—what’s really going on with the NCAA scoring system?
The post Fans Left Frustrated with NCAA Officials After Olivia Dunne’s Teammates Robbed of Perfect Scores appeared first on EssentiallySports.
