What happens when a gymnastics team clinches an SEC Championship with a record-breaking 198.200, and their coach can barely keep it together through all the happiness and chaos? On March 22, 2025, at Legacy Arena, the No. 2 LSU Tigers answered that question with a scene straight out of a feel-good movie and wild celebrations, and relieved LSU coach Jay Clark trying to explain it all, as his gymnasts turned victory into a full-blown party. This wasn’t just a win; it was a spectacle, and LSU gymnastics delivered it in style against a field stacked with No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 3 Florida, and No. 4 Missouri.
The competition itself was a rollercoaster. The LSU Gymnastics team won their sixth SEC Championship title in program history with a record-breaking score of 198.200 in Session II of the 2025 SEC Gymnastics Championships. As the celebrations began Jay Clark was interviewed by ESPN’s Sec network, and posted on the Instagram page in collaboration with LSU Gymnastics. As Clark was breaking down the win, we saw our LSU gymnast stars like Haleigh Bryant and Konnor McClain engaging in cool dancing moves in the background. “So I’m pleased, man, we can’t, we couldn’t ask for a whole lot more right now. You’ve got the lead through to, you’ve got the leg events ahead, which you guys excel at.” LSU started on bars, dropping a historic 49.600—think Aleah Finnegan and Kailin Chio both tying career-high 9.950s, with Haleigh Bryant anchoring like the all-around legend she is. They carried that momentum to beam, posting a 49.450, the highest beam score in LSU’s SEC Championship history.
Floor added a 49.625, with Chio and Amari Drayton scoring 9.950 each. Before they even attempted vault for the last rotation, the Tigers were unbeatable—Bryant’s 9.950 locked it up, and the party happened. He further added, “They just need to stay where they are mentally, do their thing. They’re very confident on these two events. I just, we need to finish it out. We’re halfway home. We haven’t done anything yet. So we just have to finish it out. This is a great meet. I mean, this is tight. It’s tight. Everybody came to play and that’s what makes it fun. That’s what we all wanted.”
LSU gymnastics team came in with an NQS of 198.005, fresh off a regular-season title split with Oklahoma, and into a field where one misstep could’ve given the crown to the Sooners or Gators. But his gymnasts, a combination of veterans such as Bryant and newcomers such as Chio, remained focused. After the victory, Haleigh Bryant was crowned as the SEC All-around champion for her performance marking back-to-back years of claiming the individual SEC All-Around Title. The celebrations weren’t limited to the floor. LSU supporters, who’ve ranked the Tigers No. 1 in national attendance, probably deafened Legacy Arena with a “Deaf Dome” sequel. Imagine pom-poms, glitter, and “L-S-U” cheers overpowering the SEC Network broadcast team of John Roethlisberger, Aly Raisman, and Sam Peszek.
For Clark, who captured his first SEC championship as head coach in 2024, this repeat was personal—a confirmation of a program that’s won four of the past eight SEC titles and the 2024 national title. The LSU Tigers didn’t merely win; they took over Birmingham and made it their playground, with Clark left to wonder at a team that’s hitting its stride just in time for the NCAA tournament. While the gymnasts were partying—perhaps with Bryant taking a victory lap and Dunne taking selfies. Even though Dunne didn’t perform, she had an epic reaction to the win.
LSU Gymnastics’ Olivia Dunne has an epic 3-word reaction as SEC champion
Livvy Dunne may not have been able to compete on Saturday night as LSU successfully defended its SEC title, but that didn’t stop her from fully embracing the moment with her Lady Tigers teammates. The 22-year-old gymnast, currently sidelined with a knee fracture, still suited up and shared a spirited leotard selfie with a teammate before the meet. As the Lady Tigers secured back-to-back SEC crowns, the energy in the arena reached a fever pitch, and Dunne was right in the middle of it, celebrating with her squad.
Dunne’s excitement was on full display as she shared candid moments of the victory on social media. In a post capturing the electrifying celebration, she captioned it with a bold and fitting “PURPLE REIGN 4EVER.” The phrase, a clever nod to LSU’s signature purple colours and Prince’s legendary song “Purple Rain,” perfectly encapsulated the team’s dominance and championship mentality. LSU Gymnastics echoed the same caption in their official post, reinforcing the triumphant theme of the night. Dunne later shared another post featuring a video of the post-meet festivities, with confetti raining down as the team reveled in their hard-earned victory.
Now, with the SEC title secured, Dunne and the Lady Tigers set their sights on defending their national championship. Their goal is clear: to bring home LSU’s second-ever national title. But for one night, the focus was on celebrating the moment, soaking in the victory, and embracing the excitement of being SEC champions once again.
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