LSU gymnast Sierra Ballard returning for final season of eligibility

The Tigers are getting at least one key piece back from the 2024 national title squad.

Though LSU is set to lose quite a bit of talent from its 2024 national champion gymnastics squad, it’s getting at least one key piece back.

On Monday, [autotag]Sierra Ballard[/autotag] announced that she will be returning to the Tigers for her fifth and final season of eligibility. A four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection and two-time SEC Community Service Team member, Ballard has appeared in every meet for LSU over the last two years in at least one event.

She played a major role in leading the Tigers to their first national title in program history, leading off the final rotation in the national championship with a career-high 9.500 on the beam, an event in which she was named an All-American this season.

“There’s just something different about LSU,” Ballard said in a release. “You can’t put it into words until you come here. If I have an opportunity to continue making history with my best friends, in the best place in this world, then I’m going to do that.”

The Tigers are set to lose some major talent this offseason, including the top gymnast in the nation, [autotag]Haleigh Bryant[/autotag]. But with pieces like Ballard, coach Jay Clark’s team could be set to contend once again.

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