Tag: Aleah Finnegan

LSU gymnast Aleah Finnegan has ‘no regrets’ following Olympic debut

Though it didn’t end exactly how she hoped, Aleah Finnegan’s dream of becoming an Olympian came true this weekend in Paris.

Aleah Finnegan’s dreams came true this week in Paris as the LSU gymnast made her Olympic debut at 21 years old, representing the Philippines as an individual.

Though things didn’t exactly go as she hoped as she failed to qualify for the women’s all-around final with a finish of 32nd in the qualifying event on Sunday, she said she’s proud of what she accomplished and to have been able to represent the Philippines, according to One Sports.

“We finished all the way through and on the back side, being really proud of myself for how I did today. But on the other side, a little disappointment in myself because I know what I’m capable of,” Finnegans said. “No matter what, I’m walking here with my head held high; I have no regrets, and I’m just proud to represent the Philippines on the stage.”

Finnegan is a rising senior at LSU and played a major role in leading the program to its first national title this past spring. As she returns for her final year fresh off an Olympics appearance, she’ll look to help the Tigers defend that crown.

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LSU gymnast Aleah Finnegan makes Olympic debut with the Philippines

Aleah Finnegan made her Olympic debut representing the Philippines on Sunday.

Rising senior LSU gymnast [autotag]Aleah Finnegan[/autotag] will hope to lead the Tigers to back-to-back national titles next spring, but first, she’s representing the Philippines in international competition as she made her Olympic debut in Paris on Sunday in the artistic women’s gymnastics qualifying round.

She was the first Filipina gymnast to compete at the Olympics since 1964, and she was one of three individual gymnasts competing for the Philippines. She finished with an all-around score of 50.498 in subdivision three with her highest score coming on the vault at 13.733.

Unfortunately, her qualifying score finished with a rank of 38, meaning she will not qualify for the final on Aug. 1.

Finnegan won an individual national title this season on the floor and helped clinch LSU’s national title by anchoring the team on bars in the final rotation at the NCAA championships.

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LSU extends national champion gymnastics coach Jay Clark through 2031

After leading LSU to its first national title in program history, Jay Clark is sticking around for the foreseeable future.

The head coach of the defending national champion LSU Tigers gymnastics team is sticking around for the foreseeable future.

On Tuesday, LSU announced that it had agreed to a contract extension with gymnastics coach [autotag]Jay Clark[/autotag] that will run through the 2031 season. Further details surrounding the contract are not known at this time.

“Jay achieved a new standard of excellence in our gymnastics program with the first team national championship this spring,” LSU Athletics Director [autotag]Scott Woodward[/autotag] said in a release. “I am pleased he will continue to lead our program and mentor our student-athletes to new heights.”

Clark has been the head coach of the Tigers since 2020 and was on staff since 2013 prior to that as an assistant under coach [autotag]D-D Breaux[/autotag]. Since taking over as the head man, Clark led the Tigers to the Four on the Floor in each of the past two seasons, winning the program’s first national title this past spring.

“This extension and our success is not about one person. This is validating for our entire staff who works hard to do things the right way. We value our relationships with each other and with the student athletes we coach,” Clark said.

“We are blessed to all be here together and to work with the level of student athletes we do. I’m grateful to them, this staff, Athletic Director Scott Woodward, Keli Zinn, President Tate, and the LSU Board for this vote of confidence. This is a special place for student athletes to achieve their dreams, and I’m so fortunate to be a part of this institution! Geaux Tigers!”

LSU could be poised to compete for another national championship in 2025 as [autotag]Haleigh Bryant[/autotag], the top gymnast in the nation, returns for a fifth season along with other stars like [autotag]Aleah Finnegan[/autotag]. Clark has turned the Tigers into a national powerhouse, and that success should continue in the coming years.

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LSU’s Jay Clark is optimistic about future of gymnastics program despite incoming loss of talent

Despite the incoming exodus of talent, Jay Clark is optimistic about next year’s gymnastics squad.

The LSU gymnastics team finally got over the hump in 2024, winning the first national championship in program history with an absolutely loaded roster.

There will be some changes next season, however. The Tigers have 11 gymnasts on the roster who are either seniors or graduate students, including the nation’s top gymnast [autotag]Haleigh Bryant[/autotag] as well as [autotag]Kiya Johnson[/autotag] and others.

The cupboard won’t be completely bare in 2025, however, with gymnasts like [autotag]Aleah Finnegan[/autotag], a junior, and [autotag]Konnor McClain[/autotag], a true freshman, set to return. With those pieces, coach [autotag]Jay Clark[/autotag] remains optimistic about the future despite what this team is set to lose.

“I feel really good about the team we have coming back next year,” Clark said, per On3. “Their role will continue to increase and get more and more. I think they’re tremendous, but I feel incredibly optimistic about what we have coming back and the freshman class that’s coming in. I’m excited.”

LSU has reached the final round of the NCAA tournament three times since 2019, and it seems fair to assume this program isn’t going away any time soon even though it has to retool this offseason.

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LSU gymnastics advances to Four on the Floor with top score in NCAA semifinal

Haleigh Bryant recorded the top all-around score as the Tigers advance to the Four on the Floor for the second year in a row.

For the second year in a row, the LSU gymnastics team has reached the Four on the Floor.

The Tigers advanced to the final round at the NCAA championships in Fort Worth, Texas, with a total score of 198.1125, finishing .400 ahead of second-place finisher California, which also advanced to the championship round.

LSU finished with the top score in the final three rotations, with [autotag]Haleigh Bryant[/autotag] recording the meet-high on the beam (9.950) and [autotag]Aleah Finnegan[/autotag] doing so on the floor (9.9625).

Bryant also finished with the highest all-around score of 39.7125.

The Tigers and Golden Bears advance to the Four on the Floor, which will also take place at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth on Saturday, though they’ll have to wait for the second semifinal session to find out who will complete the final grouping.

That match will air on ABC with coverage beginning at 3 p.m. CT.

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LSU gymnastics advances to Fayetteville NCAA Regional final with top score in opening session

The Tigers recorded the top team score in each rotation.

The No. 2 national-seeded LSU gymnastics team looked the part in its opening session at the Fayetteville NCAA Regional on Thursday night.

The Tigers recorded the top score of the four teams in the session, beating out 15-seeded Minnesota as well as Oregon State and BYU with a score of 197.800. Both the Tigers and Golden Gophers advance to the regional final as the top two scoring teams, which will take place on Sunday also in Bud Walton Arena.

LSU led all four teams in each rotation with the highest team score — 49.700 — coming on the floor. That was in large part thanks to a perfect 10 from [autotag]Aleah Finnegan[/autotag].

[autotag]Haleigh Bryant[/autotag] and [autotag]Konnor McClain[/autotag] recorded scores of 9.925 on the vault and balance beam, respectively. Bryant finished with a 39.525 all-around score, the second-highest in the session behind Oregon State’s Jade Carey.

Coach Jay Clark’s team is looking to return to the NCAA championships in Fort Worth, Texas, when it takes part in the regional final on Sunday.

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LSU places 3 gymnasts on All-SEC team

Haleigh Bryant, Aleah Finnegan and Bryce Wilson earned honors after the SEC championships.

Following the SEC championship meet, a few Tigers have earned all-conference honors. [autotag]Haleigh Bryant[/autotag], [autotag]Aleah Finnegan[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryce Wilson[/autotag] made the All-SEC team.

Bryant and Finnegan earned it for their performances on the floor while Wilson excelled on vault. It should be noted that these honors are strictly based on performance at the SEC championship rather than the entire season.

For Finnegan and Wilson, it was the first time either has appeared on an all-conference team. Bryant is no stranger to the honor, having received it three straight years now.

Bryant entered the weekend with a chance at gymnast of the year, but that nod went to Florida’s Trinity Thomas as the Gators took home the team title, too.

With the regular season over, LSU sets its sights on NCAA competition where the Tigers are seeded No. 2 in the Denver Regional.

Hosted by No. 14 Denver, LSU will be one of nine teams competing in the regional. Notably, LSU will be joined by No. 3 Michigan and SEC peer Georgia. The postseason begins on March 31.

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LSU gymnastics finishes third in SEC championship meet

Despite a strong performance on the floor, LSU came up short of a conference title. The Tigers now await a decision from the NCAA selection committee.

LSU gymnastics concluded SEC play in Atlanta on Saturday night competing in the SEC championship meet at Gas South Arena.

The Tigers finished third, posting a 197.800 score. The title went to the Florida Gators, who successfully defended their championship after winning last year.

“We’re always disappointed when we know we left things on the floor, but the other part of that is they continued to show their fight and their grit,” coach [autotag]Jay Clark[/autotag] said in a release. “I am just proud of their continued fight.”

LSU performed well on the floor. LSU’s 49.625 in the event was tied for the top score on the night. [autotag]Aleah Finnegan[/autotag] and [autotag]Haleigh Bryant[/autotag] posted 9.950’s on the floor.

LSU now awaits the selection committee on Monday. Last year, LSU was sent to Raleigh, North Carolina, where it placed third in the regionals.

Despite the third-place finish, LSU improved its NQS score on Saturday, which should help with placement.

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