In a conference filled with gymnastics talent, there’s no one on more of a roll than LSU’s Haleigh Bryant.
The Tigers junior all-arounder made history Friday night against West Virginia, recording three perfect 10s and tying the for the best all-around score ever at LSU.
It was no surprise Tuesday that she earned her third straight Southeastern Conference gymnast of the week honor, as she goes into Saturday’s SEC Championships in Duluth, Georgia, as one of the top contenders for individual event and all-around titles.
It was Bryant’s fourth SEC gymnast of the week honor this season and fifth of her career.
Before Friday night, Bryant’s slew of 10.0 scores was confined to vault where she had seven of them.
Bryant added an eighth 10.0 score on Friday, but she was just getting started. She then recorded her first perfect 10 on uneven bars, and after a 9.875 with a couple of small errors on balance beam she finished LSU’s last home meet with a 10 on floor that brought the Pete Maravich Assembly Center crowd to its feet.
“Officially there may be one better by score, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more complete four-event performance,” LSU coach Jay Clark said after the meet. “To get three 10s in one meet is insane. She’s an all-timer.”
Bryant’s 10 career perfect 10s eclipses the previous record of nine shared by former LSU All-American and now assistant coach Ashleigh Gnat and Jennifer Wood. Bryant’s 39.875 all-around score also tied the school record set by two-time SEC gymnast of the year April Burkholder.
Bryant is believed to be the just the NCAA women’s gymnast with three or more perfect 10s in one meet.
The Cornelius, North Carolina, native’s four individual titles gave her 26 this season: nine on vault, three on bars, three on beam, two on floor and nine in the all-around. She now has 56 individual titles, good for 10th place in LSU history.
Amazingly, Bryant’s all-around score wasn’t the best of the weekend. UCLA’s Jordan Chiles posted a 39.900 Saturday against Iowa State, with a 10.0 on bars, 9.975s on vault and floor and a 9.95 on beam.
Leave a Reply