FORT WORTH, Texas — LSU’s Konnor McClain scored a 9.9625 on the balance beam — one of five Tigers with a score of at least 9.95 in the final rotation — to help the school win its first national championship in women’s gymnastics at the NCAA Division I meet Saturday night.
LSU, which finished fourth last year, trailed nine-time champ Utah by 0.037 point and led third-place California by 0.113 after three rotations, but senior Sierra Ballard kicked off the fourth and final rotation with a career-high 9.950 — her only routine of the day. Savannah Schoenherr followed with a 9.3875 before McClain posted the best score of the day on the beam.
Kiya Johnson, Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan each scored a 9.950 to help the Tigers to a program record on the beam with a with a 49.7625 and seal LSU’s title with a total score of 198.2250.
The Tigers increased the Southeastern Conference’s count for national titles in women’s gymnastics, an NCAA championship event since 1982, to 20. Georgia’s 10 are the most for any program, while Alabama has six and Florida won three straight from 2013-15, sharing the 2014 title with Oklahoma.
Cal, which made its first appearance in the finals, finished second with 197.8500, 0.0500 ahead of third-place Utah. Florida, which was expected to have a rebuilding year without stars Trinity Thomas, who graduated, and Kayla DiCello, who is training for this summer’s Paris Olympics, finished fourth at 197.4375.