LSU heads into 2026 with a refreshed roster. After years of stars like Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan leaving their mark, the Tigers are reloading with a top recruiting class and three high-profile transfers. Can they climb back to the top in 2026?
2025 Rewind
No. 5 overall | No. 1 at SEC | No. 1 in regular season | NCAA semifinals
Entering 2025 as the reigning national champion, all eyes were on LSU to defend its title. The Tigers captured a second consecutive SEC championship but struggled with key landings and were eliminated in the national semifinals by a surging UCLA.
Losses & Gains
| RETURNING |
| Sixth Years: Chase Brock |
| Fifth Years: Alexis Jeffrey, Tori Tatum, Kathryn Weilbacher |
| Seniors: Ashley Cowan |
| Juniors: Kylie Coen, Amari Drayton, Konnor McClain, Leah Miller |
| Sophomores: Kailin Chio, Kaliya Lincoln, Victoria Roberts, Lexi Zeiss |
| IN |
| Freshmen: Nina Ballou, Molly Brinkman, Zoe Miller (RS), Haley Mustari, Elyse Wenner |
| Transfers: Courtney Blackson (Boise St.), Emily Innes (UW), Madison Ulrich (Denver) |
| OUT |
| Graduated: Sierra Ballard (BB/FX), Haleigh Bryant (AA), Olivia Dunne, Aleah Finnegan (AA), KJ Johnson (VT), Alyona Shchennikova |
| Retired: Bryce Wilson |
| INJURY UPDATE |
| Sixth-year Brock looks to be on track for the season after tearing her Achilles in February. She’s been seen tumbling in intrasquad footage. After announcing her fifth year, Jeffrey had back surgery, which limited her last year. She was seen swinging bars early in preseason but may not be ready for January. McClain was spotted in an arm cast in early fall, but it appears to have been short term. Former US elite Zoe Miller redshirted her freshman season and returns to the team after having two shoulder surgeries. |
Fresh Faces
LSU adds seven newcomers for 2026, including four freshmen and three transfers. Ballou, Brinkman, and Mustari come off national titles at DP nationals in May while Wenner is returning from an injury that limited her senior season. The Tigers also landed former Denver standout Ulrich, along with Innes from Washington and Blackson, who returns for her fifth year after four seasons at Boise State.
Apparatus Deep Dive
Vault
2025 Event Ranking: No. 1 | NQS: 49.540 | Average: 49.437 | High: 49.600
| Event Overview: The No. 1 vault team loses some power after graduating three of its top routines from 2025. Despite that, LSU stands to reload with some new faces that should help carry the load, headlined by the reigning national champion. | ||
| Locks: Kailin Chio, Amari Drayton Chio will likely anchor this lineup after taking the national title last year with her Yurchenko one and a half. Drayton brings lots of power and will be an important vaulter for the Tigers in her junior season. | ||
| Contenders: Nina Ballou, Molly Brinkman, Kaliya Lincoln, Madison Ulrich, Lexi Zeiss Lincoln’s freshman campaign was cut short due to shoulder surgery, but the height and distance on her one and a half make her a contender if she’s healthy. Brinkman, a late commitment switch from Clemson, won level 10 nationals on vault last year and is most likely to compete on this event. Ulrich’s front pike half vault should see line up time while Zeiss will likely contend for a permanent spot in the top six after being the seventh routine in 2025. | ||
| Wildcards: Courtney Blackson, Chase Brock, Emily Innes, Konnor McClain, Victoria Roberts Innes may be a surprise in this lineup for her senior season. Typically known for vaulting a full at Washington, she has trained a one and a half since her transfer. McClain has yet to vault in her collegiate career but has been seen vaulting into the pit during preseason. |
Bars
2025 Event Ranking: No. 2 | NQS: 49.535 | Average: 49.430 | High: 49.675
| Event Overview: LSU started the season with lower scores than normal, only going above a 49.400 twice by mid-February. The Tigers found their stride though, earning five straight scores of 49.500 or higher and finishing the season at No. 2. With the addition of a national champion to this event, LSU should remain a solid competitor. | ||
| Locks: Kailin Chio, Ashley Cowan, Konnor McClain, Lexi Zeiss After competing bars every meet in 2025, there’s no reason these four routines shouldn’t be back in the lineup in 2026. McClain, in particular, should easily slot into Bryant’s anchor role, having only one miss on bars in her collegiate career to date. | ||
| Contenders: Courtney Blackson, Haley Mustari, Madison Ulrich Blackson’s return from retirement was a surprise to many, but she is practicing her same composition from 2024, bringing additional difficulty to the Tigers lineup. Mustari, a three-time national champion, has eight perfect 10s from her level 10 career on this event, making her a likely candidate for a lineup spot early in her freshman season. | ||
| Wildcards: Nina Ballou, Alexis Jeffrey, Zoe Miller, Tori Tatum, Kathryn Weilbacher Two shoulder surgeries later, Zoe Miller could be in this lineup from the start as long as her recovery is on track. Jeffrey’s back surgery in the offseason makes her less likely to start the season in the top six but could be a solid option later on in the season. |
Beam
2025 Event Ranking: No. 5 | NQS: 49.495 | Average: 49.415 | High: 49.675
| Event Overview: Beam was the lowest ranked event for LSU in 2025—despite still ranking in the top five nationally. The lineup loses some senior presence in the front and back of the lineup, but the Tigers’ persistence in the transfer portal will likely pay off early. | ||
| Locks: Kailin Chio, Kylie Coen, Konnor McClain Chio and McClain will likely continue their successes from 2025. Chio never scored below a 9.825 while McClain had 10 scores of 9.900 or higher. Coen emerged as a surprise contributor in 2025 and only scored below a 9.800 twice. She should contend for the lead-off spot after Ballard’s departure. | ||
| Contenders: Emily Innes, Madison Ulrich, Elyse Wenner Wenner was limited in her final level 10 season due to injury, but if she’s recovered, her execution and form make her a likely competitor in this lineup as a freshman. Having Ulrich and Innes here softens the blow of losing some veteran presence and should make them strong contenders. | ||
| Wildcards: Amari Drayton, Alexis Jeffrey, Haley Mustari, Lexi Zeiss Drayton and Jeffrey have made appearances on beam for the Tigers in competition while Zeiss has beam experience from her time in elite. Mustari has scored a perfect 10 on beam in level 10, but her status post injury remains in question. |
Floor
2025 Event Ranking: No. 3 | NQS: 49.605 | Average: 49.480 | High: 49.700
| Event Overview: Typically a floor powerhouse, LSU struggled in the early meets without Bryant in the lineup and Finnegan struggling to stay in bounds. Once Bryant returned, the lineup seemed to stabilize and finish the season ranked No. 3. With more depth to play with, the Tigers look poised to remain among the top teams on this event. | ||
| Locks: Kailin Chio, Amari Drayton, Kaliya Lincoln, Konnor McClain One of the best double layouts in the NCAA should be back for 2026, as Lincoln’s height and position in the air make her a standout on this event. McClain only made two appearances on floor in 2025 but averaged a 9.880. A full season of floor training should keep her among the top competitors in the country. | ||
| Contenders: Nina Ballou, Molly Brinkman, Chase Brock, Kylie Coen, Emily Innes, Madison Ulrich The number of contenders for floor speaks to the amount of depth the Tigers have available for 2026. All of these athletes compete an E-level pass, from double layouts to front double fulls. The amount of options leave floor coach Courtney McCool Griffeth a difficult task in choosing the top six every week. Ballou, in particular, will be high on the list in her freshman season; she is a four-time DP national champion on this event. | ||
| Wildcards: Courtney Blackson, Leah Miller, Lexi Zeiss Leah Miller competed a few times in exhibition and is a solid back-up option on a night where someone needs a rest. Blackson’s status will primarily depend on how she has trained since unretiring; at her peak, she competed a front double full as her opening pass and a two and a half twist to close. |
Records Watch
Team: 198.575 | AA: 39.925 (Haleigh Bryant) | VT: 49.825/10.000 (Kailin Chio) | UB: 49.750/10.000 (Haleigh Bryant) | BB: 49.763/10.000 (Aleah Finnegan) | FX: 49.775/10.000 (Aleah Finnegan)
The Big Picture
It’s no secret that LSU will have a different look in 2026 than what fans might be used to, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less talented. The Tigers return one of the top all-arounders in Chio and bring in several freshmen who look poised to make an immediate impact alongside some veteran transfers. This should lead them back to the postseason and potentially even another run at a national title.
Likely 2026 finish: NCAA team final
READ THIS NEXT: Behind The Climb: Docu-Series Trend Comes to Life with LSU’s Emmy-Award Winner
Article by Savanna Wellman
