Happy Friday from Stegeman Coliseum, where Friday Night Heights features a top-10 showdown as Georgia hosts LSU. The GymDogs hold a 24–9 all-time record against the Tigers at home, but that history comes with an asterisk: Georgia has not won a dual meet against LSU in Athens since 2016. When the two powerhouses met last season in Baton Rouge, LSU successfully defended its home floor.
LSU arrives in Athens riding momentum after posting a program-record 197.500 in its road opener. The Tigers tied Oklahoma atop the standings in that meet, ultimately finishing second on a tiebreaker. Sophomore Kailin Chio earned SEC Gymnast of the Week honors following a dominant all-around performance that culminated in a meet-winning 39.600. Routines from Courtney Blackson, Ashley Cowan, Konnor McClain, and Madison Ulrich will be key as LSU looks to secure its first dual-meet victory of the season.
Georgia enters the night fresh off a win over Ohio State, highlighted by a 197.000 team total. The GymDogs consistently found the 9.85-plus range and showcased the depth of their lineup, particularly from the freshman class. Kelise Woolford and CaMarah Williams shared first-place finishes on three events alongside junior Lily Smith, while contributions from Nyla Aquino, Ja’Free Scott, Holly Snyder, Harley Tomlin, and Ady Wahl rounded out the victory. With Friday Night Heights doubling as the home opener, expect Georgia to bring energy—and a strong performance—to Stegeman.
The meet will be streamed on the SEC Network at 7 p.m. ET. The broadcast action will be led by gymnastics icons Bart Connor and Trinity Thomas. Scores can be found on Virtius.
Rotation 1: Georgia VT, LSU UB
Scott (UGA): Nice and floaty Yurchenko full, hops in place. 9.825
Zeiss (LSU): Pak to Shaposh, solid. Pretty swing. Almost sticks the dismount. 9.90
Moll (UGA): Yurchenko 1.5, absolutely drills it into the mat for the stick. 9.90
Cowan (LSU): Huge Church to bail. Aggressive swing throughout. Double layout, stuck. 9.85
Williams (UGA): Yurchenko 1.5, take a large step forward. She seemed a little off on her run from my point of view, could’ve been the cause of the step. 9.775
Ulrich (LSU): Pretty Pak to Shaposh. Nicely controlled handstands. Takes the smallest of steps on her dismount. 9.825
Aquino (UGA): Tsuk full, love how she flairs out of the twist. 9.90
Chio (LSU): Shaposh to bail, a little loose in her core and comes off the bar. Gets back up for a solid Delchev. Finishes strong with a stuck dismount. 9.925
Wahl (UGA): Yurchenko 1.5, hops forward. She got a huge block off the table for this vault, wow. 9.85
Blackson (LSU): Pretty bail to open. Another Delchev! This is one of my favorite release moves. Double layout, takes the tiniest of hops. 9.85
Battle (UGA): Yurchenko 1.5, lost control of her landing just a little and takes a large step forward.
McClain (LSU): Beautiful piked Tkatchev to immediate bail. She has such pretty lines on everything she does. Full-twisting double back, stuck.
AFTER ONE: LSU 49.375, Georgia 49.250
Despite a fall on bars and some nervous landings on vault, this first rotation was a close one. With each team’s best events yet to come, this meet is sure to be an exciting one!
Rotation 2: LSU VT, Georgia UB
Zeiss (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5, some leg form in the air and has a small shuffle forward.
Wahl (UGA): Shaposh to bail, solid. A little short on her last handstand. Double layout, stuck.
Ulrich (LSU): FHS pike half, small step but clean.
Snyder (UGA): Great control in release connection. Full-twisting double back, almost gets the stick.
Roberts (LSU): Another FHS pike half, hops backwards.
Woolford (UGA): Pretty bail to Van Leeuwen. Solid handstands throughout. Stalder to double back, hops forward but solid.
Weilbacher (LSU): Yurchenko full, huge hop backwards.
Scott (UGA): Huge Tkachev to open. Goes right to an immediate bail. Double layout, stuck.
Drayton (LSU): Seems to be a little issue with either scoring Weilbacher’s routine or with the runway, unsure which is causing the delay. Here we go! Huge Yurchenko 1.5, small foot movement upon landing.
Reingold (UGA): Pretty piked Jaeger. Loses her shape on the following handstand and comes to a dead swing. Gets it going again with a solid bail. Sticks the dismount.
Chio (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5, sticks it cold.
Smith (UGA): Toe-on to shaposh to immediate bail. Beautiful swing throughout. Stalder to double back, stuck cold. Dare I say that could be a ten.
AFTER TWO: Georgia 98.525, LSU 98.450
Georgia has taken the lead after an outstanding bar rotation. LSU looked a little shaky on vault, which is a bit out of the ordinary for the Tigers. Beam and floor are next, so be on the lookout for some huge and exciting gymnastics!
Rotation 3: Georgia BB, LSU FX
Tomlin (UGA): Nicely controlled mount. Switch leap to straddle jump, pretty. Bhs loso, solid. Slowed down 90s hip-hop as her beam music is so iconic. Pretty form in her twist, almost gets the stick.
Innes (LSU): Front double full, great power and rise. Punch front full to front layout, pretty. Nice extension on her tour jete half to Popa. Closes out with a solid fhs Rudi to double stag jump.
Turner (UGA): Pretty full turn. Goes for the triple series but was off-center after the second bhs and comes off. Nice height in her leaps. Front full dismount, almost gets the stick.
Ulrich (LSU): Huge double layout to start. I’m obsessed with this Tate McRae mashup for music. Love the height she gets in her leaps. Front full to front layout, great control.
Woolford (UGA): Solid double wolf turn. Bhs loso, great control. Switch leap to split leap, almost broke the connection but held onto it. Ro back double full, lands a little low and off to the side but sticks it.
McClain (LSU): I love how intense her music is right off the bat. Pretty double layout, fairly large lunge out of it though. Switch leap to split full to stag half, love everything about this combo. Misses her punch on her second pass and ends up sitting it down
Smith (UGA): Front aerial to bhs, so so pretty. Switch leap right into dance, makes it look effortless. Great control on her front toss. Aerial to split jump, loses control a little and almost comes off. Bhs step out to side gainer full, stuck.
Chio (LSU): HUGE full-in to open. Switch ring to split full, great extension. Ro back 2.5 to punch front, sticks it cold (I think from my POV).
Scott (UGA): Solid full turn. Bhs loso, small balance check. Ladies and gentlemen, we have our signature seasonal MJ moonwalk! Fhs stepout to front full, almost gets the stick. I love how creative this dismount is!
Drayton (LSU): Super powerful double layout to open. Switch ring to split full, love the amplitude she gets. Front through to double back, slightly underrotates it and runs forward out of it.
Snyder (UGA): Her beam music is Vienna by Billy Joel…I’m immediately sat. Bhs loso, fights a little but solid. Great amplitude on her leaps. Ro back 1.5, small hop forward.
Lincoln (LSU): The Tigers have the most dynamic double layouts, wow. She doesn’t move an inch after that pass ahhhh. Beautiful lines in her leaps. Rudi to front layout, solid. A great routine to round the Tigers out on floor.
AFTER THREE: Georgia 147.725, LSU 147.400
LSU had a rough floor rotation, as the Tigers have to count one of their two rocky routines. Georgia also had a fall on beam and few studders here and there. Let’s see if the Tigers make a comeback during this final rotation, or will the Bulldogs finally keep a series win at home.
Rotation 4: LSU BB, Georgia FX
Coen (LSU): Pretty front aerial to beat jump. Bhs loso, solid. Switch leap to split leap, pretty lines. Ro back double full, chest down just a little on her landing.
Tomlin (UGA): Beautiful double arabian to stag jump to open the Bulldogs on floor. Switch half to split half to another jump but there is a photographer right in my viewpoint so I missed it. Front layout through to ro full, nice control.
Zeiss (LSU): Front aerial to bhs stepout, solid. Small balance check after her leaps. Nice full turn. Front tucked gainer full, stuck.
Wahl (UGA): Chest was a little low on the landing of her full-in. Solid double back. Pretty full turn. Tour jete half to wolf full, nice amplitude. The crowd loves that routine!
Drayton (LSU): Solid switch half. Bhs loso, great control. Switch leap to split jump, nice extension and hits 180. Ro double full, almost gets the stick.
Snyder (UGA): The crowd is already clapping along to her music, love to see it. Great piked full-in to open. A Rudi to back loso in coordination with AC/DC…I’m living for this.
Chio (LSU): Bhs loso, solid. Front aerial to split jump, nicely controlled. Great amplitude on her switch leap to split jump. Bhs to back 1.5, stuck cold.
Williams (UGA): A gigantic double layout to open. Switch full to straddle half, pretty lines and extension. Another routine the crowd is clapping to, YES. Nice rise in her double back. Finishes with some sassy dance.
Ulrich (LSU): A bit of a last-minute lineup change here as Ulrich goes for Lincoln. Pretty bhs loso. Nice lines in her switch leap combo. Solid full turn. Bhs to back 1.5, takes the smallest of steps.
Aquino (UGA): Another huge double layout! Front through to double back, love the power she has. Great extension and height on her leaps. This 00s hip-hop mashup has me singing the lyrics as she competes, it’s just too catchy.
McClain (LSU): Switch leap to split half, fights to keep it on the beam. The crowd is LOUD in response to one of the judges scores from Aquino’s routine. Beautiful lines on her front aerial to bhs. Pretty side gainer full, sticks it.
Smith (UGA): Fhs to front double full to front layout, so beautiful. Gorgeous lines in her acro dance. Switch leap combo, great extension. Front layout to Rudi to straddle jump, lands in place and doesn’t move. Potentially a ten, just maybe??
FINAL: Georgia 197.200, LSU 196.850
VT: Chio (LSU) 9.925
UB: Smith (UGA) & McClain (LSU) 9.95
BB: Chio (LSU) 9.95
FX: Smith (UGA) 9.95
AA: Ulrich (LSU) 39.275
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Live blog by Jessica Brock
Do we have a final result?