Aly Raisman Defends Olivia Dunne’s LSU Teammate Amid Unfair NCAA Scoring Controversy

Friday, January 19, saw an epic night in gymnastics. 6-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman made her debut as an ESPN commentator at the LSU Tigers vs. Kentucky Wildcats NCAA showdown. The LSU gymnastics women’s team dominated the night, with exceptional talent on display like Haleigh Bryant, Savannah Schoenherr, KJ Johnson, and many others.

However, despite their win, which earned them the highest score in the country, the team faced backlash online as debates broke out regarding unfair scoring. Now, Aly Raisman, showing her support for the younger generation, has come to the defense of Olivia Dunne‘s teammate on the LSU squad.

Aly Raisman sides with LSU standout after LSU vs. Kentucky game

Alexandra Raisman, aka Aly Raisman, took to Instagram on January 21 and posted an exhilarating vault routine from the January 19  NCAA game between LSU and Kentucky. The performance was that of Haleigh Bryant, the showstopper of the night, who secured the all-around title with a total score of 39.825, winning on vault and bars.

The video captured Raisman’s commentary on Bryant’s flawless vault execution, praising the speed, height, and length with a simple “Wow.” Aly Raisman captioned the post, “Go @_haleighbryant !!!” in awe of the 22-year-old. This display of camaraderie is heartwarming, but it came just a day after the LSU victory sparked online debates.

Why did the controversy begin?

On January 20, Gymnastics Now shared a side-by-side comparison of the vault routine by Haleigh Bryant from LSU and Arianna Patterson from Kentucky on Instagram. Haleigh Bryant performed a front-pike half vault and received a score of 9.975. Arianna Patterson performed the same vault in the following rotation and received a slightly lower score of 9.925. Haleigh got a high score for her vault, but some fans questioned if the judges were fair because Arianna, who performed a similar vault later, got a slightly lower score. One fan argued, “Amplitude, body position, and distance…the difference!” defending Haleigh Bryant’s higher score.

Read more: After Being Called Out for Drinking, Olivia Dunne’s Sister Throws Shade Ahead of LSU vs Kentucky Event

Another fan wrote,

“I thought the 9.925 vault was cleaner for sure,” referring to Arianna Patterson of the Kentucky Wildcats. Although many people were upset about the judging decisions, feeling that LSU got some advantages and Kentucky was unfairly scored during the competition, Aly Raisman defended the judge’s decisions and took a stand for Haleigh Bryant, adding an intriguing layer to the NCAA narrative. What do you feel about this? Comment below!

Watch this story: LSU Gymnast Olivia Dunne Pulls Off a Stunning Vault Routine to Pay Tribute to the Sport of Gymnastics