LSU Tigers gymnastics has a lot at stake this NCAA Championships season. They know if they wish to retain that national title for a second year, they have to be in the game right from the start. But as of January 11, 2025, it looks like things aren’t exactly unfolding as per the plan. As LSU met Utah, California, and Oklahoma in a quad meet, a key player remained absent from the floor, forced to sit out injured.

As per the latest update, LSU gymnastics, who are currently trailing behind Oklahoma in the second spot with 148.124, have one final rotation to go in the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate meet. But the fourth rotation on the floor will unfortunately not feature KJ Johnson, who has been retired hurt due to her sprained ankle. This is the second time that Johnson’s struck by an ill fate this season, for she was also absent from the Gymnastics 101 preview meet due to an ‘internal matter.’

Luckily, as LSU Gymnastics hardly needed 0.145 to surpass Oklahoma in the standings, the team could depend on Sierra Ballard, Chase Brock, Olivia Dunne, Amari Drayton, Kailin Chio, and Aleah Finnegan, who wrapped things up on the floor. Finnegan scored the highest, a 9.975, followed by Drayton’s 9.950 and Chio’s 9.925. However, this wasn’t enough for the Tigers to exceed Oklahoma’s numbers. In fact, they somewhat equaled floor scores with them at 49.525, ending second on the overall list.

Overall, without KJ Johnson and Haleigh Bryant (for three events), the LSU Gymnastics team was still able to shine above two of the best teams in the country and give Oklahoma a tough competition on the mat, which is commendable. But amidst all this, KJ Johnson’s absence from the squad truly looked concerning for her at this point. Hopefully, things will look better in February, when both Johnson and Bryant can be back for a rematch!

It’s not that KJ Johnson hasn’t debuted on the NCAA mats this season. She was present at LSU Gymnastics’ season opener at the Maravich Center on January 3rd when the women in purple and gold took on Iowa State. KJ Johnson that day showed why exactly the senior is a household name, as her vault 9.825 gave LSU a great lead. “KJ Johnson, everyone” LSU Gymnastics had posted the update on X with great pride! Sadly, it was shortly after that, last week, when she ended up hurting her ankle. And now that has struck her out of the race temporarily.

Well, KJ Johnson is indeed a seasoned gymnast, but she has had quite the bizarre fate when it comes to injuries. Remember, it was back in 2023 when the Tigers had three meets left in the regular season before the SEC championships, and KJ Johnson suffered the weirdest blow. She had to miss four to six weeks of core gymnastics competition after breaking a metatarsal bone in her foot when she stepped off a mat wrong while celebrating with teammates. Yes, this LSU Gymnastics star got injured during the celebration!

But KJ Johnson had bounced back, and how? She went on to take a crucial role in the team next year. In 2024, KJ Johnson turned into a vault specialist who competed on the vault in almost every meet and ended up snagging a season-high 9.925 on it at the NCAA regional finals. But again, in 2025, things have started on a very uncertain note for her. Yet, if we look at it from an optimistic lens, one thing is slightly relieving. At least the fans know that its her injury that has caused her absence this time. Unlike the LSU gymnastics off-season opener event when they were left to make wild guesses.

When LSU Gymnastics fans had to play the guessing game for KJ Johnson

“KJ’s an internal matter. I don’t have much to say on that,” these words from the LSU gymnastics coach, Jay Clark, did not sit well with the sports fans back in December. To not introduce one of your star players during a special event for the side was truly questionable for the Tigers, and fans wondered if everything was alright. Some even pointed out that Zoe Miller, who was out due to an injured shoulder, was on the list too, as well as Leah and Bryce. So was KJ Johnson’s absence an academic or participation-related issue?

Well, for the longest time, this was suspense. But fans were noting the minute details. Some claimed that KJ Johnson was in the arena during the preview meet but wasn’t listed or announced as part of the team. Others added how she had been posting on her social media in the purple gold Leo till November, which doesn’t hint of there being trouble in paradise. Guess, with the NCAA Championships season 2025, that uncertainty came to an end. Only now, another one has started. Will KJ Johnson recover and be back on the mats soon? Let us know what you think!