LSU Coach’s Words Haunt Olivia Dunne and Team as NCAA Gymnastics Ranking Come Out

The 2025 NCAA gymnastics season is all set to be an action-packed competition of rivalry and electrifying moments of performance. Every jump and landing would be under scrutiny and who will prevail on a smooth ride to dominance is yet to be seen. One team, however, has definitely caught everyone’s attention and brought along debates on resilience and leadership. What happens next might just redefine the season.

The start of the 2025 NCAA season represents a dramatic shift after years of the “perfect score” becoming more and more commonplace. Over the last three days, a number of elite teams have competed, but none have achieved a perfect score. None of the athletes from the Oklahoma Sooners and LSU Tigers recorded 10.0s, despite both teams putting on strong performances in their first meetings. And with that, the 2025 women’s NCAA gymnastics week one ranking is out.

A coach helps athletes get motivated and move forward with their goals, but what if the motivation counter serves its purpose? Louisiana State University (LSU) gymnastics coach Jay Clark said, “Some good, some bad. Some people looked really ready; others looked scared and timid.” The words may be harsh, but the coach is not exactly wrong in expecting a better performance from the reigning NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Champions. But, the team managed to grossly underperform during the annual preview meet.

Olivia Dunne and Haleigh Bryant found themselves making mistakes that were so uncharacteristic of them. Exhibits of this were seen in Bryant falling off the beam during her routine while Dunne avoided the vault. Though Clark is the biggest supporter of his team, he couldn’t refrain from mentioning that day how his seniors looked timid. And somehow even now, his words proved to be right. How, you may ask?

The official page of Insidegym on Instagram has posted the 2025 women’s NCAA gymnastics ranking for Week 1 with the caption, “🔥The first NCAA Women’s Gymnastics rankings of 2025 are in! Check out where your favorite teams stand as we head into the next exciting week of competition! 🏅✨.” Who has topped the list?

The Oklahoma gymnastics team has topped the ranking list with 197.550 points. When talking about LSU points, they have 197.300 points and are ranked second. Penn State is listed in ninth place with 195.775 points.

With these rankings, Olivia Dunne and her team have been put under immense pressure as they move into the competitive week. Now, LSU has to put in more effort to move to the top and balance the 0.250 points. The difference is very small, and LSU can easily cross the point gap with gymnasts like Olivia Dunne on the team.

The pointed remarks from coach Jay Clark are still ringing in the ears of Olivia Dunne and her team, who face a clear challenge: to take the criticism and transform it into motivation that will bridge the narrow gap that separates them from the top. The journey won’t be easy to reclaim their No. 1 spot, but with some determination and focus, LSU may rise above those rankings and show their resilience in the NCAA—the gap between OSU and LSU is not big.

LSU secures top all-around spot in Week 1 rankings

LSU couldn’t clinch the first spot in the 2025 women’s NCAA gymnastics ranking but at least managed to claim an all-around spot for Week 1. LSU gymnasts have shown remarkable performances, with senior Aleah Finnegan and freshman Kailin Chio. Not just this, the senior managed to put up a score of 39.725, which is the second-highest all-around score of her career.

Additionally, when looking at team performance, LSU finds itself placed in the top five in every event. However, it is seated on the first spot for floor, fourth for beam, fifth for bars, and third on the vault. Given their victory not so long ago, could this start to the season be counted as a slow one?

LSU won their first-ever NCAA team title in 2024 with standouts like Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan on the team. Bryant’s injury can also be a setback for the LSU team, though she is improving. Coach Jay Clark said on her injury update, “I mean, she feels good. And we’ve stepped up the activity a little bit in terms of her rehab process.” Hopefully, she will join the team soon.

The competitive season for gymnastics unfolds, and everyone is excited to see the competition. Be it Oklahoma or LSU, who is going to claim the victory, or any third team will clinch the position; only time will tell.