The 2025 gymnastics season is here, and LSU is already turning heads. Olivia Dunne’s return to multiple events has been a massive boost for the Tigers. And let’s be real: her career has been full of ups and downs due to injuries. But now she’s back on bars and beam, giving LSU a much-needed spark. But there is a major issue. While freshmen like Kailin Chio are giving 9.9+ performances on a semi-regular basis, this has not been the case for Olivia.

People are already whispering about depth, or, honestly, the lack of it. One fan said it outright: “LSU kind of scares me because of their depth. But more so, the 9.9-plus depth that is a kind of lacking.” And with Dunne in her last year, the pressure is sky high. Sure, LSU put up an impressive 197.650 in their second NCAA meet (just behind Oklahoma’s 197.950), but questions linger. Why isn’t Olivia Dunne hitting her absolute best yet? Well, head coach Jay Clark is sticking by her. Even if she’s not in top form, Clark remains fully supportive.

Jay Clark’s confidence in Olivia

LSU Gymnastics took second place on 13th January at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad Meet. The big story? Olivia Dunne competed in three events, making her first bar appearance of the season with a 9.725. It wasn’t her best score, but seeing her back in the lineup was a huge boost for the Tigers. Ashley Cowan led the way on bars with an impressive 9.95, but Dunne helped LSU post 49.425 for the event.

On beam, Olivia Dunne delivered a 9.775, which was the second-highest score on the team. She saved her best for the floor, though, scoring a 9.85 to finish third behind Kailin Chio’s 9.925 and Aleah Finnegan’s near-perfect 9.975. So, how does head coach Jay Clark feel about the team?

In a post-meet interview, Clark praised their focus during podium training, calling their approach “very matter-of-fact and businesslike.” While he admitted there was still work to do, he had nothing but admiration for Dunne’s presence and professionalism. “Olivia Dunne provides a lot of confidence for us,” Clark shared.

“Just the way she goes about her business. I know she would probably be disappointed with some of her scores. You know, they weren’t what she would like to have. I think of bars in particular, but the way she warms up is just automatic. Like, there’s no doubt. She goes up cold, does a cold routine every time, and is fine,” Clark added. There’s value to that because what it does is it just calms everyone else and keeps everybody in a good place.“Impressive, right?

But coming up, the Tigers will be facing Florida on Friday, January 17 inside the PMAC. Will coach Clark’s faith be rewarded and Dunne show another one of her masterless? That is yet to be known. But one thing that LSU will have to focus on, irrespective of Dunne, is their depth. Why? Because it was this depth that allowed them the win last year. But with some key players injured this season, how will the fare?

What’s next for the LSU Tigers?

Despite their recent shortcomings, LSU remains number two on the table. But with their upcoming matches, it might be tough to hold on to the qualifiers. Why you ask? Well, because it’s not just Olivia’s recent dip in performance, that is an issue for LSU. The biggest worry is that some of the biggest names on last year’s LSU roster are currently on the shelf.

This includes one of last year’s top names, Haleigh Bryant. Bryant was crucial to Tiger’s win with her average of 9.923 on floor exercise last year. And Clark is looking towards her return since it would not only bolster their ranks but would also add the needed depth. And while Bryant hints at her return soon via an Instagram, nothing is concrete yet.

Other key names who are absent from the roster are Konnor McCain and Kaliya Lincoln. While Konnor is still recovering from her Achilles tear from last May, Kaliya is going through a foot injury. All of these strings of injuries have weakened the core of the Tigers squad from last year. But all hope is not lost, as the freshmen are doing pretty well.

As for the Tigers themselves, an overall score of 197.475 is not bad. The only issue is that the 9.7 or lower scores have impacted clutch moments and have led Oklahoma, taking the lead by 0.0275 points. This is a major issue. And while both Lexi Zeiss and Chio registered scores of 9.85 and 9.90 at the bar and vault, respectively, the subsequent takes chipped the scores.

So moving forward, once LSU faces off against the Gators, one thing is clear: anything less than 9.9 and the climb ends right there.