Olivia Dunne had her dream come true moment in the previous season as she won her maiden NCAA title. Unfortunately, her feel-good moment did not last long as Dunne faced trolling for being benched and was deemed unworthy. Thus, coming back for her final season, the LSU heartthrob is keen to make an impact and prove her haters wrong. In the absence of Haleigh Bryant, Dunne held the aces, and she definitely impressed in her season opener. However, with LSU making a winning start, the 22-year-old is looking to uplift fresh talents before she leaves. 

Making her debut in the season opener, 18-year-old freshman Kailin Chio had a blast. Riding on the back of her heroics, the LSU Tigers got the better of Iowa State by a score of 197.399-194.100. Incidentally, this was the first instance of the Tigers posting a score that went beyond 197.000. And a large chunk of thanks goes to Chio. Appearing in her maiden NCAA bar pass, Chio delivered an incredible 9.90. In what was a pleasant surprise for the team, Chio racked up a whopping 9.925 in her opening balance beam routine! Interestingly, Chio bettered even Dunne’s score in the same routine! 

Olivia Dunne gushes over an incredible Kailin Chio debut

Thus, seeing immense potential in the freshman, Olivia Dunne cannot help but gush over Chio’s performance. Speaking in the Gymnastics Week 2 Press Conference dated January 6, the LSU heartthrob was asked about Kailin Chio. Heaping praises on the youngster, Dunne stated, “Kailin is incredible. I think she came in with such a great mindset, and she competes like a vet.”

And the 22-year-old did not stop there. She also pointed out how hard Chio had trained in the preseason. Acknowledging her tenacity, Dunne was compelled to give the freshman her flowers. She said, “I really admire the way she trained all preseason-it was just so admirable, even from a fifth-year senior’s perspective.” Moving on, the 22-year-old also stressed on the fact that the best way to honor Haleigh Bryant’s absence is to keep notching up the victories. 

This way, when Haleigh Bryant returns to action, she will not be facing any additional pressure. Instead, she can carry on with her natural game and help LSU retain their crown. Meanwhile, coming back to the stunning debut of Kailin Chio, there were more praises coming her way apart from Olivia Dunne’s inspiring words. 

LSU’s freshman star’s stunning debut and team’s unified efforts power them to triumphant season start 

When the LSU Tigers stepped onto the mat for their 2025 NCAA Gymnastics season opener as the defending champions, they were without their star gymnast, Haleigh Bryant. Yet, what followed left fans in awe! And Coach Jay Clark too did not miss the chance to sing praises for a team that exceeded all expectations. The team was leading the scoreboards by 197.300 – 194.100 over Iowa State. But what was most shocking was the fact it was freshman Kailin Chio, whose Olympic-caliber performance set the tone for the Tigers’ campaign.

With precision and poise on the balance beam, Chio contributed a crucial 9.900 on the balance beam, setting a strong foundation for the Tigers. “I felt really good about it. Like, I think in my time here, and my memory is not great, but I think in my time here, it may be the best opening performance we had, top to bottom,” Coach Jay Clark remarked post-meet, reflecting the team’s collective strength. The freshman’s composure and precision drew comparisons to seasoned gymnasts. This is also hinting at how LSU’s next generation is more than capable of carrying the torch. 

Chio’s effort, alongside standout performances from Olivia Dunne and Aleah Finnegan, ensured that the Tigers maintained their dominance even in Bryant’s absence. Livvy Dunne, entering her final collegiate season, shined with a 9.875 on floor exercise. On the other hand, Finnegan added consistency across multiple events. But Chio’s debut has indeed captured the spotlight.

Although Clark expressed his joy over the winning performance of his squad, he was quick to temper the excitement with measured optimism. “That doesn’t mean it was mistake-free,” he admitted. He added, “It just means that they did a great job from an approach and a mindset. They didn’t get distracted by things that could have distracted them. They’re still getting their legs under them in certain spots.” With Chio’s electrifying debut and the team’s cohesive, strong performance, the Tigers made a bold statement in their pursuit of back-to-back NCAA titles.