Olivia Dunne & Co. have one mission in mind to fulfill. Bagging a repeat NCAA title in the 2025 season? Well, given the presence of super seniors like Dunne and Haleigh Bryant, as well as equally talented freshers this time around, it seemed quite an achievable milestone. But a piece of upsetting news seems to have put it all in jeopardy!

Something felt off around the start of this season, right? While the Gymnastics 101 event kicked off in noble spirit, the seniors did seem to lack the finesse they usually have. At least, this is what Coach Jay Clarke voiced out in the post-event conference. But now, there’s more to dread about. Olivia Dunne’s super senior teammate Haleigh Bryant has ended up with an unfortunate injury!

Dunne’s teammate Haleigh Bryant is out of the season for now

Well, there’s sad news for the LSU gymnastics fans for now. As per the latest update, Haleigh Bryant has suffered an elbow injury, which has sidelined the All-American gymnast’s return for the fifth season (at least for now). It happened during a mishap at the LSY Gymnastics 101 event, where she injured the Ulnar Collateral Ligament on her elbow while executing her vault routine on December 16.

Bryant went quite low on the vault table and seemed to have jammed her elbow before she could complete the landing. However, she did not give up midway. The Tiger pulled through the pain and continued her floor and balance beam routines subsequently. Despite putting on a brave front, she started experiencing discomfort the next day.

Apparently, that very day, the beam routine turned out to be a disaster too. Olivia Dunne’s fifth-year return partner, Haleigh Bryant, had a fall on the beam, which was her final event for the day. Since it was an exhibition and there was no scoring involved, she dusted herself and picked up from where she left off.

However, coach Jay Clarke seemed quite concerned about it. He said, “That doesn’t happen. I’m not concerned about what I call aberrations. I’m concerned that some of our depth looked scared.” And now, with this shoulder injury to top it off, coach Jay Clarke has stated that there are high chances Haleigh Bryant doesn’t make it to the performing squad for the January 3 season opener against Iowa State with Olivia Dunne and Co.

What makes Bryant’s current elbow injury an actual scare is that she suffered from a similar scare in April this year. But managed to return to the mats. However, this time, her arrival for at least a few beginning events is on thin ice. And that isn’t a good sign for LSU gymnastics as Bryant is the reigning NCAA and Southeastern Conference all-around Champion. And her absence will surely leave an irreplaceable void.

Bryant’s absence could weaken Olivia Dunne and the team

Jay Clarke knows how important the 2025 season is for LSU gymnastics. Thus, when he saw the team underperform at the Gym 101 event, he issued a warning for them to pull up their socks. “This was supposed to be a dress rehearsal,” he said. But did Olivia Dunne and the rest of his pupils look in good shape to actually ‘protect the crown?’ Well, partially. “Some gymnasts looked ready, but others didn’t rise to the occasion. We’ve got work to do if we’re going to maintain our championship standard,” he said.

But what if Haleigh Bryant ends up missing this season? Well, if we look at what happened in April, we can sure say that there are chances that she bounces back. In April 2024, the LSU star sprained her elbow during the NCAA regional semifinals but she continued to compete in all four events in the regional final. Not only did she perform, but she aced the show, even with the injury, scoring two perfect 10s, one on Vault and one on the uneven bars. The team ended up hosting the NCAA title that season!

Well, that’s how important Bryant is to the team. But can she return from the jaws of a potential season-ending injury this time too? Share your thoughts with us!