NCAA Gymnastics: Haleigh Bryant’s New Honor Adds to The Storied LSU Legacy

“I am so proud of this team. We worked so hard and we are not done yet,” said LSU senior Haleigh Bryant when she won the All-Around title with a score of 39.800 on March 23rd at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championships. Her victory paved the way for the Tigers to lift their fifth SEC title in the program’s history with a score of 198.075. However, for Bryant, the good news came a bit earlier.

Crediting to her fantastic final season with the Tigers, the LSU senior reaped herself a reward on March 15th, when she was named a finalist for the 2024 AAI Award (a.k.a Heisman Trophy). The result – Haleigh Bryant was voted this year’s AAI award winner over the remaining five finalists on 17th April, and gained herself a recognition for the top senior gymnast in the nation. Following this, the team took to its X handle to congratulate Bryant and penned “The trophy was meant for 𝐡𝐞𝐫.”

With this, Bryant became the fourth recipient of the Heisman Trophy in program history and joined a prestigious group of past honorees in Sarah Finnegan (2019), Ashleigh Gnat (2017), and Susan Jackson (2010).

Interestingly, with Haleigh taking the reins, LSU proudly boasts the highest number of AAI winners since 2010 and leads in the Southeastern Conference. More so, as she ended her season with the perfect vault finish (9.975), she earned herself the title of SEC -Gymnast of the Year, becoming only the sixth gymnast in LSU history to earn the award.

“A dream come true” for Haleigh Bryant 

When LSU defeated Auburn with a score of 198.300-197.10 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Bryant expressed her unfeigned elation about her team’s performance throughout the season. She stated, “It’s absolutely amazing. It’s literally a dream come true. And, that’s the one reason I came to LSU. I love the fans, and I love the coaches.”

On the similar token, her performance throughout the regular season earned her five first team All-America honors in 2024, moving her career total to 22 – 14 regular season, eight NCAA.

Along similar lines, on March 8, Tigers stood atop the podium with a new program score of 198.425 at the Raising Cane’s River Center – the first time LSU has surpassed the 198+ mark. On the same night, Bryant posted a career high of 39.925 in the all-around, which is the highest all-around score by any LSU gymnast, the second-best in SEC history and ties for the fourth best in the NCAA.

Interestingly, the four time All-SEC member, three time SEC Individual Champion, and two time Central Region Gymnast of the Year, Bryant continues to add more accolades to her wall of fame. Now, in her senior year, she looks to lead her team to their first national championship.