Fresh off of winning the first national championship in LSU history, Haleigh Bryant has had a big decision to make on her gymnastics future. Specifically, whether to stay at LSU and keep going or take her talents elsewhere.
On Tuesday, Bryant made that decision and it’s the one that Tigers fans across the country have been hoping for. She announced on the school’s social media accounts that she is returning to LSU for a fifth year with the program.
“The answer to the question you have all been waiting for,” Bryant said in the video. “I am back for year five.”
While 2024 was obviously a banner year for LSU, it was especially big for Bryant. She won the NCAA all-around individual title and SEC gymnast of the year honors while posting 9.90 or better on 90.3-percent of her routines, with a score of 9.95 or better on half of her routines this season. The LSU superstar also pulled off eight perfect 10s along with a school record score of 39.925 in the all-around.
Bryant is the latest and arguably most coveted member of the LSU gymnastics national championship team that is returning to the team for next season. Other members that are still eligible to return are Kiya Johnson, Olivia “Livvy” Dunne, Alyona Shchennikova, Sierra Ballard and Chase Brock.
Now that Bryant is back at LSU, are the Tigers favorites to win the national title next year? Or do they still need some more of last year’s stars to come back?