The standard remains high
And so it begins.
The two-time defending SEC champion LSU gymnastics team enters the 2026 season ranked #2 in the WCGA preseason top 36 poll. This is the 14th consecutive season in which the Tigers have entered as a top-six team. Defending champions and dynastic overlords Oklahoma topped the poll with 39 first-place votes out of a possible 55. LSU received five first-place votes, #3 Florida and #4 UCLA each received four first-place votes, #5 Utah received one first-place vote, and #7 Missouri received the remaining two first-place votes. #6 Michigan State finished ahead of Missouri despite their lack of first-place votes.
Each of the SEC’s nine gymnastics programs earned a top-12 spot, with Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, Auburn and Georgia earing spots 8-12 in that order. LSU will face #1 Oklahoma, #4 UCLA and #5 Utah in the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad on January 10th in the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah. LSU’s two other non-conference opponents received rankings in the poll as well. Penn State, LSU’s opponent on 2/6, is ranked #27, and North Carolina, one of LSU’s opponents in the annual Purple & Gold Podium Challenge, is ranked #24.
Usually we would’ve seen LSU by now, but LSU head coach Jay Clark wanted to give the team and fans a chance to have an event in the PMAC in the first week of January since LSU won’t be home until the 17th. That’s why Open Mike Night, the event formerly known as Gym 101, is happening January 2nd at 6:30 p.m. On New Year’s Day, I’ll give a brief run-down of everything that’s changed in the offseason, things which include minor rules changes and a complete overhaul of NQS to count almost every single meet.
2026 WCGA Preseason Poll:
- Oklahoma (1960 points) (39 first-place votes)
- LSU (1859 points) (5 first-place votes)
- Florida (1804 points) (4 first-place votes)
- UCLA (1784 points) (4 first-place votes)
- Utah (1751 points) (1 first-place vote)
- Michigan State (1638 points)
- Missouri (1589 points) (2 first-place votes)
- Alabama (1518 points)
- Kentucky (1434 points)
- Arkansas (1433 points)
- Auburn (1367 points)
- Georgia (1332 points)
- Stanford (1256 points)
- Michigan (1200 points)
- Minnesota (1199 points)
- Denver (1132 points)
- Oregon State (1004 points)
- Arizona (990 points)
- Clemson (985 points)
- Cal (880 points)
- Ohio State (871 points)
- Iowa (779 points)
- NC State (739 points)
- North Carolina (634 points)
- Arizona State (627 points)
- Penn State (627 points)
- Nebraska (598 points)
- Maryland (567 points)
- Southern Utah (532 points)
- BYU (443 points)
- Illinois (429 points)
- Boise State (354 points)
- Utah State (248 points)
- Washington (240 points)
- West Virginia (145 points)
- Rutgers (131 points)
Also receiving votes: Iowa State (120 points), Towson (94 points), Pitt (63 points), UC Davis (61 points), Central Michigan (36 points), George Washington (36 points), San Jose State (32 points), Ball State (31 points), Kent State (29 points), Temple (11 points), Western Michigan (9 points), Penn (8 points), New Hampshire (7 points), Illinois State (5 points), Sacramento State (4 points), Texas Woman’s (3 points), Air Force (1 point), Fisk (1 point)
Category: General Sports
