When Aleah Finnegan's feet struck the mat after her dismount from the beam at the NCAA women's gymnastics championships on Saturday, she knew.
The LSU women’s gymnastics team had won the national championship.
Her hands held out in front of her before she raised them to the sky in the traditional finishing pose, emotion animating her face, Finnegan turned, pounded her chest and then grabbed assistant coach Ashleigh Gnat in an embrace that kicked off an ecstatic celebration among the throngs of jubilant LSU fans at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
And celebrate they should.
Finnegan's dominant beam routine capped an amazing afternoon for the Tigers, who found themselves in the unexpected role of favorites after consensus top pick Oklahoma was eliminated in the semifinals. LSU has been in similar positions before, finishing second nationally four times and coming close on several other occasions.
The ending would be different Saturday, but it was by no means a sure thing. After two rotations, all four teams were closely bunched. After three, it seemed LSU could be headed for another disappointment when Utah took a slim lead going into the final rotation.
For LSU, that was the beam. Senior Sierra Ballard, who was competing in her only event of the meet, started with a clutch 9.95. Konnor McClain, Kiya Johnson and Haleigh Bryant — who won the individual championship two days prior — kept the momentum going with similar scores. When Finnegan began, she only needed a 9.6 to seal the win.
She did better than that. Executing nearly flawlessly before sticking the landing, Finnegan earned a 9.95 to finally put a ring on LSU's women's gymnastics team. Almost as soon as Finnegan hit the floor, her teammates and coaches erupted in yells, hugs and fist-pumps as their relief after frustrating years of coming oh-so-close-but-not-quite spilled out.
Perhaps no one felt the emotion as keenly as longtime coach D-D Breaux, who for more than four decades built the program from potential elimination into perennial power. Gymnastics coach Jay Clark brought Breaux onto the podium Saturday night in Fort Worth to celebrate with the team.
"I thought it was important when this program won its first national title that it was her title as much as anything,” Clark said. He's right about that.
This championship comes as women's sports at LSU — as well as nationally — are having a real moment. The spotlight on these talented athletes has never shone brighter than it is right now. Great athletes like Bryant, Finnegan and Angel Reese are finally getting proper credit. It is also a good time to celebrate those who, like Breaux, toiled tirelessly when women's sports were an afterthought, often having to fight for survival. These are their wins, too.