LSU Gymnastics' Konnor McLain named SEC Specialist of the Week after securing perfect ten at Collegiate Quad

Konnor McLain, freshman at LSU Gymnastics and 2022 US National Champion, has been awarded the SEC (Southeastern Conference) Specialist of the Week award after her stunning performance in Utah last week.

While competing at Farmers Market Collegiate Quad meet against Oklahoma, Utah and UCLA, McLain took to the uneven bars and scored a perfect ten, much to the delight of fans and teammates alike.

Her routine on the bars consisted of a difficult transition from the high to the low bar, named the Church Immediate Pak. Konnor McLain combined that with a full twisting double back dismount that she stuck effortlessly, scoring the nation's first perfect ten on the uneven bars for 2024.

This makes the youngster only the seventh gymnast in LSU history to earn a perfect score on the bars, and the first to do it on the road since 2019.

2021 NCAA National Champion on the beam, Luisa Blanco and Kentucky’s Raena Worley were named the SEC Co-Gymnasts of the Week, while Florida's Anya Pilgrim took home the honors for the Newcomer of the Week.

Before Konnor McLain, her fellow LSU Tigers Haleigh Bryant and Amari Drayton were awarded the SEC Gymnast of the Week and Freshman of the Week for their performance against Ohio State on January 5th.

Konnor McLain’s journey as a gymnast

Konnor McLain started gymnastics as a three-year-old when her family moved to West Virginia. She first caught the eyes of fans in 2015, when aged just 10, she placed second on the balance beam at the 2015 HOPES Championships. A year later, the American won gold in the all-around, vault, balance beam, and uneven bars events, as well as a silver for her floor exercise routine at the same competition.

McLain made her junior elite debut in 2017 as a 11 year old. In July the next year, the gymnast competed at the American Classic where she placed second in the all-around. She followed this performance up with a bronze on the uneven bars at the US Classic, and a hold on the balance beam at the US National Gymnastics Championships.

Konnor McLain made her senior elite debut at the 2021 Winter Cup, winning bronze on the vault. She participated in the World Championships in October that year, but failed to medal.

2022 was a strong year for the American, as she started it with a gold in the all-around at the Winter Cup. In March, she won two gold and a silver at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge, before following it up with three more title wins at the City of Jesolo Trophy. Konnor McLain ended the year as on a high as she finished first in the all-around and on the balance beam at the US National Gymnastics Championships in August.