LSU gymnast Kailin Chio has been named the 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year, announced by the Southeastern Conference in its annual gymnastics awards for the season. Chio has not only been the top freshman performer in the SEC throughout the 2025 season, but also in the country. On top of her FOTY honors, she was also named to the All-SEC and All-Freshman Team. Chio is just the fourth gymnast in LSU history to win the SEC Freshman of the Year award, joining Haleigh Bryant (2021), Kiya Johnson (2020) and April Burkholder (2003), and the 20th gymnast to earn a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team since it began back in 2009. Chio has had the most historic freshman debut in LSU's history. In her first year, she has competed in the all-around in every meet for the Tigers, recording season highs of 10.0 on vault, 9.950’s on bars and beam, 9.975 on floor and 39.800 in the all-around, the highest all-around score by a freshman in LSU history and in the country currently. She has placed as one of the top five gymnasts in the country for five straight weeks in only her first year, putting up veteran numbers all year long. She owns an NQS of 39.670 in the all-around heading into postseason and has ranked amongst the top 10 gymnasts in the nation for eight out of 12 weeks of competition so far in 2025, including claiming the No. 1 spot on vault for two weeks in week seven and Week 11. Chio currently ranks in the top 20 on every event nationally with an NQS of 9.9+ across the board. She has had nine meets this year where she has put up scores of 9.900 or better on at least three events for the Tigers and owns 20 titles, with six of those coming on vault, five in the all-around, four on bars, three on beam and two on floor. Chio has marked many “firsts” in her first year at LSU, including being the first freshman to record a 10 this season after her perfect yurchenko one and a half on vault against Auburn on March 22. It was only the fourth perfect score in the country by any gymnast so far this year. She also made SEC history when she set the record for the most SEC Freshman of the Week honors in a single season, taking home nine out of 11 awards in 2025, the most by any freshman in SEC history. She broke the previous SEC record of eight set by Florida’s Kayla DiCello’s in 2023 and Haleigh Bryant’s previous LSU record of five. In her postseason debut, Chio finished amongst the top 10 performers in the 2025 SEC Gymnastics Championships on vault, bars, floor and the all-around. She finished second on floor with her score of 9.950 and fourth in the all-around with her 39.650 at the championships.

The No. 2 ranked LSU Gymnastics team (12-2, 8-1 SEC) has won the 2025 SEC Championship with a record-breaking score of 198.200 in Session II of the 2025 SEC Gymnastics Championships inside Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL. This is LSU's 2nd consecutive championship and 6th total, winning five in the last eight years. LSU’s final score of 198.200 was their best in the school's history at the SEC Championships to finish as the top team across both sessions of competition on Saturday. No. 1 ranked Oklahoma finished in second with their score of 197.925 and Florida in third with their 197.825. The Tigers began on bars, recording a team score of 49.600, which was good for the program’s highest bar score at the SEC Championships. On beam, they scored a total of 49.450, which is the highest beam score in LSU history at the SEC Championships. O n vault, they finished 49.525, their fourth highest in LSU history at the meet and on floor rotation, they wrapped up with a total score of 49.625, their second highest at SEC’s. LSU held the lead through all rotations in the second session, highlighted by top five program scores in every event at the conference championships.

The 50th annual Louisiana Crawfish Festival returns for 2025 in Chalmette, LA for 4 days of good food and fun starting on Thursday, March 20th -Sunday, March 23rd. Come on out to the Parish to enjoy some delicious crawfish and crawfish inspired dishes plus rides, games and live music with performances by Chapel Hart, Harvey Jesus and Fire, Laine Hardy, The Chee-Weez, and more. The festival was first established in 1975, when the Knights of Columbus Rummel Council 5747 saw a need in the St. Bernard Community. Debating on how to raise funds, a member of the council suggested that they host a festival, and the rest is history. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina devastated St. Bernard Parish, the festival was postponed until 2007. Once it reestablished itself, the festival became the main fundraiser for Knights of Columbus Rummel Council, which has allowed them to donate over $100,000 per year to multiple community initiatives throughout the St. Bernard Community and the surrounding areas. Since Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana Crawfish Festival has donated over 2 million dollars back to the community. The festival is hosted by the Louisiana Crawfish Fest Foundation with a mission to help those in need and to support community programs in St. Bernard Parish and the surrounding areas. Admission to the festival is free today, $20 on Friday and $10 on Saturday and Sunday. Carnival ride bands are $20 on Thursday, $25 Friday and $30 for Saturday and Sunday. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.louisianacrawfishfestival.com

LSU Gymnast Aleah Finnegan has been named a finalist for the prestigious 2025 AAI Award, which is awarded to the top senior gymnast in the nation by the American Athletic Inc. Finnegan was chosen a finalist from a field of 59 nominees. She is joined by Oklahoma’s Jordan Bowers and Audrey Davis, Oregon State’s Jade Carey, Florida’s Leanne Wong and Utah’s Grace McCallum. Voting will be conducted by NCAA women's gymnastics head coaches with the winner to be announced at the NCAA Championships Banquet in Fort Worth, TX next month. LSU has seen four AAI Award Winners in school history, the most by any school since 2010 and the most in the SEC. The prestigious group includes Haleigh Bryant (2024), Aleah's sister, Sarah Finnegan (2019), Ashleigh Gnat (2017) and Susan Jackson (2010). This year, Finnegan has competed in the all-around in all but two meets this year, putting up season highs of 9.950 on vault and bars, 10.0 on beam, 9.975 on floor and 39.725 in the all-around. Nationally, she has ranked amongst the top 20 all-around gymnasts in the nation for nine out of 12 weeks of regular season competition. Finnegan is an eight time All-American and All-SEC member who owns eight perfect scores in her career, with the most recent coming this season on beam. She was the first Tiger this year to earn a perfect 10 and it was only the third perfect score on beam in the country. Her eight-career perfect 10’s is the sixth most in LSU history, including the second most on floor. She owns 36 titles in her career so far at LSU, with 13 of those coming in 2025. She owns 14 titles on floor, 10 on beam, six on vault, five in the all-around and one on bars. Her 14 floor titles ties for the seventh most in LSU history, which she currently shares with her sister, Sarah Finnegan. On top of her collegiate success, Finnegan has continued be a great representative of LSU across NCAA Gymnastics and the world stage, becoming the first LSU Gymnast to represent the Tigers in the Olympics when she competed in the qualifying rounds of the 2024 Paris Olympics with Team Philippines.

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On Saturday, March 22nd, the Epilepsy Alliance Louisiana will host their 1st annual Seize the Day Warrior Walk in New Orleans. Founded in 1977, the Epilepsy Alliance Louisiana is dedicated to supporting those impacted by epilepsy in local communities by confronting the spectrum of challenges created by seizures. They offer resources and information with a “hands on” approach and is the only agency of its type in Louisiana to exclusively provide outreach, education, and advocacy to individuals with epilepsy. Seize the Day Warrior Walk is one of the most powerful ways you can raise awareness and make a lasting impact for those living with epilepsy in your own community. The events are now held in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, as well as Youngsville, combining both fun and community spirit with a powerful purpose. These walks offer more than an opportunity to raise awareness and funds, they are also a chance to connect with others and strengthen the epilepsy community. The funds raised will help support vital programs and services for individuals and families affected by epilepsy, ensuring no one must face the challenges of epilepsy alone. To learn more about the Epilepsy Alliance Louisiana or to register for one of the walks, please visit www.epilepsylouisiana.org

It's another week and another honor for LSU Gymnastics freshman Kailin Chio, who has just won her ninth career SEC Freshman of the Week honor. This breaks the previous single season record by any freshman in the conference since the award began in 2009. Chio shares the Week 11 honor with Oklahoma’s Addison Fatta after both freshmen put up a 39.650 in the all-around last Friday. Chio now has the most SEC Freshman of the Week honors in SEC history, breaking the previous record of eight set by Florida’s Kayla DiCello’s in 2023. Chio also holds the LSU record for the most SEC awards by a gymnast in their first season. She surpassed Haleigh Bryant’s previous record of five in 2021. Chio recorded her first career perfect 10 in the Tigers regular season finale against No. 14 Auburn last Friday. She became the first freshman in the country to earn a 10 this season after her flawless yurchenko one and a half on vault and her 10 on vault was only the third in the country so far this season. She put up a strong performance to add to LSU’s season high road victory last Friday, recording scores of 9.900 on bars and 9.925 on floor on top of her perfect 10.0 on vault. She took home the vault title on the night, her 20th title this season and sixth on the event, winning at least one title in all but one competition so far this year. In only her first year as a Tiger, Chio has earned a spot among the top five gymnasts in the nation for four straight weeks, currently ranking No. 5 in the all-around with her NQS of 39.670. She also sits in the top 10 nationally in the vault and beam rankings, including the No. 1 spot on vault with her NQS of 9.955 on the event.