LSU senior Haleigh Bryant, one of the most decorated gymnasts in school history, will be returning for a fifth year, she posted on social media Tuesday.
Bryant won the NCAA individual all-around title, in addition to leading the Tigers to their first national championship earlier this month in Fort Worth, Texas.
Bryant had previously said she was uncertain about whether she would return for her final year of eligibility but would announce her decision after the season. Following the team’s victory at the NCAA championships, she said she would make her announcement in “five to seven business days.”
On Tuesday, the LSU gymnastics account posted a video of her announcement. “Competing in the [Pete Maravich Assembly Center] every Friday night has been a dream come true,” Bryant said in the video. “Nothing compares to the joy I have competing in the purple and gold. So the answer to the question you’ve all been waiting for: I am back for Year 5.”
Bryant reposted the video to her own account and wrote, “Let’s run it back.”
Bryant said in a story on the school’s website Tuesday that she had considered ending her gymnastics career after winning the national championship but ultimately chose to stay after speaking to her family, friends and coaching staff, including head coach Jay Clark.
“I love gymnastics,” Bryant said. “It’s been a part of my life for so long, and I just don’t think I was really ready for it to end. After nationals, I kind of told myself I was done. I was like, ‘This is how I want to go out, I have accomplished every single thing I want to accomplish with my team and individually.’ But I think at the end of the day, it was just an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.”
Bryant said she was looking forward to getting the chance to enjoy her final season and make new memories with her teammates. She added her goal for 2025 was to “just try to go back-to-back now.”
Bryant, 22, is already one of the most decorated gymnasts in school history and holds the program record for the most perfect 10.0 scores with 18, as well as having earned the highest all-around score (39.925). This season, after winning the SEC all-around title at the conference championships in March, she was named the SEC Gymnast of the Year. She also won the 2024 AAI Award and is a finalist for the Honda Sport Award. She finished the regular season as the nation’s top-ranked all-arounder, as well as tied for No. 1 on vault.
