Tigers standout joins star-studded field, including Jordan Chiles and Faith Torrez, in race for collegiate gymnastics’ top honor
BATON ROUGE, La. | LSU Tigers gymnastics sophomore sensation Kailin Chio continues to cement her place among the nation’s elite, earning a coveted spot as a finalist for the 2026 Honda Sport Award for gymnastics.
The announcement, made by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards, places Chio among the top four gymnasts in the country, alongside Jordan Chiles (UCLA), Anna Roberts (Stanford), and Faith Torrez (Oklahoma).
A Breakout Season for Chio
Chio’s 2026 campaign has been nothing short of historic. The sophomore emerged as the nation’s No. 1 all-around gymnast during the regular season based on National Qualifying Score (NQS), anchoring LSU’s run to an NCAA national runner-up finish.
Her dominance across events was unmatched. Chio recorded 13 perfect 10.0 scores — the most ever by an LSU gymnast in a single season — and one of the highest totals nationally since 2019. She also made history by becoming the first gymnast in NCAA history to score a perfect 30.000 while competing in just three events on March 13.
The accolades continued to pile up. Chio earned SEC Gymnast of the Year and Region One Gymnast of the Year honors while capturing SEC titles in the all-around and vault. She consistently delivered elite scores, posting 9.900 or higher across all four events throughout the season.
