Kailin Chio drew widespread acclaim for her perfect 10 score on vault during the NCAA regionals, leaving the gymnastics world in awe. She not only attracted praise from the fans but also from LSU head coach Jay Clark and football coach Lane Kiffin, both dubbing her record “the greatest thing ever.”
The regional Baton Rouge NCAA Gymnastics saw the Louisiana Tigers come in as the No. 2 seed; however, they decimated the vault with performances that went through the roof. Chio was part of that squad that led the domination with her two perfect 10.0 scores.
Jay Clark spoke about how Chio’s performance long exceeded his expectations and how the entire team managed to garner a score that has now led them to the finals.
“That exceeded my own expectations, cuz am little bit of a pessimist sometimes, and she’s unbelievable, and I don’t know if she’s human sometimes, and she’s just one of 21 and she was great, that was part of our team score but it doesn’t happen without everyone going ahead of her, doesn’t happen in a vaccum,” he said (5:45).
Clark also highlighted how this win was a great reset after the previous loss, mentioning the gritty mindset the team has built, alongside maintaining the feel of joy and intensity.
LSU Tigers coach Lane Kiffin also took to his social media to congratulate Chio on her record, calling her the new greatest.
Kailin Chio Talks about Learning From Setbacks
Since scoring the perfect 10, Kailin Chio has earned the acclaim that very few gymnasts get. This, however, came after LSU finished third in the previous SEC championship games with a 197.950 score.
During the NCAA regional post-game press conference, Chio spoke about the learnings from the game and highlighted how this win proves the team’s grit and just how keen they are to move forward.
” We’re happy with the end result, but it just think that it makes us stronger and just shows that we’re not gonna let that defeat us for the rest of the season, and of course, everyone wants to win the SEC championships, but at the end of the day, we want the NCAA titles,” she said (6:00).
She also highlighted the enduring work ethic of each member of the team and how optimistic they are after being qualified for the finals.
The Tigers will compete in the regional final on Saturday, April 5, 2026.
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