Real March Madness – 9 Things I’m Looking Forward To Seeing At SECS, And One More I Wish I Could

March Madness is here and inside Legacy Arena in Birmingham, legends are about to be made. See what I did there? With eight teams battling it out for the 2025 SEC Conference Championship across two sessions, anything is possible and everything has the potential to be epic. I’ve honestly been waiting for this meet all season (well, since I got off the plane after Paris actually). Here are nine things I’m looking forward to seeing live and one more I wish I could.

HELEN HU

Hu has been extraordinary all season in her fifth year for Mizzou. She’s after all, the owner of the first 10 of 2025 (awarded in the Sooner’s house, no less). Her beam is art-in-motion, and exactly what everyone should be striving for – creativity, amplitude, difficulty, gorgeous lines – did I mention creativity? She works the event with a flourish and ease that’s so rare, and performs each skill with meaning. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, we didn’t think we’d ever get to experience her majesty again, but her presence this season and this routine was the gift we all needed in 2025. Honestly, when she salutes on Saturday night, I feel like the spotlight should shift only to Hu and everyone inside Legacy Arena, and everyone watching at home, should stop and watch what women’s artistic gymnastics should be. And speaking of should be, she should, without question, be the 2025 SEC Champion on beam if she does her job and performs the way she has been. And if the judges know what they’re doing. Here’s more on her story by our Nate Salsman.

OKLAHOMA’s FLOOR LINEUP (And everything else!)

Again, I’ve waited all season to see this floor rotation in person. The intricacies, the choreography, the artistry, the performance level – this lineup has star power from start to finish. In podium training, Elle Mueller and Jordan Bowers stood out across miles. Mueller found whomever she could and made eye contact with them – she’s going to reach the rafters tonight, I’m sure of it. And, in maybe the most extraordinary moment I’ve seen on a gymnastics floor in a very long time, as Bowers began her floor choreo, KJ was about 1-2 feet away and got right in her face, almost like they were staring each other down with expressions. Bower’s routine is the best she’s had in her four years as a Sooner, and I’ll never not think of that moment when I watch it now. Priceless.  

In the SEC for the first time as everyone knows by now, earlier this year, Faith Torrez told us the transition and adjustment, “took just a minute” and that the Sooners have settled right in since leaving the Big 12. She loves the louder crowds and the competitiveness. “We want to go out and put our best gymnastics forward. Everybody deserves to go against each other with the best gymnastics that they have and see what happens, because there’s just so many great teams. Everybody’s just really great this year, and I think it’s really exciting. It makes the meets more exciting, and we just thrive off of that.”  Oh, and we can’t wait to see the legend that already is Audrey Davis, nail everything and get the bars score she deserves. Here’s the piece on Torrez.

LSU – LET’S GEAUXXXXXX

Owners of a share of the regular season SEC Championship with OU, Haleigh Bryant, Aleah Finnegan, Konnor McClain, Sierra Ballard, Kaliya Lincoln, Kailin Chio (we could go on and on) – this is the team dreams are made of. With the pressure on in postseason (and really all season) to defend their NCAA title, I’m excited to see LSU building up to Fort Worth and believe they’ll give the No.1 ranked Sooners more than a run for their money in Birmingham. Rumors of multiple illnesses surrounded them earlier this week but overall, they really didn’t show signs of that in training yesterday – I kept a super close watch on floor especially, which was their third rotation, where any fatigue might show up and just didn’t see it – I think they’re pacing themselves anyway. Finnegan’s Arabian to stag leap was especially beautiful (and in bounds) each time I saw it. And even if illness or injury is hampering them in any way at any given time, if any team has proven they can overcome anything, it’s LSU.

THE NIGHT SESSION

Back to Mizzou…. Don’t sleep on this team. These Tigers are HUNGRY and could challenge for top 3 and higher if OU, LSU or Florida aren’t one hundred percent on their game tonight. Kennedy Griffin on floor and Mara Titarsolej on bars are two routines I can’t wait to see under the lights in the night session (along with Helen on beam and really their entire floor lineup). With their best season ever already in the books, Mizzou is out to make an even bigger statement postseason. Here’s our look at where they started. Where they’ll finish is yet to be written, but this team isn’t done yet, that’s a certainty.

The CEO

Not sure how we got here already, but we’re absolutely not ready for this to be Leanne Wong’s final SEC Championships. There’s been a lightness to her performances as of late, after a bit of a slower start than I’m sure she would have liked this season, and I think she’s ready to take in these moments and enjoy these final routines. The joy on her face when she got her 10 on floor on senior night reminded me very much of her elite season in 2023, particularly at the U.S. Championships when everything came together perfectly at the right time. Yesterday following their floor rotation, Wong stayed on the podium after everyone else prepared to head to vault. She has plans for this meet, you can tell. She’d love to take the SEC Championship back to Gainesville, and set her team up perfectly in time to carry their momentum into Regionals and Fort Worth. Notably, even with their injuries, the Gators continue to rally – and their motto, “All For the Gators” – really says everything we need to know about their mindset. When they danced into the arena yesterday, I got the sense they’re more than ready to challenge OU and LSU for the top.

AUBURN OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

Talk about overcoming adversity and you have to talk about the Auburn Tigers. It was on Mizzou’s home turf that Auburn rallied on beam in their final event with anchor Gabby McLaughlin performing a STUNNING routine to all but claim their spot at SECs by scoring over a 197 on the road (the spot was officially theirs after getting a 197.550 at home against LSU). It’s been incredible seeing them rise to that pressure and deliver such outstanding performances on the event – beyond that, their beam has been beautiful all season long. With all of their injuries, a torn left achilles for Olivia Hollingsworth and then the same for freshman standout Keko Jong, this team dug deep and fought their way here. I’m excited to watch Sophia Groth as “Dancing Queen” in this atmosphere and also that incredible vault from Paige Zancan, and see if the Tigers can create a few headlines of their own.

DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE WILDCATS

Kentucky might be in Session 1 this year, but they’re also ranked No. 8 in the country. What I love about this team is their camaraderie and their ability to really shine and surprise in the big moments. Their entire floor lineup is something special (hello Creslyn Brose) but it’s on beam where I really love watching them – Isabella Magnelli and Skylar Killough-Wilhelm, especially. Counting five 9.9+ scores in the final rotation they tied their program record beam score with a 49.575 against Florida just last week, and I think being in the afternoon session might just be exactly the fuel they need to rally for an incredible postseason. See this special spotlight feature on Killough-Wilhelm by our own Megan Roth here.

GO DAWGS, SIC ‘EM Woof! Woof! Woof!

In December, Georgia sophomore Lily Smith told us her team was ready to prove to everyone the GymDogs are back, and ready for glory. There’s no if this year when it comes to her goals, she said. There’s only when – “We know that we’re capable of so much more this year, and we have different coaches and stronger freshmen that came in and stronger transfers. It’s pushed us to work a lot harder, and just know that we can accomplish a lot more this year. With co-head coaches Cécile Landi and Ryan Roberts at the helm for the first time, and a restored belief in themselves, this team is here ranked in the top 10 for the first time since 2020. What was super apparent in podium training was their energy and their joy. They’ve been building fast all season, improving by leaps and bounds since we first saw them at their preview. This is a fun team to watch and it totally wouldn’t surprise me to see them not only win their session, but even go above should their momentum continue. We all know it’s “easier” to chase than be chased, and that the GymDogs are on this rise. What happens next will be anyone’s guess. And we’re here for it. Here’s our feature on Lily.

8 OF 9 THE FLOOR, IT JUST DOESN’T SOUND RIGHT

One thing I’d change, of course, is having all nine teams here. Not having No.16 Arkansas in the mix takes the competitive nature down by a notch in this meet – they beat LSU and Florida in Bud Walton and scored a season high on the road against Kentucky. I think this team is even better than the one the Gymbacks put on the floor in Fort Worth at Nationals last year and should be competing here. If television is dictating how many teams are competing here, I think that’s a problem. If it wasn’t television, what/who was it? I’ve heard in some circles it was the coaches themselves who wanted to go with eight, but haven’t been able to confirm that yet. In any case, with Alabama rallying at the end of their season when it counted most, it emphasized just how closely matched and how competitive this conference is. They should all have the chance to compete against each other again. Put five in the afternoon and keep four in primetime. Do three sessions of three. Or something. But don’t take away opportunities to compete from these women. 

Gymback head coach Jordyn Wieber went to bat for her team this week, as she always does, trying to get them into one more meet to add to their qualifying score before Regional seedings are finalized, which was denied. I can only hope there’s a better outcome in the future. For everyone. I just love a competitive, super exciting NCAA meet and think having the Gymbacks in the mix in Birmingham with all SEC teams would have been a win win.

Everyone Watches Women’s Sports

How It Works

The 2025 SEC Gymnastics Championship will consist of a one-day team and all-around competition. The format will include the top eight teams (determined by NQS), with Seeds 5-8 competing in the afternoon session, and Seeds 1-4 competing in the evening session.

How to Watch 

Both sessions of the 2025 SEC Gymnastics Championships will air live on SEC
Network.

Look for Nate’s NCAA Notes each week and stay tuned to InsideGym.com and Inside Gymnastics magazine for spotlight features and interviews throughout the 2025 season!

Nate Salsman, Della Fowler, Megan Roth and Christy Sandmaier provide NCAA coverage for Inside Gymnastics.

Photos by Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics magazine.

For More

Inside the Matchup Conf Champs

Behind the Mic at B1G

Mackenzie Estep People First, Gymnastics Second

Zoned In Zoey Molomo

Ashlee Sullivan: Seizing Every Opportunity

Victory Lap -Skylar Killough-Wilhelm

Ly Bui Taking Florida By Storm

Beyond the Routine

Fueled By Faith

Artistry In Motion, Aurelie Tran

How Katelyn Jong Fits Right In

Betty Okino Developmental Lead for U.S women’s artistic program

Wendy Hilliard’s 10 Tips for 2025

Inside the Matchup!

Helen Hu’s return to gymnastics

Brooklyn Moors Shines Early In Her Senior Season

In His Own Words: Nikolai Kolesnikov

eMjae Frazier: Ready For More

Sam Phillips: His Own Take

Breaking Down the Men’s Code of Points

Men’s NCAA Coaches Address Changes

For our Men’s NCAA Preview Part 1, Click Here

For our Men’s NCAA Preview Part 2, Click Here!

For our 2025 NCAA Women’s Preview, Click Here!

For the 2025 WCGA Coaches Poll, Click Here!

For our feature on Lily Smith and the Georgia GymDogs, Click Here!

For our look at Mizzou, Click Here!

Missing the Olympics? NCAA Gymnastics Could Be Your Fix!

Stay tuned to InsideGym.com and follow us @InsideGym for all the latest!

For our look at the Class of 2026, Click Here!