LSU's Kailin Chio Aims for Historic NCAA Sweep

The freshman phenom looks to become the first gymnast to win all five individual NCAA titles in a single season.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 5:53pm

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An extreme close-up of a gymnast performing a dynamic routine on the balance beam, with vibrant neon-colored brushstrokes capturing the raw energy and motion of the performance.Kailin Chio's quest for an unprecedented NCAA gymnastics sweep has captivated fans with her explosive performances on the balance beam and throughout the all-around.Baton Rouge Today

LSU freshman Kailin Chio has dominated the 2026 NCAA gymnastics season, emerging as the top-ranked gymnast in the country on vault, bars, beam, floor, and the all-around. As the NCAA Championships approach, Chio has a chance to make history by sweeping all five individual titles - a feat that has never been accomplished before.

Why it matters

Chio's potential sweep would cement her status as one of the greatest college gymnasts of all time and further elevate the profile of the LSU gymnastics program. However, the deep field of challengers at nationals means Chio will have to be at her absolute best to achieve this unprecedented accomplishment.

The details

Chio has been nearly unstoppable this season, posting the highest NQS scores in the country on vault (9.980), bars (9.955), beam (9.995), floor (9.995), and the all-around (39.795). She has only a handful of scores below 9.900 all year, showcasing remarkable consistency. While Chio is the heavy favorite in most events, she will face stiff competition from gymnasts like Maggie Slife (Air Force), Skye Blakely (Florida), Jordan Chiles (UCLA), Kaliya Lincoln (LSU), and CaMarah Williams (Georgia). These athletes have the talent and experience to potentially unseat Chio on any given event.

  • Chio won the NCAA vault title in 2025 with a 9.9750.
  • The 2026 NCAA Gymnastics Championships will take place on April 16-18.

The players

Kailin Chio

A freshman sensation at LSU who is the top-ranked gymnast in the country across all five individual events.

Maggie Slife

An Air Force junior who is an All-American on bars and has the same bars NQS as Konnor McClain.

Skye Blakely

A Florida sophomore with the best bars NQS in the country at 9.955, including a perfect 10 score.

Jordan Chiles

A UCLA senior who leads the nation on floor exercise with a near-perfect 9.995 NQS.

Kaliya Lincoln

An LSU sophomore tied for second nationally on floor exercise with a season-high 9.975.

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What they’re saying

“It's entirely possible that Kailin has a monster day and gets massive scores which nobody surpasses.”

— Ben Schluter, Author

“When she's locked in, she is unstoppable.”

— Ben Schluter, Author

What’s next

The judges in the individual event finals on April 18 will determine whether Kailin Chio can make history by sweeping all five NCAA titles.

The takeaway

Kailin Chio's dominant 2026 season has set the stage for a potential historic achievement at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships. While she is the heavy favorite, the depth of talent in this year's field means Chio will have to be at her absolute best to become the first gymnast to win all five individual titles in a single season.