Emily Innes Brings Steady Spark to LSU Gymnastics as Tigers Eye Auburn Showdown
After more than 30 years in the coaching game, LSU head coach Jay Clark has a pretty clear checklist when it comes to the kind of gymnast he wants on his team. Talent?
Of course. Drama-free?
Absolutely. Mature, team-first, consistent?
That’s the sweet spot.
Enter Emily Innes.
The senior transfer from Washington has quickly become a key piece of LSU’s floor lineup - and not just because of her scores. Innes brings a calm, composed presence to a Tigers squad that’s currently ranked No. 2 in the country and looking to keep the momentum rolling when they host No.
17 Auburn on Friday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (7:45 p.m. CT, SEC Network).
“She’s a wonderful person,” Clark said. “You’d be blessed to have a team full of Emilys because of her maturity and the even-keeled way she goes about her business.”
That maturity shows up every time she steps on the floor. Innes has taken on the lead-off role for LSU’s floor rotation - a critical spot that sets the tone for the entire lineup.
And she’s delivered with consistency, scoring between 9.800 and 9.925 through the first stretch of the season. No flash, no frills - just clean, confident gymnastics that builds momentum from the start.
“It’s been really fun,” Innes said. “I started leading off on floor my freshman year (at Washington), so it was a familiar position for me.
My job is to build momentum for the team. I’m grateful to be in that position.”
Her journey to Baton Rouge started in Pittsburgh, where she first got into gymnastics through Mommy and Me classes at a local gym called Gymkhana. From there, she climbed the ranks to Level 10, one of the highest levels in junior gymnastics. A shoulder injury in high school sidelined her for her senior season, but it didn’t stop Washington from offering her a scholarship - and she made the most of it.
At Washington, Innes made her mark early. She won the floor title at the 2024 NCAA Berkeley Regional with a career-best 9.95 and earned Big Ten all-conference honors in 2025. She could’ve stayed in Seattle for her final year, but after navigating coaching changes and feeling the itch for something new, she made the leap to LSU.
“It was cool to see a different part of the country,” she said. “I had a great experience, but I went through coaching changes, even before I got there.
For my last year, I wanted something different. When LSU reached out to me, it was an opportunity I felt I couldn’t pass up.
It felt like the right place to be. Now that I’m here, I definitely know it was the right decision.”
LSU is known for its electric floor routines - and the history backs it up. From NCAA champions like Nikki Arnstad and Ashleigh Clare-Kearney to SEC legends like Llomincia Hall and Kiya Johnson, the Tigers have built a legacy on the floor exercise. Add in Olympian Aleah Finnegan, and it’s clear this is an event where LSU shines.
Innes is helping carry that tradition forward. She’s the only gymnast in LSU’s current floor lineup who still performs three tumbling passes instead of two - a demanding choice that speaks to her endurance and technical ability. And even though judges often hold back higher scores for later routines in the lineup, Innes doesn’t let that phase her.
“I’m more focused on going out and hitting a clean routine,” she said. “I think I do a good job of that. My goal is to start the team off with a consistent routine and keep it going through the lineup.”
Clark agrees - and sees her as the perfect fit for that role.
“She doesn’t seem to get overwhelmed by the moment,” he said. “She’s not very emotionally high or low. She stays very grounded.”
Beyond the gymnastics, Clark values her mindset just as much. He’s had one-on-one meetings with every athlete throughout the season, and says Innes stands out for her thoughtful, reflective nature.
“She’s a very thoughtful and curious person,” he said. “She’s really about self-improvement and being the best influence she can be. That’s refreshing in this day and age.”
LSU fans will get another chance to see Innes and the Tigers in action Friday night against Auburn, with the meet airing live on SEC Network. And right after the meet, the network will premiere SEC Storied: The Fighting Tiger, a documentary on legendary former LSU coach D-D Breaux, starting at 9:30 p.m.
SEC Standings Snapshot (as of this week):
| Team | SEC | Pct. | Overall | Pct.
| Avg. |
|-----------|-----|------|---------|------|----------| | Oklahoma | 4-0 | 1.000| 9-0-1 | .950 | 197.879 |
| Florida | 3-1 | .750 | 6-1 | .857 | 197.360 | | LSU | 2-1 | .667 | 5-1-1 | .786 | 197.520 |
| Arkansas | 2-1 | .667 | 5-3 | .625 | 197.092 | | Georgia | 2-2 | .500 | 6-2 | .750 | 197.225 |
| Alabama | 1-2 | .333 | 3-2 | .600 | 197.435 | | Kentucky | 1-2 | .333 | 1-6 | .143 | 195.765 |
| Missouri | 1-3 | .250 | 5-3 | .625 | 197.163 | | Auburn | 0-4 | .000 | 1-4 | .200 | 196.450 |
Recent Results:
- LSU 197.525, Penn State 196.125
- Oklahoma 198.200, Alabama 197.475
- Arkansas 197.450, Georgia 197.050
- Kentucky 197.325, Auburn 196.275
- Missouri 197.200, Florida 196.500
- Oklahoma 198.175, Arkansas 197.700, Arizona 195.825, Texas Woman’s 195.025
Upcoming Schedule (All times Central):
Friday
- Auburn at LSU, 7:45 p.m.
(SEC Network)
- Oklahoma at Florida, 6 p.m.
(ESPN2)
- Missouri at Kentucky, 6 p.m.
(SEC Network)
- Arkansas at Alabama, 6:30 p.m.
(SECNetwork+)
Saturday
- Georgia, Air Force, California, Stanford, 7:15 p.m. (Metroplex Challenge, Fort Worth, Texas)
Sunday
- Auburn, Boise State, North Carolina, NC State, 7:15 p.m. (Metroplex Challenge, Fort Worth, Texas)
As LSU continues its push toward postseason form, Emily Innes may not be the flashiest name on the roster - but she’s the kind of gymnast every team needs: steady, selfless, and ready to deliver when it counts.