In 2007, a group of four freshmen gymnasts moved into a small four-bedroom apartment together at LSU's West Campus apartments. Four years later, LSU seniors Sabrina Franceschelli, Summer Hubbard, Susan Jackson and Kayla Rogers have helped make LSU history and turn the gymnastics program into a national powerhouse.

The four All-Americans were an integral part of LSU reaching back-to-back NCAA Super Six appearances in 2008 and 2009.

Coming into their senior year they have accumulated 12 All-America honors among them and have posted an impressive 75-41-1 record during their time at LSU.

Senior Leaders

One thing the 2010 LSU gymnastics team doesn't lack is team leadership. Despite having five inexperienced freshmen, three sophomores and only one junior on the roster, the four seniors have plenty of experience and know that is important to help guide the younger gymnasts.

"When you have that kind of leadership from a senior group it really makes a difference," said head coach D-D Breaux. "This group has really been watch-guards of the team."

Coming into the 2010 season, Jackson was the most decorated of the four seniors with 29 career individual titles. She has not slowed down, earning an incredible 30 more individual titles during her senior campaign putting her total at 59.

In addition, Jackson has been ranked the No. 1 all-around gymnast in the nation for a school record eight straight weeks and set the school record for consecutive all-around titles to open a season by winning six straight to open the 2010 season.

"She has been a vocal leader that leads both in the gym and out of the gym which is what makes her very valuable to this whole team," Breaux said.

Jackson also serves as the anchor on all four events for the Tigers. She said going last helps put the younger gymnasts at ease going into their routine, but she also said the other seniors that go just before her are just as important.

"All the seniors are so consistent," Jackson said. "So that makes the younger ones in the front more at ease because they know that if they mess up they are fine. They know that if they make a mistake the lineup behind them will have their backs."

Rogers competes on the front end of the lineup on vault and floor. She has led off both events for the majority of career, including every meet so far during her senior season. Leading off an event is an important responsibility, and Rogers said that experience and consistency are the keys to her progression over her four years.

"Nerves don't really make a difference that much as you mature," Rogers said. "But freshman year the nerves really get to you. Consistency is the big thing along with developing a maturity."

Her maturation was clearly visible this season as she has already won three individual titles after winning one in her previous three seasons.

Hubbard battled lower back injuries her first two seasons which limited her to competing only on bars consistently.  Despite her injuries Hubbard excelled on bars and was a constant contributor on beam and floor as well.

"I just needed to stay healthy," Hubbard said. "I finally accomplished that this year and last year and that made it a lot easier."

Franceschelli has been a constant contributor for the Tigers since her freshman season. She has competed consistently in the all-around since her sophomore year. Franceschelli's ability to compete and score well in all four events adds stability and depth to the LSU lineup. 

Rough Beginning

This road to success did not start off easy for the gymnasts. As freshmen in 2007, they shared a four bedroom apartment at LSU's West Campus apartments. All four agreed that transitioning from living at home to the small apartment caused conflict among them.

"You are coming in as freshmen, you don't know a lot about each other and you are all living in this one apartment," Hubbard said. "There was some butting heads."

Jackson said the living arrangement wasn't ideal because they all needed their own space.

"It wasn't a good situation, and then coming into the gym we would bring home stuff into practice," Jackson said.

Rogers agreed the situation at the apartment added to the stress they already faced being freshmen gymnasts and having to learn new routines.

"Just having that stress and having gymnastics on top of it, we weren't used to it," Rogers said. "Having to see each other all the time, we never got a break."

Franceschelli had an even harder adjustment.

"It was kind of hard for me because I was homeschooled and I wasn't really around a lot of people" Franceschelli said. "So I had to learn to adjust in that type of way."

After the end of their freshman year all four of the girls moved out and went their separate ways. Rogers said that once they all moved out, things started to get progressively better and that it has made them much better friends.

Jackson said it is remarkable how far they have come.

"We all get along so great now," Jackson said. "We never fight and we are always positive with each other. We are really good friends now."

"As seniors we have all matured and all grown to love each other," Hubbard said. "We have one of the tightest teams at LSU since I have been here."

For Franceschelli, moving out also meant a chance for her to live on her own and mature as a person.

"I ended up living off campus and growing up a little bit," Franceschelli said. "I got a car and everything was working out. Then I started competing even better because I was growing up and being on my own away from my family."

Making History

In 2008 the Tigers advanced to the NCAA Super Six for the first time in school history. The foursome were only sophomores at the time, but they all were solid contributors to the team.

Hubbard said making the Super Six was one of the first goals that the girls made when they committed to LSU. After not making it their freshman year, she said they made it a point to make it to the finals the following year.

"We all came in as freshmen knowing that this team hadn't made a Super Six yet," Hubbard said. "That added fuel to our fire. We wanted to help LSU achieve that goal."
 
Hubbard missed the first four meets of the season in 2008 due to a back injury, but once she returned she competed in three events for the Tigers. She earned first team All-America honors on the uneven bars by scoring an impressive 9.925 at the NCAA Championship Prelims.

Jackson made history of her own in 2008. She capped off an outstanding sophomore campaign by winning the school's first ever vault national championship. Jackson competed in the all-around for the majority of the season for the Tigers, and that helped earn her First Team All-America honors on vault, bars, floor exercise and the all-around. She was also named First Team All-SEC after earning a share of the SEC vault championship.

Jackson said they didn't just want to make the Super Six for themselves, but they made it for everyone involved with LSU gymnastics and for coach Breaux who had been waiting for over 30 years.

"It was a huge honor to be part of that team," Jackson said. "The moment we made it was the most special feeling."

Rogers, who saw action on the vault, bars and floor for the Tigers, said making that first Super Six was something she would never forget.

"That was an absolutely magical moment because LSU had never done it," Rogers said. "Just knowing that we made it was amazing. Girls were crying, people were freaking out and D-D was ecstatic."

Back-To-Back

Things only got better for the girls as they followed up their phenomenal 2008 season with another banner year in 2009.

As juniors, all four earned All-America honors as the team reached the Super Six for the second consecutive year.

For Franceschelli, making the second Super Six was important because it proved that the first time was not a fluke.

"We worked hard our first two years, but making it again is how you really know that you are a good team," Franceschelli said. "The four of us really stuck together and did it for LSU and for D-D."

Franceschelli was a consistent all-around gymnast all season for the Tigers and earned Second Team All-America honors in the all-around by scoring a 39.250 at the NCAA Prelims.

Rogers continued to progress and was a strong competitor in vault and floor her junior season, and she led off both events in every meet. She earned Second Team All-America honors on floor exercise with a strong 9.85 at the NCAA Championship Prelims. Consistency is important for a lead-off competitor in an event because they set the tone for the rest of the team.

"My progression has gone from being very inconsistent to being able to hit all the time," Rogers said. "The coaching staff here really worked with me on that."

Jackson followed up her outstanding sophomore campaign with an equally impressive junior season. She raked in another pair of First Team All-America honors in vault and all-around as well as Second Team honors on beam.

Jackson also narrowly missed her own back-to-back accomplishment by repeating as NCAA Vault National Champion, but she finished a close second to teammate and fellow All-American Ashleigh Clare-Kearney.

Hubbard earned First-Team All America honors for the second straight year on bars with a 9.875 at the NCAA Championship Prelims. She also excelled on floor and beam for the Tigers.

Lasting Legacy

Friday against Iowa will be the last time the four All-Americans will get to compete in front of their home crowd at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

"It feels weird and very surreal," Jackson said. "I have been doing gymnastics for the last 20 years and that is all I have known."

Jackson said she her goals for the rest of the season are to make it to the Super Six for the third straight year, place higher and set new records.

"Most importantly I want to have fun," Jackson said. "I want to look back at my four years here and have no regrets."

Hubbard said she hopes the seniors can lead this team to the Super Six one more time and "end with a bang."

"It has been a crazy ride," Hubbard said. "And a fun ride at that."

Rogers said she is trying not to think about it for as long as possible because she is sure she is going to be upset when the moment finally gets there.

"I am sure it is going to be sad," Rogers said. "There is absolutely nothing that compares to competing in the PMAC in front of a home crowd with all of your teammates. That is something I am definitely going to miss."

Franceschelli said the four years have flown by and that it still hasn't hit her yet.

"I can't believe I am at that part of my life or that it is going to be over," Franceschelli said.

She said the legacy the seniors made is something she will never forget and she was glad to play her role.

"Being part of the Super Six and all four of us being able to contribute is just a huge accomplishment," Franceschelli said. "It was big for the school, the team and D-D, and I think we are all glad we were able to make that dream for her, for us and for everyone at LSU."

Coach Breaux said the four seniors followed the natural progression of coming in as freshmen trying to find their way, and each year they brought more maturity, leadership and cohesiveness to the team and program.

"They have helped mold and change our team culture," Breaux said. "Everything we value, they value. We have a mantra around here that everything counts, and I think they exemplify that."