I’m enjoying watching UCLA most this season. But — once again — I’ll be cheering for LSU to win their first National Championships. It would be good for the sport to have another team join the very short list of Championship teams.
Last July, millions around the country watched USA Gymnastics name its five-member Rio-bound Olympic team and three alternates. While the celebration in front of the adoring crowd at the Olympic trials involved selfies, confetti, media appearances and the realization of a lifelong dream come true for eight women, it marked a devastating conclusion for Maggie Nichols. She’d helped lead the U.S. team to gold at the world championships less than a year before, and even won an individual silver medal on floor. But on that day, her name wasn’t called. She remained in the locker room.
Three days later, Nichols made the difficult decision to retire from elite gymnastics….
Since bursting onto the NCAA scene as a member of the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in January …