Olympic champion Hezly Rivera commits to Louisiana State University

Paris 2024 Olympic gymnastics team gold medallist Hezly Rivera is headed to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The 16-year-old announced Thursday (26 September) that she intends to join the Louisiana State University women’s gymnastics team. Her first competitive season will be in 2027.

“I am so blessed and excited to announce that I have verbally committed to Louisiana State University on a full athletic scholarship,” wrote Rivera on Instagram. “Thank you to my family, coaches, and teammates for helping me throughout this process. I also want to thank all the girls, coaches, and staff at LSU for everything.”

Rivera was the youngest member of the U.S. squad that claimed team gold at the Paris Games. With her commitment, four of the five women on that team will now have NCAA connections, joining Jordan Chiles, UCLA; Sunisa Lee, Auburn University; and Jade Carey, Oregon State University.

The LSU Tigers are the reigning NCAA champions. Their 2024 win was the first for the university.

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