A complete timeline of the 2022-23 LSU athletic year

With baseball season over, LSU’s 2022-23 athletic year is done. The seasons have come and gone, and now we await the next round in August.

Before the new year gets underway, it’s time to take a look back at the timeline of the last year. From August to June, these were some of the athletic calendar’s most memorable moments.

It was a good year for LSU sports. Football won 10 games, baseball and women’s basketball won national titles and gymnastics nearly went all the way too.

Without wasting any more time, let’s jump right into the year that was.

September 4, 2022: Brian Kelly era begins

The Brian Kelly era began in earnest with a Sunday night showdown against Florida State.

We all are familiar with the story by now. LSU struggled early but staged a comeback, only to lose on a blocked extra point. The Tigers’ special teams plagued LSU all night.

LSU lost Maason Smith for the year and fell to 0-1. The situation in the short term looked bleak.

But it was also a night where we saw what Jayden Daniels could do with his legs and the debut of freshman left tackle Will Campbell.

October 22, 2022: LSU beats Ole Miss

LSU’s win over Ole Miss flipped the script on 2022.

The Tigers entered the game looking to make it two SEC wins in a row after beating Florida the week prior.

Ole Miss came out hot and for a second it looked like a sequel to the Tennessee game. But LSU’s offense roared back. Daniels played some of his best football of the year and Mike Denbrock made all the right calls.

The defense became suffocating as Harold Perkins was turned loose and a big second-half interception by Joe Foucha gave the ball back to LSU to give the offense a chance at blowout territory.

November 5, 2022: Tigers beat Tide

Kelly and Nick Saban faced each other for the first time as SEC rivals under the lights in Baton Rouge. The stakes were high. For Alabama, a loss would all but end their playoff hopes. For LSU, a win would put the Tigers in control of the division.

LSU came out playing high-energy football. A Jarrick Bernard-Converse interception got the crowd involved early. LSU scored the first touchdown of the night when John Emery Jr. caught a pass and made a play down the sideline.

It was a back-and-forth battle in the second-half that resulted in overtime. LSU scored to match Alabama’s touchdown and this time, Kelly wasn’t going to leave it up to an extra point.

LSU went for two and got the win. The SEC West was clinched the next week with a win over Arkansas.

November 18, 2022: Women's soccer season ends in tournament

LSU soccer earned a No. 8 seed in the NCAA tournament.

After a first-round win, LSU got the face the top-seeded Florida State Seminoles, a powerhouse of the sport. LSU scored first, but FSU responded to make it a 1-1 tie at the half.

The second half was all Florida State and the Noles outscored LSU 3-0.

December 3, 2022: LSU faces UGA in Atlanta

After winning the west, LSU faced Georgia in the SEC title.

LSU remained competitive early but a special teams error and inability to stop the run on defense doomed the Tigers to a blowout.

It wasn’t too shocking, especially after seeing what Georgia went on to do in the playoff. Just playing this game was good progress for rebuilding LSU.

December 28, 2022: LSU upsets Arkansas

Matt McMahon began SEC play with a bang by upsetting top 10 ranked Arkansas in the PMac.

It was a defensive battle and LSU held Arkansas to just 19 points in the first half. The second half had a little more offense, but LSU limited the Razorbacks to 57 on the night to squeak out the win.

LSU was led by Trae Hannibal, who notched 19 points on the night to go along with six rebounds.

December 29, 2022: Kim Mulkey remains perfect as SEC play begins

Women’s basketball faced Arkansas the next night. It was LSU’s toughest competition yet after a easy nonconference schedule. Arkansas was ranked and LSU was on the road.

LSU passed the test with flying colors, securing a 69-45 win. The victory continued the teams undefeated start, a stretch that would last well into February.

Angel Reese and Alexis Morris both totaled 19 points on the night.

January 2, 2023: Bowl game

As the calendar turned to 2023, LSU went for its 10th win on the year against Purdue in the Citrus Bowl.

Purdue was down several starters and going through a coaching transition. LSU, on the other hand, was ready to play.

Using an offense that rotated Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier, the Tigers moved the ball at will. Malik Nabers took over and LSU scored 63 points.

The defense showed up, too, holding the Boilermakers to seven points.

It was a great way to end the year with momentum and catapult Kelly into his second offseason at LSU.

January 16, 2023: Gym falls to OU

LSU hosted the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the PMac. Entering the meet 0-2, LSU was looking to get rolling with a big upset.

However, LSU fell short despite a valiant effort. This team was dealing with the injury bug and couldn’t keep up with a star-studded OU squad.

February 12, 2023: Women's basketball suffers first loss

The women’s basketball team’s perfect start came to an end in February when facing No. 1 South Carolina.

It wasn’t that close either.

South Carolina flexed its depth behind a strong home crowd. LSU didn’t have the ammo to keep up and South Carolina secured a 88-64 win.

LSU was led by Morris’ 23 points.

February 17, 2023: Gym beats Florida

After the 0-3 start, LSU began to turn its season around.

The turnaround culminated with a big win over No. 2 Florida. LSU surpassed the 198 mark, totaling a 198.100 score. It was the Gators’ first loss of the year.

The meet was highlighted by a perfect 10 on beam by Aleah Finnegan.

February 17, 2023: Baseball begins

On the same night LSU was upsetting Florida, baseball was getting its season underway against Western Michigan.

LSU won 10-0 in Paul Skenes’ LSU debut. Dylan Crews reached base three times, including two hits.

The Tigers would go on to complete the sweep later that weekend.

February 18, 2023: Men's basketball loses 14 in a row

After the big win over Arkansas, the men’s basketball season took a turn for the worst. LSU dropped its 14th in a row on a day where it looked like it could get a win.

A home game against a struggling South Carolina team could have boded well for the Tigers, but the Gamecocks won 82-73 in the PMac.

LSU got back in the win column later that week when hosting Vanderbilt.

February 28, 2023: Baseball shuts out Texas

LSU and Texas faced off in February in an early nonconference showdown.

It was a thriller. The score was 0-0 through eight.

In the top of the ninth, Gavin Dugas came to the plate with two on. He punished one, putting the ball over the fence and LSU up 3-0. It was the only scoring play of the day and LSU shut it down in the ninth.

It was a preview of the late-game heroics and clutch pitching that would go on to define LSU later in the year.

March 10, 2023: Haleigh Bryant's historic performance

Haleigh Bryant showed why she’s one of the best in the country against WVU in March.

Bryant totaled three separate perfect scores on the night.

In the process, Bryant set the program record for perfect 10s in a career. This is one of the best individual performances we’ve seen from an athlete in recent years.

March 17, 2023: Women's tournament begins

LSU began its postseason run against Hawai’i as a No. 3 seed.

The Tiger defense came out strong and held Hawai’i to seven points in the first quarter.

Reese did her usual thing and scored 34 points to go along with her 15 rebounds. She played 36 minutes, which led LSU.

LSU’s offense finished strong with 25 points in the fourth quarter and rolled past Michigan a couple of days later.

March 31 and April 2, 2023: Final Four and national title

LSU’s historic season led it to the Final Four in Dallas, where the Tigers faced Virginia Tech.

VT led 34-32 at the half and extended that lead to nine at the end of the third. But the fourth quarter would belong to the Tigers.

LSU outscored the Hokies 29-13 in the final 10 minutes. Morris played every minute and led the Tigers with 27 points. Reese notched a double-double with 24 and 12.

Two days later, LSU was tasked with Iowa’s explosive offense in the championship. LSU brought its own fireworks and beats the Hawkeyes at their own game.

LSU scored 102 points, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back. Jasmine Carson stole the show with 22 points and five three-pointers. Morris and LaDazhia Williams combined for 41 more points and Reese played all-around, scoring 15 with 10 rebounds and five assists.

Kim Mulkey did what she came to LSU to do. She just did a lot quicker than some expected.

April 15, 2023: Four on the Floor

The gymnastics squad was in their own final four a few weeks later.

In a year where LSU faced plenty of adversity and dealt with injuries to key contributors, LSU found a way to keep advancing to the NCAA championship and Four on the Floor.

LSU came up short, but it’s hard to view the season as anything but a success. The postseason run gives LSU plenty of momentum heading into 2024.

May 24, 2023: Baseball begins postseason

On May 24, LSU baseball began its postseason stretch with a SEC tournament win over South Carolina.

That would be the only win for LSU in Hoover, but the Tigers already secured a national seed, which led to hosting a regional the next week.

LSU advanced out of the regional after beating Oregon State twice to finish a 3-0 weekend.

That set up a super regional showdown with SEC peer Kentucky. Again, it was a sweep. LSU was off to the College World Series.

June 17, 2023: CWS begins

The College World Series began for LSU with a 6-3 win over Tennessee.

It got tougher two days later when LSU dropped one to Wake Forest, sending the Tigers into the losers bracket to play elimination games.

LSU fought back as the pitching began to emerge as a staff capable of pitching at a championship level.

LSU beat the Vols again, sending them home, and earned another game with Wake Forest.

Needing two wins against the top seed, LSU pulled it off to clinch a spot in the CWS final.

June 26, 2023: LSU wins it all

The Tigers finished the job in Omaha with a winner-take-all victory over Florida in game three of the final.

LSU responded after a historic blowout loss the day prior with a blowout win of its own. The lineup hit top to bottom and LSU didn’t even need to use Paul Skenes, who was warming in the pen.

Jay Johnson became the first coach to ever win the CWS in his second year and several LSU stars ended their careers on the highest note possible.

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Story originally appeared on LSU Tigers Wire