Olympic Gymnast Hezly Rivera Makes Huge College Announcement

Hezly Rivera became an overnight sensation after becoming the youngest member selected to join the women's national gymnastic team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

She competed on the beam and uneven bars during the qualifying round. Rivera earned a 12.633 on beam, placing 46th overall. She fared much better on the uneven bars, earning a 13.900, tied for 20th overall.

While the 16-year-old was not selected to compete during the Team Final, she received a gold medal along with her teammates, Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, and Jade Carey. While Rivera is only a junior in high school, she's already looking toward her future and higher education.

After making several college visits around the country, including University of Florida and Oklahoma University, she announced which school she committed to on September 26.

Rivera revealed on Instagram that she accepted a scholarship to attend LSU. She posted, "I am so blessed & excited to announce that I have verbally committed to Louisiana State University (LSU🙃) on a full athletic scholarship. thank you Jesus for this wonderful blessing!

"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 💜."

LSU gymnastics star Livvy Dunne commented, "LETS FREAKING GEAUX 💜💛."

Rivera's commitment to LSU does not preclude her from competing at the 2028 Olympics Games in Los Angeles. Following the Paris Olympics, Chiles announced she's returning to UCLA to compete on the Bruins' gymnastics team. Carey also announced her plans to return to Oregon State and compete on the Beavers' gymnastics squad for the 2024-25 season.

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