"Can't wait" - Courtney Blackson announces big move to Olivia Dunne's former team after Boise State stint

Former Boise State gymnast Courtney Blackson announced her commitment to Louisiana State University on Wednesday, July 23. After taking a season off from competition, she will return for her fifth year of NCAA eligibility.

Blackson graduated from Boise State in 2024 and soon after began working as a full-time coach at Mountain West Gymnastics in June 2024. A year later, in June 2025, she announced her decision to return to competition for the 2026 season, entering the transfer portal to pursue her fifth year of NCAA eligibility.

On July 24, Blackson confirmed her commitment to LSU via Instagram, sharing that she will be competing in the SEC for the 2026 season on a full-ride scholarship. She wrote on Instagram:

“✨️It’s official... I’m BaAaCcCkKk!!!✨️ I’m so excited to share that I’ll be using my fifth year of eligibility in the SEC at Louisiana State University on a full-ride scholarship! I can’t wait to grow both as an athlete and a student alongside such an amazing group of girls! “Huge thank you to everyone who’s supported me throughout this journey — I truly wouldn’t be here without you. Can’t wait for what’s next... Geaux Tigers! 💜💛”

A two-time NCAA Championships competitor (2023, 2024), Courtney Blackson was the national runner-up on vault in 2023.

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Courtney Blackson shares how her gymnastics journey began

NCAA Los Angeles Gymnastics Regional: Boise State v BYU - Source: Getty

Courtney Blackson’s introduction to gymnastics came at a young age, though not as early as most in the sport. She credits her grandfather for getting her started after noticing how energetic and active she was as a child. In an appearance on Chalk Talk with Ben Schluter, Blackson recalled the moment that set her up for gymnastics.

“Well, I got into gymnastics at a younger age, not quite as young as other gymnasts. I want to say somewhere around five or six years old,” Blackson said. “I think I got into it because I was just like a wild child. Like I was climbing on things in the store and just running around with my brothers, just causing mayhem. (0:37 onwards) And my grandpa, it was actually his idea. He’s like, ‘We need to do something with this kid’s energy.’ So they signed me up for a little tots class, and it just kind of went from there.”

Over her four-year career at Boise State, Courtney Blackson was a constant presence at all four NCAA Regionals and won two Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference vault titles in 2021 and 2023. Her senior season was interrupted by a calf injury sustained during a meet at San Jose State in March 2024, forcing her to miss Senior Night and the Mountain West Championships.

Edited by Luke Koshi