No. 8 Auburn gymnastics advances to NCAA Championships

April 4, 2015

Walker
 
 
 NCAA Gymnastics Regional
Vault
Bars
Beam
Floor
Total
 Alabama
49.425
49.350
49.500
49.300
197.575
 Auburn
49.400
49.225
49.100
49.165
196.900
 Maryland
48.950
48.725
48.700
48.775
195.150
 Minnesota
49.200
47.750
49.175
48.900
195.025
 Iowa
49.075
48.750
49.125
47.725
194.675
 George Washington
49.125
47.625
48.975
48.425
194.150
 
  All-Around Total Score
 Beers (UA) 39.575
 Mable (MINN) 39.575
 Clark (UA) 39.550
 Atkinson (AU) 39.425
 Metcalf (IOWA) 39.175
 Individual Events
 Vault  Total Score
 Brannan (UA) 9.925
 Mable (UA) 9.925
 Demers (AU) 9.900
 Rott (AU) 9.900
 Bars Total Score
 Clark (UA) 9.925
 Walker (AU) 9.900
 Atkinson (AU) 9.900
 Beam Total Score
 Beers (UA) 9.925
 Walker (AU) 9.900
 McNeer (UA) 9.900
 Floor Total Score
 Beers (UA) 9.900
 Sims (UA) 9.900
 Mable (MINN) 9.000
  

By Ethan Brady

AUBURN, Ala. - No. 8 Auburn gymnastics recorded its highest score ever at an NCAA Regional Saturday night at Auburn Arena with a team total of 196.900, finishing second overall to advance to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2003.

"We're obviously very excited about the outcome tonight. We felt like the girls did a very good job," head coach Jeff Graba said. "We talked all day about how you have to fight for everything you get here and I don't think it's a surprise we were fighting all night. And I thought the girls did a good job with staying together as a team. I'd like to compliment the crowd. It was a wild night; it was crazy in there and that only helps, in my estimation, the good teams and the good athletes."

The Tigers saved their strongest performance of the meet for the final rotation as Auburn finished with its third-best score of the year on vault at 49.400 to lock up its spot at the national meet. Lexus Demers and MJ Rott collected pair of 9.900s, finishing tied for third overall in the event.

Caitlin Atkinson and Megan Walker led the Tigers with a pair of 9.900s in the first rotation on bars to begin the night for Auburn. Bri Guy, Kelsey Kopec, Abby Millett and Kait Kluz all scored 9.8 or better on bars to help the Tigers post a team total of 49.225 in the event.

On beam, Auburn scored 49.100 led by Walker's 9.900. The score by the senior was the second-best score of the night in the event and a team-high for the Tigers.

Atkinson, who placed fourth overall in the all-around competition with a 39.425, turned in a strong performance on floor by posting a 9.875 as the Tigers collected a team total of 49.175. The junior's score ranked as the fourth-best score in the session.

"Being able to do it in front of our own crowd was really exciting, to have that energy to back us up," Atkinson said, afterwards. "When we struggled a little bit, they picked us up. They wanted us to go ahead and do our best and achieve our goal. It was really good for us."

Auburn had the highest regional attendance with 4,393 of the six regionals and nearly doubled that of Ohio State, which had a crowd 2,297 -- the second highest attended regional.

The 2015 NCAA Gymnastics Championships is April 17-19 in Fort Worth, Texas at the Fort Worth Convention Center. For tickets and information on the NCAA Championship, visit NCAA.com.

For the latest updates on Auburn Gymnastics, follow the Tigers on Twitter, @Auburn_Gym or like us on Facebook by searching for Auburn gymnastics.


 
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