AUBURN, Ala. – The postseason has arrived. For the No. 13 Auburn gymnastics team, it's no longer about simply posting a good score or winning a meet. It's about finishing in the top two at each session this weekend in the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional.
"You've got to beat two teams in every session to survive and advance," Auburn head coach Jeff Graba said. "We're just trying to get the team to embrace the fact that the mentality is no longer having to try to win it right now. It's about advancing. Hopefully, we get to qualify for the Sweet 16 and have to go two days in a row."
The Tigers will open the regional in Friday's night session against No. 3 LSU, No. 21 Arizona State and the winner of George Washington and Lindenwood. The top two finishers from that session will then qualify for the Regional Final on Saturday night where they will be joined by the top two teams from Friday's afternoon session – a group that includes No. 6 Utah, No. 11 Minnesota, No. 17 BYU and No. 20 Arkansas.
If Auburn advances to Saturday's Regional Final, it's once again all about finishing in the top two. The top two teams will advance to the NCAA Championships in Forth Worth, Texas, on April 19 and 20.
"We are at a meet now where it is survival of the fittest," Graba said. "And I think this group is built for the survival of the fittest."
AUBURN LINEUP
Beam: The lineup will be identical to what the coaches used for the SEC championship with sophomore Drew Watson leading off. Next will be freshman Derrian Gobourne and then sophomore Allie Riddle, who posted a career-high 9.950 last month in the Elevate meet. Skyler Sheppard and Abby Milliet, who earned the team's top scores on beam at SEC, will follow, and then sophomore Meredith Sylvia will once again close out the event.
Floor: Auburn will move to floor next where the Tigers scored the best at the SEC championship with a 49.250. As a result, that lineup will also remain the same. Emma Slappey and Sheppard, both juniors, will go first and second followed by Watson. Then it's Gobourne, who earned All-SEC honors on the event with a 9.900 the last time out. Milliet is next up, and in the anchor spot for the third straight week will be senior Samantha Cerio.
Vault: The first change in the lineup will come on vault where senior A'Miracal Phillips is slated to move back into the leadoff spot. After that, senior Taylor Krippner and junior Gracie Day will stay put in the second and third slots. The two all-arounders, Gobourne and Watson, are next, and the duo has been Auburn's top performers on vault all season. Sophomore Jada Glenn will serve as the anchor for the second straight week.
Bars: The Tigers will close the meet on bars where Milliet is expected to return to the lineup for the first time in nearly a month. Milliet, who has scored a 9.900 or higher on bars three times this season, will go fourth. In front of her will be Watson in the lead spot followed by Krippner and Gobourne. Then after Milliet will be Cerio, the team's top performer on the event this season with an NQS of 9.890, and finally Day in the anchor position.