AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 14 Auburn gymnastics team is set to welcome No. 20 Missouri to Auburn Arena Friday, Jan. 24. The Southeastern Conference meet begins at 7 p.m. CT and will be streamed on SEC Network+.
The Tigers are excited to return home after a competitive finish in Baton Rouge last weekend.
"This will be the last sort-of full-speed opportunity for people," head coach Jeff Graba said. "What I'm hoping to see from the new people is that they step-up and pressure the people that are already in to score a little higher because that's the goal. We have to try and squeeze another tenth out of the scoring potential."
A goal for the team thus far has been placing an emphasis on mental toughness. While the first three meets have been about becoming acclimated and realizing everyone's individual strengths and weaknesses, an important trait that the team has demonstrated is how they've handled adversity.
"We are a mentally stronger team this year," senior Skyler Sheppard said. "I think that in the preseason that was one of our biggest goals in pushing ourselves and remembering all the work that we've done in the gym will transition into Friday night."
"That's the stuff you can't teach [mental toughness]," Graba added. "You have to experience that. For them to do that that early and for them to be such a young team, that's pretty encouraging."
EVENT INFORMATION
It's the annual 'Shorter Than Jeff Graba' meet Friday and all fans under 5-5 will receive a free general admission ticket.
"We need the fans there," Graba said. "I think it's obvious what the fans did for us against Alabama. I think they absolutely helped us beat that team. We're going to need it this Friday. If they're short, they can make a lot of noise too. Hopefully all the short people show up."
New to the meet production is that fans can help light up Auburn Arena using War Eagle Lights through the Auburn Athletics App. More information can be found HERE.
In addition, seating has changed this season as the entire 100 level is now reserved. Fans who buy a general admission ticket may sit in the 200 level or can be in the Standing Room Only locations.
More information on seating and parking can be found at the Auburn Gymnastics Meet Day website by clicking HERE.
AUBURN LINEUP
The Tigers don't plan on making many changes in the lineup this week as the squad hosts Missouri.
Junior Drew Watson and freshman Cassie Stevens are slated to compete in the all-around once again, marking the third time each this season.
Vault is first for the home squad and junior Jada Glenn moved up to the lead-off spot after earning a season-best 9.8 at LSU last weekend. Senior Skyler Sheppard is set to go next with classmate Gracie Day in the third slot. Stevens and Watson will follow with sophomore Derrian Gobourne anchoring the event for the fourth-straight meet. Gobourne is tied for 21st nationally on vault with a 9.867 average.
Rotation two has the team on bars and a trio of freshmen will once again kick things off starting with Stevens. Classmates Adeline Sabados and Aria Brusch follow. Sabados and Brusch are among the Top 25 regionally in the event. Watson is down in the fourth slot, while Day will go fifth. Day leads the team with a 9.858 average. Gobourne will close out the rotation in the sixth spot and is coming off back-to-back career highs, having a 9.925 at home vs. Alabama (Jan. 10) and at LSU (Jan. 17).
The third rotation moves Auburn to beam with steady senior Emma Slappey opening things up as lead off. Brusch and Stevens are second and third, while junior Meredith Sylvia is down in the fourth spot. Sylvia is among the team's leaders in the event, having a 9.808 average and having scored back-to-back 9.9s. Watson is fifth and Sheppard will once again anchor for the Tigers.
Auburn closes out the meet on floor with a handful of exciting routines. Sophomore Sabrina Cheney will get her second start of the season with Stevens and Brusch following. Brusch is coming off a 9.9 at LSU. Sheppard picked up a 9.9 as well in Baton Rouge last week and is down in the fourth spot. Watson will go fifth and Gobourne will anchor her third event of the meet.
With Friday's meet not on live television, the teams are able to compete an exhibition routine per rotation. Sabados is set to go on vault, while senior Kendal Moss will exhibition on bars. Freshman Morgan Leigh Oldham is down on beam and Day will go on floor.