AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 18 Auburn gymnastics team hits the road for a big SEC meet, traveling to Athens, Ga., to take on No. 13 Georgia Sunday, Feb. 2, at 3 p.m. CT.
The meet will be broadcast live on ESPN with Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson Clarke on the call.
"It's a great opportunity to get to compete in front of a crowd like one we'll see at Georgia," head coach Jeff Graba said. "It's really exciting to be able to compete on ESPN as well with all eyes on us before the big game. This is what they come to Auburn for. To compete in the SEC on TV. This is just another change to show the world what we're capable of."
The team has also enjoyed a couple extra days of practice and recovery at home with the meet being pushed back to Sunday.
"We are really using these extra days to focus on the details and the tenths that we can get back here and there," freshman Adeline Sabados said. "We're also focusing on being a team and staying in our bubble because the little things really matter in this sport."
The Tigers look to build off the season-high 196.700 last week vs. Missouri as they head to a tough environment in Stegeman Coliseum.
"We've been talking a lot about honing in the energy of the venue and use it to our advantage," junior Drew Watson said. "We're looking forward to being zoned in and in our bubble and we know that focus will really help us at the end."
AUBURN LINEUP
Auburn is remaining consistent in its lineup choices, making just one change from last week.
Junior Drew Watson and freshman Cassie Stevens will once again go in the all-around. It'll be the fourth time for both in the category. Watson is among the Top 25 nationally with a 39.275 average, while Stevens recently reached a career best and scored a 39.300 vs. Missouri.
Auburn kicks things off on bars in rotation one with Stevens leading off for the fourth-straight meet. Classmates Adeline Sabados and Aria Brusch follow in spots two and three. Brusch is coming off a career-best 9.9 vs. Missouri. Watson is fourth with senior Gracie Day going fifth. Day's 9.856 average ranks in the Top 10 regionally. Sophomore Derrian Gobourne will anchor the event for the fifth-consecutive meet.
The Tigers move on to vault in the second rotation, seeing junior Jada Glenn once again in the lead off slot. Senior Skyler Sheppard and Day go next with Stevens following. Watson is set to go fifth for Auburn and recently tied her career high with a 9.95 vs. Missouri. Gobourne will anchor again and leads the team with a 9.862 average, ranking in the nation's Top 25.
Rotation three has the squad on floor with senior Emma Slappey back in the lead spot for Auburn. The fifth year has a team-leading 34 starts in the event under her belt. She is followed by Stevens and Brusch with Sheppard going fourth for the team. Sheppard has a team-best 9.850 average on floor, ranking in the Top 10 regionally. Watson is set to go fifth and Gobourne will anchor her third-straight event for the team.
Auburn closes out the meet on beam where it's ninth nationally with a 49.069 average. Steady Slappey is up first and is averaging a 9.806, reaching a season-best 9.825 last week. Brusch is second with Stevens third. Junior beam queen Meredith Sylvia is down for fourth and holds a 9.812 average. Watson is slated to go fifth and Sheppard will anchor for the fifth-straight meet. Sheppard leads the team with a 9.844 average.
UP NEXT
The Tigers kick off back-to-back home meets Friday, Feb., 7, as they host nationally-ranked Kentucky in Auburn Arena. The two teams will square off at 6 p.m. CT and the meet will be broadcast live on SEC Network.