AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn gymnastics team stands at No. 6 in this week's RoadToNationals.com rankings with a National Qualifying Score of 197.455.
"We are simply trying to improve every meet as we progress towards the postseason," head coach Jeff Graba said. "We have an opportunity this week to compete for a championship against a juggernaut of a gymnastics program. Being ranked sixth just helps us host yet another top 10 matchup in Auburn Arena."
The Tigers (8-1, 5-1 SEC) welcome No. 3 Florida to the Plains on Friday, March 4. The Gators (10-0, 6-0 SEC) have already captured at least a share of the Southeastern Conference regular season title. With a win, Auburn will earn a share of the league crown for the first time in program history.
The Tigers and the Gators will face off at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. The meet will be the team's regular season home finale and will serve as Senior Night.
In addition, Auburn will head to Huntsville, Alabama Sunday for the annual Elevate the Stage meet. The Tigers will face off against SEC rivals Alabama, Georgia and Arkansas during the quad meet on the podium. Action is set for 1 p.m. CT in the Von Braun Center.
Michigan, Oklahoma and Florida are all in the top spots with Utah and LSU rounding out the top five. Auburn and Alabama are in a close sixth and seventh, while California, Minnesota and Kentucky close out the top 10. Missouri is No. 11 and Georgia No. 28. Arkansas needs one more road score to be ranked.
Auburn's beam squad continues to hold strong to No. 4 nationally with a 49.395. Freshman Sunisa Lee is tied for third in the event at 9.940 after earning her first 10.0 in the event last Friday. Classmate Sophia Groth is tied for eighth at 9.920.
The team is sixth on vault (49.320) and floor (49.415) and is ninth on bars (49.325).
Lee is second nationally on bars at 9.935. Fifth year Drew Watson is tied for 11th on vault (9.895), while senior Derrian Gobourne is tied for 17th (9.885). Gobourne is tied for eighth on floor (9.930) with Lee coming in tied for 13th (9.925).
