LAS VEGAS – The No. 17 Auburn gymnastics team put together a solid score to start the 2024 season, earning a 196.600 to come in third at the 2024 Mean Girls Super 16 Gymnastics Championship Saturday night in Las Vegas.
The Tigers topped No. 5 UCLA (196.550) in Orleans Arena, while No. 8 Alabama won the meet with a 197.125. No. 7 Cal finished second with a 196.850.
"Overall, I feel like we just had a really good night," head coach Jeff Graba said. "I'm really happy with the fight that this team showed. We have a lot of new people in new positions, but I really felt like they stayed focused throughout all four events. I think that is going to bode well for the future."
"I thought it was a solid start to the season," graduate student Cassie Stevens said. "I thought we definitely had those first-meet jitters, but that's what this meet is for. We're taking what we learn from this and build off it of it as we head into the next meets."
The 196.600 is the second-highest season opener for Auburn in program history. The Tigers set a program best at this meet last year. In addition, the team saw 20 of their 24 routines come from juniors, seniors and fifth years.
"Our veterans stepped up and even though they are in new roles this year, I felt like they did a great job of settling everyone down and getting the ship back on course," Graba said.
A trio of Tigers in Stevens, senior Olivia Hollingsworth and junior Sophia Groth competed in the all-around. Hollingsworth came in fourth overall with a 39.450, while Stevens finished sixth with a 39.350. Groth totaled a 39.175 to start the year.
"I've just been working hard and so I decided just to trust my training this year," Hollingsworth said. "I know that I can score well and do my routines really well, so I just trusted myself tonight and it paid off."
After a slow start in rotation one, the Tigers picked up momentum as they progressed throughout the meet.
Auburn concluded the meet on bars and put together a 49.325. Leading the charge was Stevens as the Phoenix, Arizona product tied a career high with a 9.925. Hollingsworth and Groth chipped in a pair of 9.9s, which was a career high for Hollingworth. Fifth year Aria Brusch and senior Gabby McLaughlin added a 9.8 apiece to contribute to the overall team score.
Stevens and Hollingsworth closed out rotation two with a pair of 9.9s on floor, guiding the Tigers to a 49.250 in the event. Freshman Julianne Huff made her lineup debut with a 9.85 and Brusch and Groth closed out scoring with a 9.8 each.
Rotation three moved the Tigers to vault as the team finished with a 49.050. Junior Sara Hubbard led the charge with a beautiful Yurchenko 1.5, scoring a 9.875. Senior Sydney Schumaker made her Auburn debut with a 9.8, while Huff and Hollingsworth each added 9.8s. Stevens chipped in a 9.775 for the squad.
Auburn kicked off the night on beam with a 48.975. Hollingsworth and McLaughlin bookended the event with a 9.85 each, while Brusch finished with a 9.8. Stevens put together a 9.75 and Groth added a 9.725 to the overall team score.
Auburn hosts No. 9 Kentucky in Neville Arena on January 12. The Tigers and the Wildcats will go head-to-head at 7:30 p.m. CT and the meet will be televised on SEC Network.
No. 17 Auburn earns a 196.6 in Las Vegas at the Mean Girls Super 16
