AUBURN, Ala. – Olivia Greaves debuted in style, Gabby McLaughlin claimed two event titles, Cassie Stevens won the all-around and the No. 15 Auburn gymnastics team scored a season-high 197.425 to sweep a historic quad meet Friday at Neville Arena.
"Really happy with the team," Auburn coach Jeff Graba said. "Their performance was really good. It was a lot of fun to be out there. Can't say enough about how good it was to see them respond the right way."
After missing the last two seasons recovering from two knee surgeries, Greaves missed the first month of this season after foot surgery in December.
"My coaches and my teammates lifted me up and made me realize I'm still worthy and I can still do this, and it's not over yet," said Greaves, a redshirt freshman and former U.S. national team member. "That's what's been getting me through."
She anchored on bars, earning a 9.875 to finish tied for second in the event in her first collegiate meet.
"I have never been this happy ever," Greaves said. "It's a feeling I haven't had in a really long time and I'm really proud of myself. The crowd was so much more intense and I feel like there was much more riding on what I was doing. It's been a while since I've had those nerves."
"Any time you have a story like that, and for it to go well, you can't quantify that," Graba said of Greaves' comeback. "I think it carries the rest of the night. She's a premier bar worker so she's got more in the tank."
Auburn swept the event titles, with Stevens claiming the vault crown with a 9.925, Groth earning a 9.9 to take home the bars title, and McLaughlin winning beam with a 9.925 and a career-high 9.95 on floor.
"I'm really glad that I'm able to lead my team," McLaughlin said. "I want my teammates to know I'm always going to be there for them and give them support."
Auburn improved its scores throughout each rotation, earning a 49.225 on vault, 49.3 on bars, 49.425 on beam and 49.475 on floor.
Sara Hubbard earned Auburn's second-highest vault score, a 9.875. Stevens and Aria Brusch matched Greaves' 9.875 on bars. Groth equaled her bars score with another 9.9 on beam. Olivia Hollingsworth's 9.9 represented the Tigers' second-highest floor score.
Stevens won the all-around with a 39.550. Groth scored 39.450 to finish second in the all-around and Hollingsworth was third with 39.375.
Auburn welcomed college gymnastics' two HBCUs, Fisk and Talladega, along with Temple, in the first regular season quad meet on the Plains.
"They were all very thankful to be there," Graba said. "I was very happy to give them the opportunity because this prepares you for basically anything. The sky's limit with them and I believe there's so much need for opportunities for young women. For us to add schools, we need to support that."
Temple finished second with 193.425. Fisk earned a 191.925 to finish third while Talladega came in fourth with 188.875.
Auburn hosts rival Alabama next Friday at 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
