BATON ROUGE, La. – The No. 14 Auburn gymnastics team scored a 197.050 to finish second at the 2024 Podium Challenge Friday night in Baton Rouge.
No. 3 LSU took the meet with a 198.425. George Washington went 195.100 to come in third and Texas Woman's University finished fourth with a 194.725.
"I think the team did really well considering some of the circumstances this week," head coach Jeff Graba said. "We've battled sickness and injury this week and put quite a few new people into lineups. Breaking a 197 on the road after all that is really good for this team. I'm very happy with the mental approach, however, we still have some work left to do."
Fifth year Cassie Stevens finished in a tie for second in the all-around, scoring a 39.625. That score is tied for her second highest of the season. The Phoenix, Arizona product also finished second on beam with a 9.925 and tied for third on bars at 9.9.
Auburn led off the meet on bars, going 49.125. Stevens led the charge with a 9.9, while classmate Aria Brusch kicked the meet off with 9.85. Seniors Olivia Hollingsworth and Gabby McLaughlin each chipped in 9.825s and junior Sophia Groth added a 9.725.
The Tigers went to beam and pushed a 49.425, marking the third-highest score in the event this season. Stevens once again led the way with a 9.925, marking her fifth 9.9+ score of the year. Brusch added a season-best 9.9, while McLaughlin anchored with a 9.9 to up her season total to six 9.9+ scores on beam.
Hollingsworth and Groth also contributed to the team score on beam with a 9.875 and a 9.825, respectively.
Auburn continued to build as the team moved on to floor, scoring a 49.475. McLaughlin had a beam-best 9.925 for the squad, earning her sixth 9.9 or better this season. Stevens and Groth chipped in 9.9s, while Brusch and freshman Julianne Huff had 9.875s. That score was a career best for Huff.
The team concluded the meet on vault with a 49.025. Stevens capped her big night with another 9.9, while junior Sara Hubbard, Huff and redshirt freshman Olivia Greaves chipped in 9.825s. Hollingsworth added a 9.65.
The final meet of the regular season will have Auburn in Nashville next week at the inaugural Kidney Care Women's Gymnastics Championship. The Tigers will take on Kentucky, Ohio State and Fisk on March 16 at 7:15 p.m. CT in the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.
