No. 15 Auburn faces No. 1 Oklahoma in Norman Friday night

AUBURN, Ala. – Another big road test awaits the No. 15 Auburn gymnastics team as the Tigers will travel to No. 1 Oklahoma for a Friday night contest on February 27. Auburn and the top-ranked Sooners will face off at 6:45 p.m. CT inside Lloyd Noble Center in Norman and the meet will be televised on SEC Network.

“They’re the No. 1 team for a reason,” head coach Jeff Graba said about Oklahoma. “And when they’re at home, they are very comfortable. They are very seasoned and have a lot of upperclassmen to rely on. We’re starting to click so this will be a great test for our youthful team. We’re going to Norman to get better and get to know ourselves more. And if we do a good job, we can push Oklahoma and challenge them.”

The team’s contest against the defending national champion will be the program’s third-straight Friday night contest against a Top 3 team.

“Within 15 days, we’ll have faced the Nos. 1, 2, 3, 13 and 21 teams,” Graba said. “There’s no better way to get things put together than put yourself up against the best. After a big test at home last week, we have to hop on a plane to take on the nation’s best team and it will only help us in the end.”

AUBURN LINEUP
Auburn is on the road and will go in the following order - bars, vault, floor, beam.

Four Tigers in juniors Olivia Greaves, Julianne Huff and Alex Irvine and sophomore Marissa Neal are among the top eight in all four events.

Huff has been the team’s top performer in the all-around, competing in the category six times and reaching a career-high 39.525 last week to win the title vs. Alabama. Greaves and Neal have gone in the all-around four times each and this is Irvine’s second time being among the top eight in all four events.

The Tigers kick off the night on bars in rotation one and will be led by Irvine, Greaves and junior Emma Grace Boyd. Irvine has been the anchor all season, having a 9.870 NQS. She recently reached a season-high 9.925 vs. Alabama last week. Boyd also set a career high against the Crimson Tide, scoring a 9.875 for the Tigers.

Joining the trio in the top eight are Huff, Neal, freshman Charlotte Booth, senior Hannah Hagle and sophomore Katelyn Jong.

Rotation two has the team on vault, where Auburn ranks No. 12 nationally with a 49.179 NQS.

Leading the way is Huff and freshman Mia Leverton. Each has a 9.850 NQS this season, while Neal isn’t far behind with a 9.845 NQS.

Also in the top eight is Greaves and Irvine as well as juniors Paige Zancan and Jersie Woolsey and freshman Brynn Torry. Zancan has reached a 9.975 this year and Torry anchored the team last week vs. Alabama with a career-high 9.875.

Woolsey has been in the lineup twice this year while providing depth all season in the top eight.

Auburn moves on to floor for the third rotation and has a 49.233 NQS as a team.

Highlighting the rotation is sophomore Bryn Bartman, who has been in the leadoff spot every meet this year. She has consistently contributed to the team’s overall score and has scored a 9.8 or better in all but one meet.

Joining her in the top eight is Huff, Neal, Greaves, Irvine and Booth. Huff is coming off a career-high 9.925 vs. the Crimson Tide and she and Neal each lead the team with a 9.875 NQS.

Sophomore Olivia Ahern is also among the top eight and tied her career high last week with a 9.875 for the team. Junior Emma Wehry has worked her way into the top eight for the squad and looks to make her first start after putting together successful exhibitions in the past.

The Tigers will cap the evening on beam in the final rotation and are the 12th-ranked team nationally with a 49.229 NQS.

Neal ranks No. 11 nationally in the event, having a 9.895 NQS. She’s scored a 9.9 or better five times this year and hasn’t scored below a 9.85, anchoring the team in every meet so far.

Irvine has been outstanding on beam for the Tigers, having four scores of 9.9 or better this year. She’s among the nation’s best in the event with a 9.875 NQS.

Joining the pair in the top eight is Ahern, Booth, Greaves, Hagle, Huff and Wehry. Ahern and Huff are coming off career highs against Alabama as Huff earned a 9.875 and Ahern led off with a 9.9.

UP NEXT
Auburn returns to the Plains for a non-conference match up with No. 11 Michigan State. The Tigers and the Spartans will face off at 7 p.m. CT in Neville Arena on March 6.

Auburn follows with a Sunday quad meet on the podium, traveling to Huntsville for the annual Elevate the Stage meet, March 8. The Tigers will take on No. 6 Georgia, No. 13 Clemson and Pitt at 3 p.m. CT in the Von Braun Center.