No. 17 Auburn hosts No. 11 Michigan State Friday; travels to Elevate the Stage Sunday

AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 17 Auburn gymnastics team has another double weekend coming up as the Tigers will host No. 11 Michigan State Friday at 7 p.m. CT in Neville Arena before heading to Huntsville for the annual Elevate the Stage meet Sunday.

Auburn and the Spartans will face off on SEC Network+. The Tigers will then take on No. 6 Georgia, No. 14 Clemson and Pitt on Sunday at 3 p.m. CT in the Von Braun Center. The meet will be televised on ACC Network.

“Michigan State is a phenomenal program that is really hitting this year,” head coach Jeff Graba said. “Friday is going to be a fun meet for our fans as they’ll get to see a team they haven’t seen before in Neville Arena. We’re really looking forward to having the Spartans in town and are excited to be back home.

“Georgia and Clemson are well ranked and Pitt is an up-and-coming program,” Graba said on the Elevate meet. “There is no rest for us this weekend and we really need to tap into who we are over these next couple of meets. It will be key for us to hit all four events and have all six routines hit in those events.”

With it being another double weekend, the Auburn program is maxing out on the 13-meet regular season maximum this year. This is all calculated to help the team prepare for what the NCAA postseason will look like.

“This is where all the preseason work will pay off,” Graba said. “It’s not always easy to go Friday and turn around to go Sunday, but that’s what you have to do if you want to be successful at the end of the year.”

FAN INFORMATION
It’s “Go Wild War Eagle Weekend” across The Plains. Fans are encouraged to attend Auburn Athletics events throughout the weekend: softball, baseball, tennis, equestrian and gymnastics. A QR code will be available at the promotions tables for fans to scan. The more events fans attend, the better chance they have at the grand prize: a YETI prize pack.

Fans will also receive a leotard can cooler as part of the “Go Wild War Eagle Weekend” and it will be passed out to all fans while supplies last.  

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. CT and fans are encouraged to arrive early to participate in pre-meet activities.

Fans looking for parking are encouraged to park in the Donahue Dr. and War Eagle Way lots as well as the Coliseum lot and the Stadium Parking Deck. The Neville Arena lot is reserved for those with a parking pass. Individuals needing ADA parking that do not have an Arena pass are encouraged to park in the ADA Lot located on the corner of Wire Road and Extension Loop. Accessible shuttles will be available 90 minutes prior to first vault and run until 30 minutes after the game has concluded.  

For more meet day information, please visit https://auburntigers.com/gym-gameday.

Limited tickets are available at auburntige.rs/GymTickets.

AUBURN LINEUP
Friday’s meet has the team at home and going vault, bars, beam and floor. The Tigers will kick off Elevate the Stage on beam and follow with floor, vault and bars.

Three Tigers are holding strong in the top eight on all four events with junior Julianne Huff and sophomore Marissa Neal highlighting the group of potential all-arounders. Huff hasn’t scored below a 39.150 in the category and has a career-high of 39.525 to her credit. Neal has reached a 39.375 in her four starts in the all-around this season.

Joining them is junior Olivia Greaves, who has competed in the all-around five times this season.

Auburn’s vault squad is 10th nationally with a 49.196 average and features four juniors, one sophomore and three freshmen this weekend. Leading the way is junior Paige Zancan, Huff and Neal. Zancan has a 9.975 to her credit this year, while Huff and Neal have been consistent competitors.

Greaves, junior Jersie Woolsey and freshmen Mia Leverton, Rebekah Smith and Brynn Torry are also among the top eight. Leverton has scored a 9.8 or higher in all meets this season on her Yurchenko 1.5. Torry is coming off a career-high 9.9 at Oklahoma, while Woolsey and Smith are working to crack the lineup again this year.

The bars squad is led by four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. Junior Emma Grace Boyd has been a big contributor as of late, scoring a career-best 9.9 at Oklahoma last week. Greaves set a season-best 9.875 vs. the Sooners.

Irvine has been the team’s top competitor all season, while Huff, Neal, sophomore Katelyn Jong and freshman Charlotte Booth have consistently been in top eight. Sophomore Bryn Bartman has also worked her way back in the top eight this week.

Auburn’s beam squad continues to be solid and is led by Neal and Irvine. Neal is among the nation’s best with a 9.895 NQS and hasn’t scored below a 9.85 all year.

Joining the pair is senior Hannah Hagle, Greaves, Huff, junior Emma Wehry, sophomore Olivia Ahern and Booth.

The Tigers will finish Friday’s meet on floor with big competitors in the top eight.

Huff, Neal and Greaves have been the team’s top scorers as of late. Huff reached a career-high 9.925 vs. Alabama two weeks ago, while Neal has scored a 9.825 or better in every meet competed. Greaves opened the season with a 9.95.

Joining them will be Ahern, Bartman, Booth, Irvine and Leverton. Bartman has been a consistent contributor for the team, having her score count in every meet so far this year.

UP NEXT
Auburn closes out the regular season with an SEC contest vs. No. 7 Missouri, March 13. The two Tiger teams will face off in Neville Arena at 7 p.m. CT and the meet will be streamed on SEC Network+