Tag: Cassie Stevens

Gymnastics opens season with 196.600 at Mean Girls Super 16 Championships

The No. 17 Tigers open the season by taking down No. 5 UCLA in Las Vegas.

The No. 17 Auburn Gymnastics squad opened the season by scoring 196.600 in its first competition of the season.

Auburn traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the Mean Girls Super 16 Championships on Saturday to take part in a quad match with No. 5 UCLA, No. 7 California, and No. 8 Alabama. The Tigers finished third in the meet, defeating UCLA (196.550) and finished behind Alabama (197.125) and California (196.850).

“Overall, I feel like we just had a really good night,” head coach Jeff Graba said following the meet. “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.”

[autotag]Sara Hubbard[/autotag] carried the Tigers on vault by scoring a 9.875. [autotag]Sydney Schumaker[/autotag], [autotag]Julianne Huff[/autotag], and [autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag] also scored a 9.8 in the event. On bars, three Tigers reached a 9.9 or better with [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag] earning a 9.925.

Hollingsworth and [autotag]Gabby McLaughlin[/autotag] each scored a 9.850 on beam. Hollingsworth also joined Stevens by scoring a 9.9 on floor to close the meet.

Hollingsworth ended the event with the fourth-highest all-around score with a 39.450. She is expected to be one of the heavy hitters this season following the departures of [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag] and [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag]. She has trained hard this offseason, and her work paid off in Las Vegas.

“I’ve just been working hard and so I decided just to trust my training this year,” Hollingsworth said Saturday. “I know that I can score well and do my routines really well, so I just trusted myself tonight and it paid off.”

The Tigers open the home slate next Friday against No. 9 Kentucky. The meet begins at 7:30 p.m. CT inside Neville Arena, and will be broadcasted by SEC Network.

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Auburn checks in at No. 17 in WCGA preseason rankings

Auburn, as well as the rest of the SEC, is set to be extremely competitive again in 2024.

Preseason rankings were released Friday and the Auburn Tigers are ranked No. 17 according to the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association’s poll.

The SEC is set to be a very competitive environment this year, as all eight teams rank in the top 20, and four are ranked in the top 10. The Florida Gators are the conference’s highest squad, checking in at No. 2 in the initial poll.

Without [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] and [autotag]Sunisa Lee[/autotag] on this year’s roster, Auburn head coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] knows that his team will have to perform at a high level each week to achieve their goals for this season.

“The SEC is always very competitive, and this year is no different,” Graba said in a press release. “It will be a tight season once again this year with every conference team in the top 20. It will be a very exciting year and we’re looking forward to getting the season started!”

Despite Lee and Gobourne not returning this year, Auburn returns several key performers such as [autotag]Gabby McLaughlin[/autotag], [autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag], [autotag]Sophia Groth[/autotag], and [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag]. Several talented transfers have also joined the roster this offseason, such as [autotag]Anna Hill [/autotag](Temple) and [autotag]Madelynn Crow[/autotag] (Georgia).

Auburn will officially open the season on January 6th at the 2024 Super 16 Challenge in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Auburn gymnastics reveals 2024 home schedule

It’s another loaded slate of home meets for Auburn in 2024.

Auburn gymnastics unveiled its home schedule for the 2024 season on Monday and there will be some great matchups on the Plains. The schedule includes meets against perennial powers, as well as the first quad meet in Neville Arena history.

“There’s no place like the Southeastern Conference where you can create a home schedule like this,” head coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] said. “It will be a tremendous challenge and a lot of fun in 2024. On top of a great conference schedule, we’re excited to host the first regular season quad meet in Neville Arena history. So, fans need to renew their tickets soon!”

Auburn is entering a new era without superstars [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag] or [autotag]Derrian Goubourne[/autotag] but is returning veterans [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag], [autotag]Sophia Groth[/autotag] and [autotag]Aria Busch[/autotag]. Former five-star recruit [autotag]Olivia Greaves[/autotag] is also set to compete after missing last season with an injury.

While the road schedule has not been revealed, the Tigers will have five home meets during the season and here is a look at each matchup.

Anna Hill to join Auburn gymnastics via transfer portal

Hill becomes the third transfer to join the program ahead of the 2024 season.

[autotag]Anna Hill[/autotag] announced on social media that she would be transferring from Temple to Auburn.

Hill played a vital role in Temple’s lineup on floor and vault and posted career highs of 9.9 in both last season.

Hill committed after 2023 signee [autotag]Lyden Saltness[/autotag] announced that she would be joining the Illinois Fighting Illini instead.

Auburn’s signing class includes [autotag]Emma Grace Boyd [/autotag], [autotag]Julianne Huff[/autotag], and [autotag]Paige Zancan[/autotag]. The Tigers have also added former Georgia gymnast [autotag]Madelynn Crowe[/autotag] and former Kentucky gymnast [autotag]Lila Smith[/autotag].

Auburn lost gymnasts [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag] and [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] from last season’s roster but will return a plethora of talent in [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag], [autotag]Aria Brusch[/autotag], [autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag], [autotag]Sophia Groth[/autotag], and [autotag]Gabby McLaughlin[/autotag].

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Tigers pick up two more gymnasts for 2024 season through the transfer portal

Jeff Graba adds two experienced members to a stacked 2024 roster.

The Auburn Gymnastics roster just got deeper as head coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] and company has added two transfers to an already deep roster.

The new additions are [autotag]Madelynn Crow[/autotag] and [autotag]Lila Smith[/autotag].

Crow is a former Georgia Bulldog coming to Auburn as a sophomore. She is a native of Williamson, Georgia with notable accomplishments such as qualifying for the USAG Level 10 Development Program National Championships and being the first female at her high school to bring home a state title in Gymnastics.

Graba’s take on Crow: “We are so excited to have Madelynn join the Auburn gymnastics family. She brings a wealth of experience with her and has been successful at nearly all the levels of our sport. Having experience in the SEC is also going to be very beneficial as we are looking to build our team depth on all events. Even though Madelynn is best known for her beam proficiency, she should add needed depth on all the events.

Smith is a junior and a former Kentucky Wildcat. She is from Atlanta, Georgia, and competed with the same gym as Crow, Georgia Elite. She was also a USAG Level 10 Development Program National Championship qualifier and won state titles on beam and in the all-around.

Graba’s take on Smith: “We are eager to have Lila join our program as she is coming off a very successful run with another successful program. Her experience in the SEC will help as our young team will be looking to their teammates with experience as we enter this next season. Lila should give us needed depth on all the events early on.”

These two transfers will be a great addition to the 2024 roster. Crow and Smith will join an experienced roster that will feature [autotag]Aria Brusch[/autotag], [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag], [autotag]Sophia Groth[/autotag], and [autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag].

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Derrian Gobourne finishes 11th on floor at National Championship Meet

Gobourne’s time as an Auburn Tiger has officially come to a close.

[autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] competed for the last time as an Auburn Tiger at the NCAA gymnastics nationals meet on Thursday night. Gobourne competed as an individual on floor and earned a score of 9.9125 which earned her 11th place.

The Sarasota, Florida native has been a vital part of the Auburn gymnastics program since 2019. Gobourne’s resume includes a national championship on vault in 2019, national runner-up on bars and floor in 2022, earning all-SEC honors each year of her Auburn career, earning SEC Specialist or Co-Specialist of the year honors four times and being named SEC Specialist of the week six times throughout her career.

Gobourne competed on floor in all but one event this season. Gobourne qualified with a score of 9.94 and earned all-American recognition to close out her time with the Tigers.

Gobourne scored a perfect 10 with her floor routine against the Florida Gators in 2022. Vault was another strong rotation for Gobourne during her time as a Tiger, earning a score of 9.95 on four occasions, including the 2019 National Championships.

Gobourne will surely leave a hole in the Auburn lineup along with [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag], but the Tigers will have [autotag]Aria Brusch[/autotag] and [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag] back in 2024 which will help fill the void.

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One more ride: Stevens, Brusch announce return to Auburn gymnastics

Two of Auburn Gymnastics’ premier athletes will return for the 2024 season.

Auburn gymnastics had an “end of an era” type season with key performers such as [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag] and [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] competing for the final time in Auburn uniforms.

On Thursday, Auburn gymnastics fans received good news as two of Auburn’s most experienced gymnasts announced that they were returning for the 2024 season.

In a video that was shot during Auburn’s time at the NCAA Regional Championship in Los Angeles, [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag] and [autotag]Aria Brusch[/autotag] revealed that they would be returning to Auburn, using the extra season of eligibility they both accumulated during the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These past four years have been quite the roller coaster ride, but we are so incredibly grateful for the continued love and support of the entire Auburn family,” Stevens said in the video.

Brusch continued the statement by saying “With that being said, we are honored to have the opportunity to compete for Auburn gymnastics for one more year and finish what we started.”

Stevens has had an incredible career as an Auburn Tiger and had a senior season filled with highlights. She scored a 9.925 or higher in five events this season with her highest score of the season coming on March 4 at Kentucky, when she scored a 9.975 on vault. She was also named a WCGA All-American this season after leading the team on vault with a 9.925 NQS.

Brusch has been named a WCGA Academic All-American three times in her career and has scored a 9.900 or higher in several events over the last four seasons including a 9.900 on beam against Penn State in March.

The return of Stevens and Brusch adds to an already stacked lineup that returns to Auburn in 2024. Joining Stevens and Brusch on next season’s roster includes [autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag], [autotag]Sophia Groth[/autotag], [autotag]Gabby McLaughlin[/autotag], and [autotag]Sarah Hubbard[/autotag].

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Auburn gymnastics’ season ends in Los Angeles

An unconventional showing on bars led to the Tigers’ downfall in the Los Angeles Regional.

The Auburn Tigers’ season comes to an end after the team posted a 195.9, placing them in fourth in the afternoon session of the Los Angeles Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

“When you get to this meet, you have to be really good to move on,” Auburn coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] said. “You can’t have an event like we did on bars. We picked a bad night to have our worst night of the year.”

Auburn got off to a strong start on floor. [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] earned a 9.925 in the anchor role to earn a share of the session title for the event. [autotag]Gabby McLaughlin[/autotag] and [autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag] both scored a 9.875. [autotag]Sophia Groth[/autotag] and [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag] each posted a 9.85, bringing Auburn’s score to 49.375 which had the Tigers in second place.

The Tigers competed on vault in the second rotation. [autotag]Caroline Leonard[/autotag] led off with a 9.875, [autotag]Sara Hubbard[/autotag] followed with a 9.850. Hollingsworth and Stevens both took a 9.8 and Gobourne closed up with a 9.875. Auburn’s score after two rotations was 98.575.

Things started to go wrong for the Tigers on bars in the third rotation. After three straight falls at the beginning [autotag]Aria Brusch[/autotag] scored a 9.9. Stevens tied her career-high with a 9.925 and Gobourne anchored with a 9.85.

Auburn closed up on beam. [autotag]Hannah Hagle[/autotag] earned the top score for the Tigers with a 9.9.

“For (Hagle) to do that on beam was a huge deal,” Graba said. “Caroline on vault, going 9.875 on a 9.95 (start value) vault. Derrian (Gobourne) was great on floor. We got some really good performances, but as a group, not as consistent as we want.”

The Tigers will have a lot to build on going into next season but will return key pieces such as Sophia Groth, Olivia Hollingsworth, and Gabby McLaughlin.

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Three Tiger gymnasts named WCGA All-Americans

Suni Lee, Derrian Gobourne, and Cassie Stevens have been named All-Americans.

The trio of [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag], [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag], and [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag] is not done being honored for their great seasons. All three were named All-Americans by the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association on Thursday.

Lee was named First Team All-American on bars and picked up second team in the all-around. Gobourne made the second team on floor, while Stevens earned first team on vault.

“It’s such an honor to get these awards,” head coach Jeff Graba said. “This is a tribute to the hard work these student-athletes have put in this year. I’m so proud of them and we’re lucky to have these three representing Auburn so well.”

Gymnasts with the top eight National Qualifying Scores (NQS) for the regular season earned first-team honors, while second-team went to student-athletes ranked Nos. 9-16.

Lee has now won 10 All-American awards, the most in Auburn history. She finished the regular season with an all-around NQS of 39.655, ranking ninth nationally. Lee won four all-around crowns this season.

Her 9.965 NQS on bars was tied for the fourth-best nationally. She recorded two perfect 10.0s and won six titles in her signature event.

Gobourne, the 2023 SEC Specialist of the Year, finished with a 9.940 NQS on floor, having three titles in the event of the year. It is the seventh award of her career and the third on floor.

It is the first All-American honor for Stevens. She finished the regular season tied for eighth nationally on vault with an NQS of 9.925. She tied for the SEC Vault Champion crown after scoring a 9.95 at the conference meet and was also named the SEC Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Sunday.

The No. 12 Tigers will return to action next week, in the 2023 NCAA Los Angeles Regional. Auburn will compete on March 30 in the afternoon session.

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Gobourne named SEC Event Specialist of the Year after impressive season

“The Queen” adds more hardware to her trophy case.

[autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] has added yet another accomplishment to her already impressive resume as she was named SEC Event Specialist of the Year. Gobourne is the first gymnast to win the award twice.

“Derrian has brought so much to this program over her five years that it is hard to quantify,” head coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] said. “For her to earn this award again only signifies how much she has meant to our program and how others are aware of her impact on Auburn gymnastics. What a great accomplishment voted by our peers at other schools in the league.”

Other achievements by Gobourne this season include being named SEC Specialist of the Week twice, winning two floor titles, two bars titles, and one vault title, as well as earning All-SEC honors on vault and floor.

Gobourne has scored better than 9.9 seven times on floor and five times on bars.

There were plenty of awards to go around for Auburn this season. Senior [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag] was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the year as well as earning All-SEC honors in every event including the all-around. Stevens was named SEC co-vault champion after scoring 9.95 in the conference championship meet.

[autotag]Aria Brusch[/autotag] earned all-SEC honors on bars for the second-straight season.

[autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag] earned All-SEC honors on floor.

[autotag]Gabby McLaughlin[/autotag] earned All-SEC honors on beam.

Auburn will be back in action on March 30th when the Tigers compete in the Los Angeles Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

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