Tag: derrian gobourne

Auburn gymnastics wins first session of SEC Championships with 197.100

Cassie Stevens posted a 39.650 all-around score and earned a share of the vault title during the first session of the SEC Championship on Saturday.

Auburn gymnastics began the postseason on the right foot by taking first place in the afternoon session of the SEC Championships at Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia.

The Tigers competed with Arkansas, Missouri, and Georgia in Session I of the championship, and took home the crown by scoring 197.100. Auburn edged out a persistent Missouri squad who built high scores on bars, beam, and floor. However, amazing personal scores by [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag] and [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] pushed Auburn to the title.

“I felt that for the most part, the team did a good job of picking each other up and getting through the meet,” head coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] said Saturday. “We talked a lot about how that is what it takes to get through the postseason. You’re going to have adversity and you have to conquer it. I really feel like we did a good job with that today.”

Stevens posted a 39.650 all-around score and took home a share of the vault title on Saturday. She did not score below a 9.9 on any event during the championship.

“Knowing we had some bumps and bruises along the way, I just wanted to do it for them and I wanted it for us,” Stevens said. “We’ve worked so hard, and we’ve been through a lot this season. We’re ready for the hard work to pay off and just to be able to do this and step up in these moments for my team was really rewarding.”

Gobourne’s highlights include a 9.9 on bars and 9.875 on floor.

The Tigers ended fifth in the SEC Championships. Here’s a look at how the rest of the field did on Saturday:

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Auburn gymnastics ends regular season with 197.600 in win over Penn State

Cassie Stevens and Derrian Gobourne take home multiple event titles in their final meet at Neville Arena.

For seven Auburn seniors, their final meet inside Neville Arena ended in the best way possible.

No. 9 Auburn welcomed Penn State for the regular season finale on Friday night and ended with a 197.600-197.025 win. Not only did the team have to battle the emotions of senior night, but they also had to compete without Suni Lee for the second week in a row. Despite the challenges, head coach Jeff Graba was thrilled about his squad’s performance.

“I thought the girls did a good job of coming in and building off what we’ve tried to work on in practice,” head coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] said following Friday’s meet. “This is a hard night, a lot of emotions, and I thought they did a really good job to get through it and get us set up for the next few weeks.”

Auburn ended the first rotation by trailing Penn State but jumped ahead after a solid performance on bars. Four Tigers scored 9.9 or higher on bars, with seniors [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag] and [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] earning 9.925’s in Auburn’s overall score of 49.525. Gobourne was delighted with her team’s performance on bars and says that it proves just how talented Auburn is at the event.

“With Suni in or out, we’re going to have her back. We’re going to do what we need to do,” Gobourne said. “Showing up the way we did even though we were missing her is really special, and it shows what we can do.”

Auburn continued to separate themselves from the Nittany Lions in their third rotation by scoring 49.250 on the beam. [autotag]Gabby McLaughlin[/autotag] paced the Tigers with a 9.950 and senior [autotag]Aria Brusch[/autotag] closed her home campaign on beam with a 9.900.

Then, in what has become the norm, Auburn closed out the event with a spectacular showing on the floor.

Brusch and [autotag]Sophia Groth[/autotag] scored 9.9 in the first half of the event, which paved the way for [autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag] to put on a spectacular show for a team-leading 9.950, which sets a new career high. Seniors Cassie Stevens and Derrian Gobourne ended the meet with 9.9 and 9.875 respectively. Stevens was the all-around winner by recording a 39.525.

“I think we came together as a team tonight, and it was really fun,” Stevens said following her final meet at Neville Arena. “The vibes were different. We were doing it for each other. We were having fun while we were doing it. That’s Auburn gymnastics.”

The regular season has now concluded, and Auburn will now get ready for its next task, the SEC Championships. Auburn will compete for a series of conference crowns next Saturday at Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia.

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Auburn gymnastics vs. Penn State: How to watch Friday’s home finale

Eight gymnasts will take part in their final meet at Neville Arena on Friday night.

No. 9 Auburn faces No. 37 Penn State on Friday night at Neville Arena, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

Auburn gymnastics will face Penn State to close the regular season on Friday, and it will also be the end of an era as eight members of this year’s roster will compete in front of their home fans for the final time in their Auburn careers.

Senior such as [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag], [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag], [autotag]Aria Brusch[/autotag], and [autotag]Adeline Sabados[/autotag] will take part in one last meet at Neville Arena, while [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag] will also be recognized despite not competing due to “non-gymnastics health issue.”

Below, you will find key information ahead of the final regular season meet including a how-to-watch guide, gymnasts to watch, and last week’s results.

Suni Lee to miss regular season finale vs. Penn State

Head coach Jeff Graba says that Lee is going through a non-gymnastics health issue.

Gold medal olympian [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag] was expected to participate in her final meet at Neville Arena on Friday when Auburn takes the floor against Penn State for senior night.

However, Auburn head coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] revealed that Lee will not compete in Friday’s meet due to what is being called a “non-gymnastics health issue.”

Here is the official statement that Auburn Gymnastics posted on Twitter.

“Suni is going through a non-gymnastics health issue that has impaired her ability to train. We do not want to put our athletes in any position that could risk their overall health and well-being. With that said, we’ve decided that it is in Suni’s best interest to take Friday’s meet off.”

Lee did not compete in last Saturday’s meet at Kentucky, though no reason was given. In her last meet, Lee won the all-around title by scoring a 39.475 in Auburn’s win over Georgia at Neville Arena on Feb. 24.

Auburn Gymnastics closes the home slate on Friday night with Penn State at 7 p.m. CT. Auburn will honor Lee, as well as seniors [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag], [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag], [autotag]Aria Brusch[/autotag], [autotag]Morgan Leigh Oldham[/autotag], [autotag]Adeline Sabado[/autotag]s, and [autotag]Anna Sumner[/autotag].

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Cassie Stevens wins all-around title in Auburn’s meet at Kentucky

Stevens’ 9.975 on vault paved the way for the senior to take the meet’s overall high score.

Due to projected inclement storms in the Lexington area on Friday, No. 9 Auburn‘s meet at No. 12 Kentucky had to be pushed to Saturday afternoon.

Despite the slight change in routine, Auburn stayed close to Kentucky until the end, falling to the Wildcats, 197.460-196.450.

Both teams stayed close to one another until the final event.  Kentucky would post a 49.400 on floor, but two scores of 9.300 and 9.275 caused Auburn to have a low score beam, thus propelling Kentucky to an overall win.

“Maybe it will leave a bad taste in our mouth,” head coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] said of Saturday’s meet. “We’ve got a week to work on it and get ready to go for Senior Night.”

[autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag] won the all-around with an overall score of 39.500, beating out Kentucky’s Raena Worley. Stevens’ best event was the vault, where she scored a 9.975. In her other three events by scoring 9.825 or higher.

“I think it shows what a quality athlete (Stevens) is and the depth of our team,” Graba said. “If we get everybody on the same page like where Cassie is right now, we’re in really good shape.”

[autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] paced the team on bars with a 9.900, Stevens led on beam with a 9.825, and [autotag]Gabby McLaughlin[/autotag] earned a 9.990 on floor. Auburn sophomore and Olympic gold medalist, [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag], did not participate in Saturday’s meet.

Auburn will conclude the regular season on Friday by hosting Penn State at 7 p.m. CT. The Nittany Lions squad currently ranks No. 32 in the country by posting an average score of 195.995 per meet.

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Auburn gymnastics posts 197.550 in rivalry win over Georgia

Suni Lee wins the all-around title as Auburn defeats Georgia for the third straight season.

Several starters returned to their usual positions on Friday night in No. 7 Auburn gymnastics’ meet with rival Georgia, who entered the meet as the No. 16 team in the nation.

A strong start by the Tigers on vault and a great finish on floor allowed them to cruise to a strong victory defeating the rival Gymdogs by over a full point, 197.550-196.075.

Auburn kicked off Friday’s meet by scoring 49.450 on vault. [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] and [autotag]Sara Hubbard[/autotag] took home the events’ high scores with 9.900. Auburn’s outstanding opening act is a product of a hard week of practice following a short week.

“It is what we set out to do. Our whole week, that is what we have been focusing on, even starting strong in the gym,” [autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag] said following Friday’s meet. “It meant a lot to us to achieve that goal that we were working for this week.”

Auburn mirrored their 49.450 vault score on floor. Three athletes reached a 9.90 score or higher, led by Gobourne’s 9.950.

Auburn reached a 197 score for the seventh time in eight meets on Friday, which led Gobourne to reflect on just how far the program has come in her five years on the Plains.

“A few years back, this would be a top score for us. We would be jumping up and down,” Gobourne said Friday. “Just being able to look at the (197.550) score and be like ‘alright, this is an OK night,’ it is inspiring honestly and I am so proud of this team. I’m so grateful and I can not wait to see what it looks like when we put it all together.”

Auburn hits the road for their final SEC meet of the season next Friday when they face No. 12 Kentucky in Lexington. Check out Friday’s results below.

Auburn Gymnastics vs. Georgia: How to watch Friday’s meet in Neville Arena

The No. 7 Tigers welcome No. 14 Georgia to Neville Arena for another sold-out showdown.

Auburn Gymnastics hosts Georgia on Friday night, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

Fresh off of a meet where most of their headliners took some events off for rest, the No. 7 Auburn Tigers are back in action this Friday to welcome the No. 14 Georgia Gymdogs to Neville Arena for another pivotal SEC showdown.

Auburn’s [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag] and [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] each participated in just two events in last week’s meet at Missouri but achieved team-leading scores in both vault and bars. Lee won the bars title by scoring 9.95 and Gobourne achieved the top score on vault with a 9.875.

Despite having just four days to prepare instead of the usual six, head coach Jeff Graba believes that his squad will be ready to compete on Friday.

“We mapped out the year to make sure we rested those that will need it and now with a short week, I like where we are,” Graba said this week. “I think we’re in a good spot with our depth and this short turnaround should be ok for us.”

Below, you will find key information ahead of another blockbuster meet between two top-15 teams, including a how-to-watch guide, gymnasts to watch, and last week’s results.

Derrian Gobourne named SEC Specialist of the Week

Gobourne was a force in Auburn’s win over LSU last Friday.

The No. 5 Auburn Tigers continue to post high scores this season, and fifth-year senior [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] is a vital reason why.

In last Friday’s season-high 197.750-197-500 win over No. 9 LSU last Friday night at Neville Arena, Gobourne competed in three events: vault, bars, and floor, and posted an individual score of 29.750. In true Gobourne fashion, her best event was floor, where she earned a 9.975.

A great performance against one of the nation’s top squads earned Gobourne a weekly honor by the Southeastern Conference. The SEC announced their weekly Gymnastics awards on Wednesday and named Gobourne the Specialist of the Week.

Gobourne, a fifth-year from Sarasota, Fla., helped the Tigers earn a season-high 197.750 in the win over No. 9 LSU. Highlighting her night was the 9.975 on floor to earn a tie for first place and push Auburn to a season-best score (49.650) in the event. She posted a 9.925 to start the meet on vault, good for a tie for second overall. Rounding out the meet, Gobourne added a 9.85 on bars to help the Tigers reach a season-best score (49.500).

Gobourne and the No. 5 Tigers will face No. 16 Missouri on Sunday for their next meet. The meet can be seen live on SEC Network and will begin at 5 p.m. CT.

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Auburn Gymnastics posts season-high 197.750 in top-10 win over LSU

Suni Lee’s 10.0 on bars and a dominant team effort on floor gives Auburn a pivotal win over LSU.

After No. 5 Auburn took a narrow defeat at No. 11 Alabama last Friday, head coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] said, “I think you’ve got to be a 198 team to win the national championship. Clean some things up and just keep going.”

His team took a giant step forward in reaching that goal Friday night by posting a season-high 197.750 in a win over No. 9 LSU in front of a sellout crowd at Neville Arena.

After taking a 49.325-49.275 lead through the first rotation, Auburn suffered a setback as LSU’s Aleah Finnegan scored a 10.0 on vault. It would not take long for Auburn to respond, as [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag] closed the rotation by posting a 10.0 of her own on bars, which was her third perfect score over the last two meets and her first 10.0 on bars in front of the home crowd at Neville Arena.

“I didn’t even know it was my first time getting a 10 here at Neville Arena on bars,” Lee said following the meet. “(It was) a super-amazing feeling.”

At the halfway point, Auburn led LSU, 98.825-98.625.

The second half of Friday’s meet got off to a great start for Auburn, as Lee and [autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag] each grabbed a 9.9 on beam to stay ahead of the upset-minded Tigers from Baton Rouge.

“I was most impressed with beam,” Graba said following the meet. “That says a lot about our mentality and focus.”

Auburn already held a lead over LSU heading to floor, but a dominating performance by Auburn in the event solidified the impressive win.

Hollingsworth and [autotag]Sophia Groth[/autotag] started off with 9.9’s, which boosted the already electric atmosphere for [autotag]Cassie Stevens[/autotag], Suni Lee, and [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] to close out the meet with great performances.

The trio did just that, as Stevens scored 9.900 while Lee and Gobourne scored 9.975.

“The energy was crazy tonight. It’s always so special every time I end on floor,” Gobourne said of Auburn’s floor performance. “We wanted to be strong and get it done. It was special to see everyone go out there and show out and not be afraid of the crowd, the judges, or the scores. Everyone really shining their light was so special to see.”

As for the goal of reaching a 198 overall score? Graba says that his team’s preparations are setting a favorable path to achieving the target.

“We’re proving that we’re a 198 team if we can put all four events together,” Auburn coach Jeff Graba said. “We’ve got to refine some stuff but we’re also pressing really hard to get to that 198. It’s a balancing act right now.”

Next up for Auburn is a trip to Columbia to face Missouri. Auburn and Missouri will meet next Sunday, Feb. 19, at 5 p.m. CT.

Auburn vs. NC State: How to watch Friday’s meet at Neville Arena

Auburn returns to Neville Arena on Friday to compete with yet another top-25 squad.

After an impressive home opener last Friday, No. 5 Auburn Gymnastics returns to Neville Arena to face yet another top-25 squad in No. 25 NC State

A sold-out, energetic crowd watched Auburn score a collective 197.500 last Friday night against Arkansas, led by All-American Norah Flatley. Floor was Auburn’s strongest event in the contest, as they scored 49.500. [autotag]Olivia Hollingsworth[/autotag] and [autotag]Derrian Gobourne[/autotag] each recorded a 9.9, with Gobourne earning the highest overall score of 9.950. [autotag]Suni Lee[/autotag] took home the All-Around title with a 39.750.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Jeff Graba[/autotag] credits the home crowd for providing enough energy to help his squad earn the win.

“Great crowd, love the atmosphere, and we needed everything that we could get from them, and they gave it to us,” Graba said following last Friday’s meet. “It was a really tight, tough fight all the way through and I think it makes you better when you go through that. I’m really proud of the team.”

This Friday, the Tigers welcome NC State. The Wolfpack are new to the top 25 this week and average an overall score of 196.183. In three meets this season, three NC State gymnasts have reached event highs of 9.9 or higher, led by Chloe Negrete, who holds the team’s individual high scores on vault, beam, and floor.

Graba says that competing with nonconference teams such as NC State will only make his team better.

“NC State is going to come in here and are going to be really good,” Graba said. “We aren’t taking this Friday lightly. They are a team that has made some really good postseason runs and it is going to be a great test for us. We need to stay focused and just get better this Friday.”

Below, you will find all of the key information needed ahead of Friday’s meet between Auburn and NC State including a how-to-watch guide, gymnasts to watch, and an in-depth look at Auburn’s last meet against Arkansas.