AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 11 Auburn gymnastics team returns to Neville Arena for another big Southeastern Conference match up, welcoming SEC newcomer and No. 1 Oklahoma to the Plains Friday, February 28. The two teams will face off at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
"Oklahoma has been consistently a top program for the last eight or nine years," head coach Jeff Graba said. "They are very good, extremely consistent and running on all cylinders. We've got our work cut out for us and we're still not a full strength yet, but we're really talented and we're at home and capable if we hit."
Friday's meet will be Oklahoma's first time to the Plains since 2010 and the Tigers are expecting the Auburn crowd to once again bring the energy.
"Our crowd shifts the balance," Graba said. "Every SEC program has something that makes it extremely difficult to win on the road and ours is the Jungle, the Gymnastys and our whole fan base. Neville Arena is the hardest place to compete, and we hope the Jungle shows up and takes control."
FAN INFORMATION
It’s All Auburn, All Orange in Neville Arena! Fans are encouraged to come out in their best orange outfits. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. CT.
In addition, Auburn students will be given orange bucket hats and free Chick-fil-A while supplies last.
TICKET INFORMATION
Limited standing room only tickets are available for purchase and can be found HERE.
PARKING
A couple of notes on parking as you prepare for Friday’s meet.
- The arena lot is reserved and requires an arena parking pass for access.
- Free and recommended parking is available in the Campus Safety lot located off War Eagle Way. This lot provides easy access to the main entry of Neville Arena. Additional free parking is available in the Stadium Parking Deck, Athletics Complex Parking Deck and the Coliseum Lot.
- Two ADA golf carts will be available starting 90 minutes prior to first vault and one hour post meet. Carts will run from the ADA lot on Wire Road to the Scholarship Entry and North Entry of Neville Arena. An ADA transit will also be available.
- Doors to Neville Arena open 90 minutes prior to each meet. Please plan to arrive early for quick access to parking and entry.
AUBURN LINEUP
The Auburn Tigers return home Friday and will go in Olympic order - vault, bars, beam and floor.
Auburn kicks off the meet on vault where the team recently tied a program best with a 49.500 last week at Alabama.
Leading the way will be freshman Katelyn Jong, sophomore Paige Zancan and experienced Tigers Sydney Schumaker and Sara Hubbard.
Jong won the vault title vs. Alabama with a career-high 9.95, while Zancan and Schumaker chipped in a pair of 9.9s. Hubbard and fellow senior Sarah Zois added a 9.875 each to the overall team score.
Also among the top eight are freshman Sophia Bell, sophomore Julianne Huff and senior Anna Hill.
Huff has seven starts this year on the event, while Bell has five.
Leading the way in the top eight on bars are sophomores Alex Irvine and Olivia Greaves as well as Jong.
Jong is among the nation's best in the event, ranking eighth nationally with a 9.905 average. She's scored a 9.9 or better six times this year, including a pair of 9.925s.
Irvine scored a career high vs. Georgia, earning a 9.95 and has won at least a share of the event title twice this year.
Greaves has the ability to put up big numbers for the squad, having a 9.925 to her credit.
Joining the three in the top eight are seniors Sophia Groth and Caroline Leonard and sophomores Emma Grace Boyd, Bryn Bartman and Huff.
Groth has scored back-to-back 9.9s for the team, while Leonard is coming off her first start in the event last week with a 9.85.
The next event is beam where the Tigers have exceled all season. The team ranks fifth nationally with a 49.350 NQS.
Usual suspects like Groth, senior Gabby McLaughlin and Jong highlight the top eight. McLaughlin has 58 starts in the event, while Groth has 47.
Jong has been excellent on the apparatus, having three scores of 9.9 or better, including a 9.95.
Freshman Olivia Ahern and Zancan have been consistent contributors for the team. The pair each reached career highs at Alabama, with Ahern earning a 9.9 and Zancan winning the event title with a 9.925.
Greaves has four starts on beam this season and has a 9.875 to her name.
Zois and Huff have each solidified spots in the top eight for the team in the event.
Floor is next as the team continues to improve in the event.
Leading the charge are seniors Groth and McLaughlin. Groth has won four titles this season, including a pair of 9.95s against rivals Georgia and Alabama.
Zancan and Greaves each have 9.9s to their credit, while Bell tied her career high against Georgia, scoring a 9.925.
Jong, Ahern and Zois are also among the top eight.
UP NEXT
Auburn returns to the road, traveling to No. 8 Missouri for a Sunday afternoon contest. The two Tiger teams will face off at 12 p.m. CT on March 8 and the meet will be televised on SEC Network.