AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 11 Auburn gymnastics team returns to Neville Arena Friday, January 23, hosting No. 1 Florida in a Southeastern Conference match up. The Tigers and the Gators will go head-to-head at 7:45 p.m. CT and the meet will be televised on SEC Network.
“There is a reason why Florida is the top-ranked team in the country,” head coach Jeff Graba said. “They are going to come in ready to go and ready to make a statement. We need the Auburn fanbase to show up and help us with our home-field advantage.”
A big key for the Tiger squad is to open the first rotation strong like they did in the season opener vs. NC State on January 9.
“We need to start strong to build confidence,” Graba said. “Those first two events are extremely important for this team. If we do that, I like our chances to close the meet strong.”
The youthful team is looking to improve off a slow start last Sunday at Arkansas to put themselves in a good position to continue growth.
“We’re inventing ourselves,” Graba said. “We have a very young team. This Friday is a great opportunity to get back in front of our fans and put ourselves up against one of the best teams in the nation and continue to figure out what kind of team we want to be. What better way to do that than competing against the best.”
FAN INFORMATION
Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. CT and fans are encouraged to arrive early to participate in pre-meet activities.
Friday’s meet will be 90s Night in Neville! Auburn University students will have a chance to get Tiger-print pants while supplies last and fans will get to enjoy a night of 90s music nostalgia.
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.
AUBURN LINEUP
The Auburn gymnastics team will go in Olympic order being the home team, going on vault, bars, beam and floor.
Juniors Olivia Greaves and Julianne Huff as well as sophomore Marissa Neal are the top eight in all four events with potential to compete in the all-around. Junior Alex Irvine could go in three events for the Tigers as she’s in the top eight on bars, beam and floor.
The squad will kick things off on vault and has four juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen among the top eight.
Sophomore Sophia Bell leads the way as she’s among the top five on vault nationally after going 9.925 in the opening weekend and 9.9 last week on the road, showcasing her show-stopping Yurchenko double vault.
Joining her are juniors Paige Zancan, Huff, Greaves and Jersie Woolsey. Zancan is among the nation’s top 10 on vault and already has a 9.975 to her credit this year. Huff has been consistent with her Yurchenko 1.5, while Greaves and Woolsey compete a full.
Joining the them on vault will be Neal and freshmen Mia Leverton and Brynn Torry. Both Neal and Leverton have appeared in the event in both meets so far this season.
Bars will be next in rotation two and the Tiger lineup features one senior, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman.
Highlighting the lineup are juniors Greaves, Irvine and Emma Grace Boyd. Greaves had two 9.95s and one 9.975 to her credit as a sophomore, while Irvine has been the team’s anchor in these first two meets. She won the bars title on the road at Arkansas this past Sunday with a season-best 9.9. Boyd has made her way back into the team’s potential lineup and competed bars in every meet last season.
Looking to also represent the Orange and Blue Friday in the event will be Huff, Neal, sophomores Bryn Bartman and Katelyn Jong and freshman Charlotte Booth. Neal, Huff and Booth have been in the lineup in the first two meets, while Bartman earned a start in the season opener. The Tigers are excited to have Jong back among the top on the team after suffering a season-ending injury in 2025.
Rotation three will have the team on beam and features a wealth of experience. Highlighting the group is Neal, sophomore Olivia Ahern, Greaves and Hagle. Ahern was a rock-solid leadoff for the team in 2025 and has continued to excel in that spot this season. Neal has a 9.975 to her credit, while Greaves has been a mainstay in the lineup.
Joining them in the top eight are Booth, Huff, Irvine and junior Emma Wehry. Irvine earned a spot in the lineup at Arkansas and scored a career-best 9.9 for the team.
The final rotation has the team close things out on floor, bringing another experienced group to the top eight.
Bell is among the top five nationally in the event, having a 9.95 and 9.925 this season so far. She captured the event title on Sunday at Arkansas, earning her second-straight title in the event. Greaves and Huff have also seen big scores early on the year with Greaves having a 9.95 in the season opener and Huff earning a 9.875 last week.
Joining the pair the trio will be Ahern, Bartman, Neal, Irvine and Wehry. Bartman, Ahern and Neal have competed in the event in both meets so far, while Irvine and Wehry are looking to secure a spot this Friday.
UP NEXT
Auburn will travel next week for another SEC road matchup, facing the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens on February 1. The Tigers and Bulldogs will meet in Stegeman Coliseum at 5 p.m. CT and the contest will be televised on SEC Network.