Lee Scores a 10.0 on Beam; Named SEC Gymnast of the Week
CONTRIBUTED BY AU ATHLETICS
LAS VEGAS —
The No. 5 Auburn gymnastics team opened the 2023 season with a bang, scoring a 197.350 at the inaugural Super 16 to finish third. The quad meet was held in the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
The overall score bested the program-best in a season opener by almost a full point (196.375 in 2009).
“It was about developing our depth and testing ourselves coming into this meet, and I was really happy with how the team performed under the pressure,” said head coach Jeff Graba. “We beat our program record and were up against great competition, so I’m excited. It was a great start, and we wanted to kick off the season the right way.”
No. 1 Oklahoma won the meet with a 197.925, while No. 4 Michigan came in second at 197.400. Auburn finished third (197.350) and No. 10 UCLA was fourth (197.275).
Sophomore Sunisa Lee won the all-around with a 39.750, scoring a perfect 10.0 on beam in the second rotation. She led off with a 9.95 on bars and earned a pair of 9.9s on floor and vault.
“The team did really well and did a great job putting everything together,” Lee said. “Personally, I feel like I did everything I could. I had a couple of hiccups, and I’m still trying to figure out my routines, but I’m just taking day by day and am happy with tonight.”
The vault squad tied a program-best with a 49.500 to close out the meet, seeing a 9.9 or better from the final four competitors. Fifth-year Derrian Gobourne tied a career high and came in second with a 9.95 in the anchor spot.
“It felt great to hit that vault,” Gobourne said. “I messed up my steps a little bit, but we’ve done so much in training that I just trusted myself and everybody in front of me. Tonight was so much fun, and I’m so proud of us.”
Gobourne scored a 9.9 or better in all three events competed.
Junior Olivia Hollingsworth competed in the all-around for the first time since 2021 and finished with a 39.100.
“It was great being back out there doing the all-around,” Hollingsworth said. “I was just trying to soak in the moment and have fun. The team started right where we left off, and I’m just really proud of the energy tonight.”
Also competing in the all-around was senior Cassie Stevens. She capped her full night with a 9.925 on vault.
The Tigers kick off Southeastern Conference competition next week, traveling to conference champion and No. 2 Florida. Auburn and the Gators square off at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2 in Gainesville.
BARS
The Tigers started off with a 49.400 on bars. Hollingsworth and junior Gabby McLaughlin led off with a pair of 9.85s to set career highs. Stevens also picked up a 9.85, while Gobourne kicked off her final season with a 9.9. Lee capped the rotation with a 9.95 for the squad to come in a tie for third individually.
BEAM
The beam squad battled hard to earn a 49.150 in the second rotation. Lee led the way with her first 10.0 of the year and fourth overall on beam to win the event. Sophomore Sophia Groth followed with a 9.85, while McLaughlin had a 9.825. Senior Aria Brusch made her debut on the evening with a 9.8, and Hollingsworth closed out scoring with a 9.675.
FLOOR
Auburn put together a 49.300 on floor and was led by two 9.9s from Gobourne and Lee. Brusch followed suit with a 9.875, and Stevens added a 9.85. Hollingsworth contributed with a 9.775.
VAULT
Auburn’s 49.500 on vault in the final rotation led all teams in the event. A pair of Tigers tied career highs in sophomore Sara Hubbard (9.9) and Gobourne (9.95). Stevens earned a 9.925 on her Yurchenko 1.5, while Lee debuted her tucked Lopez with a 9.9. Groth led off with a 9.825 on her full.
LEE NAMED SEC GYMNAST OF THE WEEK
Sophomore Sunisa Lee of the No. 5 Auburn gymnastics team was named the Southeastern Conference’s Gymnast of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday.
The honor is the first of the season for the St. Paul, Minnesota, product and fourth of her career.
Lee helped the Tigers set a program best in a season opener last Saturday at the Super 16, scoring a 197.350 as a team in Las Vegas. She never finished lower than a 9.9 on the weekend and her scores in the all-around and beam placed her first nationally.
She captured her first all-around title of the season with a 39.750, earning the top score in the country so far. In addition, she won the beam title with a 10.0. That perfect score was the fourth of her career on the apparatus.
Lee picked up a pair of 9.9s on vault and floor as well. Her contribution on vault helped the team score a 49.500 in the rotation, which finished best in the nation on the opening weekend. The team vault score also tied the program’s best in the event.
The Tigers kick off Southeastern Conference competition Friday, traveling to conference champion and No. 2 Florida. Auburn and the Gators square off at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2 in Gainesville.