Amid NCAA Gymnastics Meet, Auburn Athlete Spurs Rivalry Twist with Alabama in Trivial Encounter

The NCAA Gymnastics Championships is all set to take flight in April. Now, the gymnasts are reuniting over the ‘meet’ season, which is functioning more as a warm-up session. In this remarkable surge, the Auburn gymnastics team has ascended to No. 14 in this week’s rankings on RoadToNationals.com. Following an impressive performance, the team’s current average rose to 196.950, propelled by their season-high score of 197.425 achieved last Friday in a meet against Fisk, Talladega, and Temple.

This week, the spotlight shines on Auburn as they prepare to host their arch-rivals, the No. 7 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, in a highly anticipated showdown at Neville Arena. The thrilling matchup between Auburn and Alabama is set to take place at 8 p.m. CT. However, on this, Sophia Groth, from Auburn’s gymnastics, engaged in candid Q&A sessions with her fellow gymnasts on the team’s social media platform.

Auburn Gymnastics is all set for the next face-off

The Instagram story, captioned “𝙈𝙄𝘾’𝘿 𝙐𝙋 𝙈𝙊𝙉𝘿𝘼𝙔𝙎,“ from Auburn Gymnastics serves as a prelude to the forthcoming clash with Alabama. With “#BeatBama week” in full swing, the Auburn Gymnastics team is not only focused on physical preparedness but also on fostering camaraderie and team spirit.

Sophia Groth’s engaging Q&A session with her teammates ignited excitement within the gymnastics community. She was found asking a few questions about Alabama’s performance and previous scores in their past game.

This Instagram post provides some valuable insights into the perspectives of the gymnasts and their followers prior to the upcoming showdown.

However, before Groth’s tenure at Auburn, her journey to excellence was full of triumphs and accolades. As a six-time JO National Championship qualifier, her passion and talent led to podium finishes, including second place on the floor and third on bars at the 2018 JO National Meet. Notably, Groth showcased her prowess at the last Alabama meet, achieving a season-best score of 39.475, setting the bar high for herself and her teammates. However, the previous match results for Auburn were disappointing due to the few points they lost.

Alabama’s and Auburn’s previous match was a hard one

In 2023, the Alabama gymnastics team triumphed in a thrilling match at Coleman Coliseum, defeating the Auburn Tigers with their impressive performance. The final score of the game was 197.850-197.700. In addition, the evening commenced with Alabama exhibiting its strength on the vault. They scored a solid 49.175 to set the tone for the competition.

Alabama followed a 49.325 on the uneven bars with a 49.650 on the balance beam, tying for the second-highest total on the event in program history. The Tide closed out the night with a 49.700 on floor exercise, tying a program record on the event.

Read More: After Struggling on Beams, Suni Lee’s Teammate Sophia Groth Opens Up on the Mental Toll of Gymnastics

Head Coach Ashley Johnston praised her team’s resilience and determination in overcoming adversity, emphasizing their ability to improve performance with each event. The coach stated, “I’m so proud of this team. We started the meet with a little bit of a mistake, and they did not let that affect them. They were able to carry that energy and pass the torch from one person to the next. I’m just so proud of their resilience and the way that they rallied to not worry about the scores or the outcome, but just stayed invested in the moment and continue to get better.”

However, after that unforgettable match, everyone’s eyes are now on the upcoming face-off. The gymnastics world is excitedly buzzing for the forthcoming week and eagerly awaiting the results.

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