The Auburn gymnastics team is the No. 2 seed in the Northeast Regional after finishing fifth at the SEC Championship last Saturday in Duluth, Ga., with a score of 196.100
The Tigers’ score was its highest since 1986.
Junior gymnast Lindsay Puckett was named co-SEC Gymnast of the Year while Jeff Thompson was named co-Coach of the Year for the second time, the first in 2003.
“Jeff told me that I had been nominated, but I had no idea that I would get it,” said Puckett, a native of Lilburn, Ga. “This is even better being in my home in front of my family and friends.”
Thompson shares the honor with Suzanne Yoculan of Georgia and Mark Cook of Arkansas.
“I am in tremendous company,” Thompson said. “I am completely flattered, but I am no different than the coach I was last year. It is my team who won this award for Auburn.”
Georgia took first place with 197.350 points, while Alabama and Florida tied for second with 197.325 each. LSU was fourth with 196.500.
“It was great to go there and be right in there with the top teams of the nation,” senior Julie Dwyer said. “I would say this year this was my best meet of the year, and that’s true for most girls on the team as well. We just had an incredible night.”
Dwyer and Puckett each totaled 39.425 points for the meet, while Mills scored 39.125. All three gymnasts are nationally ranked in the top 25.
Auburn took fifth on vault with a score of 49.025. For the Tigers, Puckett and Dwyer both lead with 9.900 each, followed by senior Kayla Gies with 9.800, junior A.J. Mills with 9.750, as well as junior Claire Seiffert and sophomore Krissy Voss both with 9.675.
The Tigers totaled 49.050 points to take fourth on bars, with Dwyer scoring 9.850, Mills with 9.825, both Puckett and senior Aimee Goheen with 9.800, Voss with 9.775 and Gies with 9.750.
On beam, Auburn took fifth, scoring 49.000. Puckett and Dwyer were the high scorers for the Tigers with 9.850 each, followed by freshman Katie Hurley with 9.800, Mills and Gies each with 9.750 and Voss with 9.650.
In the floor competition, the Tigers scored 49.025, taking sixth. Puckett was the lead scorer with 9.875, followed by Dwyer with 9.825, Mills and Seiffert both with 9.800, as well as Hurley and freshman Rachel Inniss with 9.725.
“Basically, the top two teams out of each region make nationals,” Dwyer said. “We are going to be ranked number two going into regionals, which is a very, very good thing for making nationals.”
The Tigers advance to the regional competition April 12. The top two regional teams advance to the NCAA Championship in Athens, Ga., April 24.
“We really want to make it to nationals and have a good show at nationals this year,” Dwyer said. “Really, it’s just about going out there and competing for the team and the excitement you feel when you put an entire meet together like we did (during the SEC Championship).
