Gabby McLaughlin, junior of the No. 14 Auburn gymnastics team, earned the title of SEC Specialist of the Week, as announced by the Southeastern Conference on Tuesday afternoon.
This recognition marks the first for any Tiger this season and also serves as the first weekly league honor in McLaughlin’s career. McLaughlin was a member of the All-SEC team for the beam event last season.
From Aliso Viejo, California, McLaughlin has showcased stellar performances throughout the season, amassing eight scores of 9.9 or better across bars, beam and floor.
In last Friday’s home quad meet at Neville Arena, McLaughlin secured two event titles for Auburn, contributing to the team's season-best score of 197.425.
Of particular note was McLaughlin's standout performance on the floor, where she achieved a career-high score of 9.95, claiming her first career floor win – marking her fourth consecutive 9.9 or better in the event.
Additionally, McLaughlin clinched another victory with a score of 9.925 on beam, earning her second beam title of the season.
Next up, McLaughlin and the Tigers are set to host No. 7 Alabama on Friday, Feb. 9, at Neville Arena. Auburn happened to already face the Tide in the season-opener in the Super 16 Meet in Las Vegas, falling 197.125-196.600.
The highly anticipated rivalry matchup is scheduled for 8 p.m. CST and will be televised on SEC Network.
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Patrick is a sophomore from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in fall 2022.
