The No. 6 Auburn Tigers gymnastics team faced off against No. 11 Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Sunday night for just their second meet of the season and their first against an SEC opponent.
While Auburn was unable to defeat a strong Razorbacks team on the road (197.250–196.075), there were plenty of bright spots for the Tigers to look back on in what many are projecting to be a historic year for the program as the team continues to build chemistry and confidence early in the season.
Sophomore Sophia Bell had a career night for the Tigers in both of her events.
Bell finished with scores over 9.9 in both her floor exercise and vault events. Her score of 9.925 in the floor exercise was the best of the night for either team in that event. Bell has had an impressive start to the year, having yet to score under a 9.9 in any event in which she has participated while emerging as a consistent leader for Auburn.
Junior Alex Irvine also had an impressive performance, notching final scores of 9.9 flat on both the balance beam and uneven bars.
Sophomore Marissa Neal led the way for the Tigers in her first all-around appearance, competing in all four events and scoring higher than a 9.8 in three of the four.
Junior Julianne Huff also provided a strong all-around performance for the Tigers, including an impressive score of 9.875 in the floor exercise.
Arkansas simply outperformed the Tigers on Saturday night, most glaringly on the uneven bars.
Four of the six Razorbacks competing in the event scored higher than a 9.8, while only one Tiger did so, highlighting the difference in execution between the two teams.
Auburn recovered from its slow start, nearly matching the Razorbacks in the floor exercise with a score of 49.2, led by strong performances from Bell, Huff, and Neal. The Tigers will hope to carry the momentum from their final two rotations as SEC play continues.
The Tigers will take on the top team in the nation, the No. 1 Florida Gators, this Friday, January 23, as they return to Neville Arena for the first time in nearly two weeks.
Florida is currently 4–0, including an impressive victory over the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide last Friday. Be sure to show up and cheer on the Tigers during “90s Night” at Neville Arena for a chance to receive a free pair of ’90s-themed Tiger pants.
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Jonathan is a freshman majoring in industrial and systems engineering. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2025.
