Friday, February 16
Auburn, Ala.
8 PM
Rutgers University
at
Auburn
Photo by: Greg Fiume
Gymnastics Visits Auburn
Feb 14 | Women's Gymnastics
Scarlet Knights and Tigers to meet for the first time since 1998
MEET SIX • RUTGERS at No. 16 AUBURN
February 16, 2018 • 8 p.m. ET
Auburn Arena • Auburn, Ala.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – On the road for the fourth time this season, Rutgers gymnastics will head to SEC territory for the first time since 2014 to take on No. 16 Auburn Friday at 8 p.m. ET inside Auburn Arena. The Scarlet Knights will be making their first trip to the state of Alabama as a team since also visiting the Tigers in 1998.
The dual meet will broadcast on SEC Network+ and live results will be available online.
RUTGERS MEET PREVIEW
Rutgers rallied late last time out to take second in a quad meet at Maryland, topping Brown and William & Mary with a 193.950. Forced to compete five on vault due to injuries, the Scarlet Knights rose up to a 48.925 to tie the season-best mark. Freshman Belle Huang tied for first with a 9.875 to claim the team's top score in the event in 2018, while junior Jenna Rizkalla (9.825), freshman Toni Williams (9.800), freshman Sophia Atienza (9.750) and sophomore Emma Karas (9.675) all hit as well. Rizkalla owns a lineup-high 9.838 average in the event.
Senior Makenzey Shank struck a first-place finish for the second-straight week on balance beam by hauling in a 9.875, her best so far this year. In addition, sophomore Erin McLachlan has emerged as a high scorer with a 9.800 and a 9.775 routine the last two outings. The Scarlet Knights rank 44th nationally in the event.
Marks on floor exercise have once again been a strength, as the group is averaging a 48.650 with as high as 49.150. Rizkalla (9.805), Williams (9.763), senior Libby Groden (9.763) and Shank (9.705) all own an average over 9.700. On uneven bars, sophomore Shannon Farrell is at 9.740 with a 9.700 or better on all five swings this year.
In the all-around competition, Groden and Huang have each totaled as high as 38.875.
The last time RU visited an SEC arena was in 2014 at NCAA Regionals hosted by Georgia. Alexis Gunzelman highlighted the performance with a 39.175 all-around total to qualify as an individual for NCAA Nationals in Birmingham, Ala. The Scarlet Knights last traveled to Auburn in 1998 and were part of the same NIT Tournament as the Tigers in Missouri in 1995.
On Friday, Rutgers will start on uneven bars before rotating to vault, floor exercise and balance beam.
COACH LEVINE Q&A
On finishing strong in meets: "It is about believing in yourself and continuing to push forward. Right now, we are coming off a great vault lineup and we'll move forward from that. At home, we've had floor at the end. It is a belief and fight that has enabled us to finish out meets strong every week."
On team effort: "Every year you need everybody. Everyone plays a part. While all 19 are not competing every week, everyone is contributing day in and day out. Whether that is the star of the team, or an emotional leader, or helping push someone else. There's so many roles. It always takes everybody. If everyone is not going in the same direction, then you can't be where you want to be. That has played out this year in who has competed. We've competed a lot of girls. Whoever that is has stepped in and has competed for every tenth. That's what we're about."
On visiting Auburn: "It's always exciting to visit some place we've never been. Down in the SEC, that tends to be where some of the best gymnastics in the country is being performed. We want to go out there and show that we are capable of doing that. Hopefully it is a big crowd and we can feed off that energy. Energy is energy, home or away. My expectation is that they'll have a good crowd and we'll go in there and play our part, put out our best routines and fight like crazy."
TICKETS ON SALE FOR BIG FIVE MEET
After staging the Big Ten Championships last season, Rutgers is scheduled to host a Big Five meet at the RAC on March 17. The competitive meet will also involve Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Penn State to determine positioning for the Big Ten Championships, which will be held at Illinois. Click here to purchase tickets.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding women's gymnastics, follow the program on Twitter (@RUGymnastics), Facebook (/RUGymnastics), Instagram (@rutgersgymnastics) and Snapchat (rutgersgym).
February 16, 2018 • 8 p.m. ET
Auburn Arena • Auburn, Ala.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – On the road for the fourth time this season, Rutgers gymnastics will head to SEC territory for the first time since 2014 to take on No. 16 Auburn Friday at 8 p.m. ET inside Auburn Arena. The Scarlet Knights will be making their first trip to the state of Alabama as a team since also visiting the Tigers in 1998.
The dual meet will broadcast on SEC Network+ and live results will be available online.
RUTGERS MEET PREVIEW
Rutgers rallied late last time out to take second in a quad meet at Maryland, topping Brown and William & Mary with a 193.950. Forced to compete five on vault due to injuries, the Scarlet Knights rose up to a 48.925 to tie the season-best mark. Freshman Belle Huang tied for first with a 9.875 to claim the team's top score in the event in 2018, while junior Jenna Rizkalla (9.825), freshman Toni Williams (9.800), freshman Sophia Atienza (9.750) and sophomore Emma Karas (9.675) all hit as well. Rizkalla owns a lineup-high 9.838 average in the event.
Senior Makenzey Shank struck a first-place finish for the second-straight week on balance beam by hauling in a 9.875, her best so far this year. In addition, sophomore Erin McLachlan has emerged as a high scorer with a 9.800 and a 9.775 routine the last two outings. The Scarlet Knights rank 44th nationally in the event.
Marks on floor exercise have once again been a strength, as the group is averaging a 48.650 with as high as 49.150. Rizkalla (9.805), Williams (9.763), senior Libby Groden (9.763) and Shank (9.705) all own an average over 9.700. On uneven bars, sophomore Shannon Farrell is at 9.740 with a 9.700 or better on all five swings this year.
In the all-around competition, Groden and Huang have each totaled as high as 38.875.
The last time RU visited an SEC arena was in 2014 at NCAA Regionals hosted by Georgia. Alexis Gunzelman highlighted the performance with a 39.175 all-around total to qualify as an individual for NCAA Nationals in Birmingham, Ala. The Scarlet Knights last traveled to Auburn in 1998 and were part of the same NIT Tournament as the Tigers in Missouri in 1995.
On Friday, Rutgers will start on uneven bars before rotating to vault, floor exercise and balance beam.
COACH LEVINE Q&A
On finishing strong in meets: "It is about believing in yourself and continuing to push forward. Right now, we are coming off a great vault lineup and we'll move forward from that. At home, we've had floor at the end. It is a belief and fight that has enabled us to finish out meets strong every week."
On team effort: "Every year you need everybody. Everyone plays a part. While all 19 are not competing every week, everyone is contributing day in and day out. Whether that is the star of the team, or an emotional leader, or helping push someone else. There's so many roles. It always takes everybody. If everyone is not going in the same direction, then you can't be where you want to be. That has played out this year in who has competed. We've competed a lot of girls. Whoever that is has stepped in and has competed for every tenth. That's what we're about."
On visiting Auburn: "It's always exciting to visit some place we've never been. Down in the SEC, that tends to be where some of the best gymnastics in the country is being performed. We want to go out there and show that we are capable of doing that. Hopefully it is a big crowd and we can feed off that energy. Energy is energy, home or away. My expectation is that they'll have a good crowd and we'll go in there and play our part, put out our best routines and fight like crazy."
TICKETS ON SALE FOR BIG FIVE MEET
After staging the Big Ten Championships last season, Rutgers is scheduled to host a Big Five meet at the RAC on March 17. The competitive meet will also involve Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Penn State to determine positioning for the Big Ten Championships, which will be held at Illinois. Click here to purchase tickets.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding women's gymnastics, follow the program on Twitter (@RUGymnastics), Facebook (/RUGymnastics), Instagram (@rutgersgymnastics) and Snapchat (rutgersgym).
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
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