AUBURN — Derrian Gobourne is the SEC Specialist of the Year for the third straight season. Since the award started in 2014, Gobourne is the only gymnast in the conference to win it three times. She was also named SEC Specialist of the Week twice this season.
Another feather in the cap for the Queen of Auburn gymnastics, and her resume is starting to rival some of Auburn’s all-time great athletes, if not surpass them.
“Derrian has brought so much to this program over her five years that it is hard to quantify,” said head coach Jeff Graba. “For her to earn this award again only signifies how much she has meant to our program and how others are aware of her impact on Auburn gymnastics. What a great accomplishment voted by our peers at other schools in the league.”
Gobourne has made an impact on the program since her freshman season when she became the first national champion in Auburn gymnastics history.
Along with being Specialist of the Year, Gobourne joined four of her teammates as an All-SEC selection. Gobourne, seniors Cassie Stevens and Aria Brusch, and juniors Olivia Hollingsworth and Gabby McLaughlin were the All-SEC selections for the Tigers. The five total was tied for the most in the conference.
“Looking back on a season full of adversity, I think you can begin to appreciate how hard this team has had to work,” head coach Jeff Graba said. “For us to get five All-SEC awards is a tremendous feat any year, much less a year like this. I am extremely proud of this team and of these award winners.”
Gobourne earned All-SEC recognition in two events, bars and floor, for her scores of 9.9 and 9.875 in the events during Saturday’s SEC Championship.
Stevens was an All-SEC selection for all four events plus the all-around, along with becoming an SEC vault co-champion after notching a 9.95 in the event.
After working her way back from shoulder surgery, senior Aria Brusch became All-SEC on bars for the second year in a row with another 9.9 in the event on Saturday.
Hollingsworth was an All-SEC performer for the first time in her career, earning it on floor with a score of 9.875 on Saturday.
Gabby McLaughlin rounded out the list of accolades with her first All-SEC selection for her 9.9 on beam during the SEC championships, a score that was tied for second in the afternoon session.
Auburn will go back on the road next week as the team heads west for the 2023 NCAA Regional in Los Angeles, competing in the afternoon session on March 30 as the third seed.
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