Kentucky Stuns No. 12 Auburn in Neville Arena, 197.325–196.275

February 6, 2026 - AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn entered Friday night's home meet looking for a reset, a spark, or even just a clean, confidence‑building performance. Instead, Neville Arena witnessed one of the most surprising results of the SEC season as unranked Kentucky delivered its best meet of the year, upsetting No. 12 Auburn 197.325–196.275.

The loss marked Auburn's fourth straight defeat and continued a frustrating early‑season pattern for a team expected to contend in the upper tier of the conference. Kentucky, meanwhile, used the night to rewrite its own trajectory, posting season highs on all four events and sweeping every individual title.

Kentucky Sets the Tone Early on Bars

The meet's defining moment came almost immediately. Kentucky opened on the uneven bars with a massive 49.375, shattering its previous season best by more than three‑tenths. Freshman Sabrina Nemcek electrified the arena with a 9.900 in her collegiate debut, while junior Delaynee Rodriguez anchored with a 9.950 - her best bars score since March 2024.

Auburn, by contrast, suffered its lowest bars score of the season: 48.650. The Tigers' struggles on handstands and landings created a deficit they would never fully erase.

Vault and Beam Keep Kentucky Rolling

Kentucky carried its momentum to vault, posting a 49.300 behind a string of stuck landings. Rodriguez and Ryan Noonan each delivered 9.900s, while multiple Wildcats posted career highs.

Auburn showed flashes of strength - particularly from Paige Zancan, who scored a 9.875 - but the Tigers couldn't match Kentucky's amplitude or control.

On beam, Kentucky continued its precision, highlighted by freshman Gabby Van Frayen, who tied for first with a 9.900 to earn the first event title of her career. Auburn's Marissa Neal responded with a strong 9.900 of her own, helping stabilize the Tigers after early‑lineup wobbles.

Auburn Shines on Floor - But Kentucky Is Better

Floor exercise was Auburn's best rotation of the night. Neal delivered a 9.925, and Sophia Bell added a 9.900 in her lone event. The Tigers doubled their number of 9.9+ scores compared to the previous week's meet at Georgia.

But Kentucky once again answered with overwhelming depth. Every Wildcat scored 9.850 or higher, and Creslyn Brose nearly hit perfection with a 9.950 - her second straight floor title.

Rodriguez Delivers One of the Best All‑Around Performances in NCAA This Season

The night belonged to Delaynee Rodriguez, who delivered a career‑best 39.650 all‑around score - the fourth‑highest in Kentucky history and the fifth‑best mark recorded by any NCAA gymnast this season. She scored 9.900 or better on three events and anchored Kentucky's dominance across the board.

Her performance powered Kentucky to its first SEC road win since 2024 and its fourth victory in the last five regular‑season meets at Neville Arena.

Auburn Searches for Answers

For Auburn, the meet underscored both potential and inconsistency. The Tigers posted several standout routines, but six scores of 9.75 or lower across the night proved too costly. Junior Julianne Huff led Auburn in the all‑around with a 39.400 and delivered the team's highest bars score (9.925), but the Tigers never fully recovered from their early deficit.

Head coach Jeff Graba now faces the challenge of stabilizing lineups and regaining momentum as Auburn prepares for a critical road meet at LSU next Friday. With SEC standings tightening, the Tigers must find consistency quickly to avoid falling further behind.

What the Result Means

Kentucky's upset win signals a dramatic shift in its season - a breakout performance that could redefine expectations moving forward. Auburn, meanwhile, remains talented but unpredictable, capable of high‑level gymnastics but still searching for the clean, complete meet that can reset its season.

The Tigers will have another chance to regroup soon, but Friday night belonged entirely to the Wildcats - a team that arrived in Auburn hungry and left with its most complete performance of 2026.