AU ROUNDUP: Dwyer finishes second in vault

ATHENS, Ga. — Auburn senior Julie Dwyer finished her collegiate gymnastics career on the top of her game as she became the NCAA vault champions runner-up.

Dwyer averaged a score of 9.8438, tying Utah’s Kristina Baskett and narrowly missing first place behind LSU’s Susan Jackson, who scored 9.8563.

Dwyer placed the highest of any other gymnast in Auburn history on vault finals. 

On Thursday, Dwyer placed fourth on vault to qualify for the championship and became a First Team All-American for the first time in her career.

“It was kind of a whirl-wind 48-hour period because when we learned she made vault finals we considered not competing because she did not have a second vault,” said Auburn head coach Jeff Thompson.

Unlike the regular season, each gymnast was required to compete two different vaults for the championship.

Softball swept at UF in doubleheader
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The top-ranked Florida Gators used strong pitching to sweep a softball double-header from the Auburn Tigers on Saturday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Florida won Game 1, 3-1, and Game 2, 7-2.

Auburn dropped to 34-18 overall and 10-13 in the Southeastern Conference. Florida improved to 55-2 overall and 23-1 in the SEC. The teams conclude their series today at noon.

“I am really proud of the way Angel Bunner pitched today,” Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. “She came in the first game and did a really good job of keeping Florida close. She gave up a couple runs in the second game, but didn’t’ let it get out of control.”

Martin sets record on busy day for track team
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — With much of Auburn’s track and field team fighting chilly and blustery conditions in Philadelphia at the Penn Relays, it was Cory Martin, one of just two Tigers competing Saturday at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, who provided the day’s biggest highlight.

Martin tied the Drake Relays record in the hammer throw while winning the competition, leading Auburn in a 1-2 sweep.

Martin posted a winning throw of 72.78m (238-9), trying the Drake Relays record set in 2002 by Libor Charfreitag of Southern Methodist. His throw was just one foot shy of his school-record mark of 73.07m (239-9) set just two weeks ago — a mark that leads the NCAA this year. Teammate Jacob Dunkleberger was not far behind, finishing second with a mark of 70.20m (230-4).

Bousquet qualifies for French Olympic team
DUNKIRK, France — Former Auburn swimmer Fred Bousquet punched his ticket to the 2008 Beijing Olympics on Saturday as he won the 100m butterfly at the French Olympic
Trials.

The 2008 Olympics will be the third for Bousquet after he competed for France in Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004.

He made the team on Saturday by winning the 100m butterfly, setting a new national record with a time of 51.50. It was the second time for Bousquet to break the national record at the meet as he also set a new mark in the semifinals with a time of 51.83, breaking his national record time of 52.29 set earlier this month.