Suni Lee is out for Auburn gymnastics' meet vs. Penn State: Here's why
Suni Lee will not be competing in Auburn gymnastics' final regular-season meet against Penn State on Friday.
Lee missed the Tigers' last meet against Kentucky on Saturday. Coach Jeff Graba attributed her absence against the Wildcats to the schedule change Auburn had. The Tigers were originally supposed to perform against Kentucky on Friday, but the meet was postponed one day due to the threat of severe weather in the Lexington area.
In a statement released Thursday night, however, coach Jeff Graba said Lee will not be available due to a "non-gymnastics health issue that has impaired her ability to train."
"Suni is going through a non-gymnastics health issue that has impaired her ability to train," Graba said. "We do not want to put our athletes in any position that could risk their overall health and well-being. With that said, we've decided that it is in Suni's best interest to take Friday's meet off."
STATEMENT FROM JEFF GRABA
"Suni is going through a non-gymnastics health issue that has impaired her ability to train. We do not want to put our athletes in any position that could risk their overall health and well-being.”— Auburn Gymnastics (@AuburnGym) March 10, 2023
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Lee released her own statement Thursday evening: "Due to a non-gymnastics health issue, I'm saddened to share that I will not be competing in tomorrow's meet. This would have been my last home meet at Auburn, and there is nothing like competing at Neville.
"I was looking forward to experiencing the energy and love from that arena one last time, and I am sending so much love to my senior teammates."
hope to back out there soon, can’t wait to cheer the girls on ❤️ pic.twitter.com/rETAdr937B
— Sunisa lee (@sunisalee_) March 10, 2023
Lee, who also said in her tweet that she hopes "to be back out there soon," is in the midst of her final season on the Plains, as she announced prior to Auburn's first meet that this would be her last season competing for the Tigers.
Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Suni Lee: Auburn gymnastics star out with 'health issue' vs Penn State
