Five takeaways from the first press conference of new Auburn gymnastics head coach Ryan Roberts
Here are five key takeaways after Roberts spoke in his introductory presser about the current roster, the transfer portal, the staff he's assembling, and much more.
It was just a blink of a moment, in the grand scheme of Tuesday’s press conference, but it was telling:
Auburn introduced new gymnastics coach Ryan Roberts at a press conference Tuesday in Neville Arena and, toward the end of his prepared statement to start the press conference, Roberts said, “We’re not here to blend in.”
He was making his first formal introduction to Auburn after being hired April 21.
Roberts’ close to his opening statement:
To our alumni and fans, the Auburn Family, the 10.0 Club, the Jungle, the Gymnasties: You matter. Your energy, your support, and your belief in this program make a difference. We’re going to give you guys a team that you can be proud of, one that competes with toughness, consistency and heart, and that believes in work, hard work. I can’t wait to be part of the experience that is Neville Arena. I’ve been there as a visiting team. Now it’s time to make it home, and make it a great experience for everybody. I’m excited to get to work, to build relationships and to chase championships the right way. We’re not here to blend in. We’re here to elevate Auburn gymnastics. War Eagle.
It was a quick line, but one that struck a chord as he spoke — especially after Roberts stepped up to the podium with shaved sides, stylish frames, and a silver jacket over a black button-up, covering the tattoos on his arms. Roberts wouldn’t blend in with a lineup of Auburn’s coaches from other sports — and he wouldn’t blend in with other NCAA gymnastics head coaches, either. Roberts has carved his own path throughout his career. He’s a Marine Corps combat veteran, turned gymnastics coach: With his military buddies, he probably can’t talk much gymnastics, and with his gymnastics buddies, he probably can’t talk much military.
But he’s succeeded, and gotten to this point, while carving that unique path. For Auburn, historically, it usually takes going against grains and bucking trends for the school’s sports teams to thrive — and it’ll most likely take that for Auburn to succeed at the highest level in gymnastics, stuck between a rock and a hard place between two of the nation’s most prestigious programs in Alabama and Georgia. To go with the flow would mean for the SEC to continue to be dominated by the Alabamas, Georgias and now Floridas of the conference — so it’ll take a disruption, something different, a standout, for Auburn to get where it wants to be.
Roberts made a key early step toward doing that by making his first impression in front of Auburn gymnastics supporters on Tuesday.
During the presser, Roberts spoke about the current roster, the transfer portal, the staff he’s assembling, and more.
Here are five takeaways from Roberts’ introductory press conference as Auburn gymnastics head coach:
1. Roberts aims to keep the current roster together
Immediately speaking, one of the biggest tasks for Roberts is putting together the roster for next season. The NCAA’s transfer portal is open and remains open until May 13.
But no current Auburn gymnast has announced entry into the portal as of yet. For his part, Roberts said he was “super, super impressed” in his conversations with the gymnasts currently on the team, and he said he wants to keep the group together.
“I’ve met with every single one of the girls already. We’ve had long conversations. And they’re ready to go,” Roberts said. “I want to keep the team as cohesive and together as I can, but of course, you know, there is transfers, but we have the room so I’m trying to keep the team cohesive to move forward together.”
When Roberts said “there is transfers,” he seemed to just be referring to the portal as a fact of life in collegiate coaching in 2026.
As for the room on the roster: Auburn’s roster last year had a heap of returners lined up for 2027, with only one senior with expiring eligibility in Hannah Hagle. Auburn had three signees set to join for the 2027 season, but two of those, Audrey Snyder and Ella Fine, were released from their letters of intent when Auburn parted ways with Jeff Graba and have since signed elsewhere. The third signee from the early period, Lily Power, is still committed to Auburn. So even with only Hagle out but only Powers coming in, Auburn still has roster room for everyone who’d want to come back, if Roberts also wants them back.
There remains the possibility for Auburn athletes to enter the portal by May 13.
Roberts cautioned: “There’s movement, still, until May 13 for the transfer portal,” and he said he’s always watching it as he recruits in general.
But reinforcing his desire to keep the group together, Roberts said he thinks so highly of the current group that he’d have them weigh in on whoever comes in, whether it be from recruiting or from high school.
“Ultimately speaking, it’s always going to be about the right fit,” Roberts said. “I told the team I want their input when we bring recruits in because I want the right fit for this program and for what we want to build together. So, that’s a really important piece of this, when we bring possible transfers or recruits in, in general. So that’s my strategy there. Of course I’m always working and recruiting and everything, but, it’s a process and we’ll see where it goes.”
More from Roberts on his impression from his conversations with the current roster
They’re hungry. They want to be coached. They want to be pushed. If you look at the roster, I mean, a lot of talented athletes. ... Amazing girls. I had really good conversations with them. Some of them an hour-and-a-half conversations, and they know what they want. I asked what their expectations of me were, expectations of the staff. So obviously they had some influence on what direction I went with who I wanted to hire as well, just because of what they were looking for in a staff. But they’re hungry to go and I think they’re ready to roll. It’s just going to take a little bit of working on the culture a little bit, do a little programming, and I think we’re going to have some success sooner than later.