Auburn Gymnastics signed its former All-American student-athlete, Sophia Groth Davila, as the new assistant coach on Wednesday, April 29.

Sophia will be a part of new head coach Ryan Roberts’ staff alongside fellow assistant coach Adam Duncan and associate head coach Aja Sims-Fletcher. Roberts confirmed the homecoming of Davila to the Auburn Tigers a year after she married their former cheerleader, Paul Davila, last May.

Following her time working for Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas as an athletics development assistant in the past year, Davila sounded happy to be back in Auburn. As per the Tigers’ press release, she said, “Paul and I are excited to return home to Auburn."

Sophia added, “I have great belief in Ryan’s vision for the program and am honored to join him, Aja (Sims-Fletcher), and Adam (Duncan) in building something truly special in a place that means so much to me.”

Roberts praised Davila as a role model for the program’s student-athletes. He remarked, “Sophia embodies everything we want Auburn gymnastics to represent - competitive excellence, consistency under pressure, and a genuine commitment to the team."

Roberts noted that her contributions are genuine and that she has consistently performed at the highest level.

Roberts highlighted her ability to help student-athletes build confidence during high-pressure moments. At last, Roberts added, “I’m thrilled to welcome her back to Auburn.”

Sophia Groth Davila’s All-American Career

During her time at the Auburn Tigers as a competitive gymnast from 2022 to 2025, Sophia Groth Davila became a two-time All-American and earned an All-SEC selection. She finished her career ranked in Auburn’s all-time top 10 for career scores on both balance beam and floor exercise.`

With 185 routines to her name and 28 all-around appearances, Davila became the heart and soul of the Tigers for four years. She scored 9.95 on floor exercise to help beat rivals Alabama and Georgia in her senior year.

Notably, Davila has a Master’s degree in Adult Education with a focus on Administration of Supervision and Curriculum in May 2025, after graduating with a degree in exercise science a year prior.

In her final season during 2025, Davila earned the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor. She finished up her college days as a four-time WCGA Scholastic All-American, apart from being a three-time SEC Community Service Team member.

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Written by

Arjun Sharma

Edited by

Rudra Dubey