Arkansas Razorbacks gymnastics

Arkansas Razorbacks gymnastics
Arkansas Razorbacks logo
Founded2003
UniversityUniversity of Arkansas
Head coachJordyn Wieber (5th season)
ConferenceSEC
LocationFayetteville, Arkansas
Home arenaBarnhill Arena (Capacity: 10,000)
NicknameGym'Backs
ColorsCardinal and white[1]
   
Super Six appearances
2009, 2012
NCAA Regional championships
2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2021, 2024
NCAA Tournament appearances
2024

The Arkansas Razorbacks gymnastics team represents the University of Arkansas and competes in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).[2] The team was founded in 2003 and is currently coached by Jordyn Wieber,[3] after she assumed the position in April 2019.[4]

History

The gymnastics team was founded in 2003 by Mark Cook, who started building the team in 2001.[5] Cook had previously coached the Stanford gymnastics and UCLA Bruins teams, as the head coach and assistant coach respectively. The first team competed in the 2003, with an all-freshman roster, and finished the regular season ranked 41st.

The team made their first appearance at the NCAA National Championship finals ('Super Six') in 2009, finishing in 5th place with a score of 196.475 - their best placement to date.[6] The Razorbacks made their second appearance in 2012, finishing in 6th place with a score of 196.300.[7]

The retirement of Mark Cook as head coach was announced on April 9, 2019.[8] The new head coach for the 2019-2020 season was announced to be the 2011 World Champion Jordyn Wieber on April 24 - the first Olympic champion to be the head coach of an NCAA gymnastics team.[9] Wieber was previously a volunteer assistant coach at UCLA, at which she coached floor, which UCLA finished the 2018 and 2019 regular seasons ranked No. 1 in the country.[10][11]

In 2024, the Razorbacks qualified to the national championships, finishing in 7th place; Reese Drotar was awarded first-team All-American honours on the uneven bars, and Leah Smith earned second team All-American honours on vault.[12]

Championships

Super Six Appearances

Arkansas Razorbacks Super Six Appearances
Year Finish
2009 5th
2012 6th

Individual champions

NCAA: Arkansas Individual Champions
Name Year Event
Katherine Grable 2014 VT
Katherine Grable 2014 FX
SEC: Arkansas Individual Champions
Name Year Event
Casey Jo Magee 2009 BB
Jaime Pisani 2012 FX

Current roster

Name Height Year Hometown
Chandler Buntin 5-5 SO Collierville, TN
Grace Drexler FR Stratford, WI
Reese Drotar 5-8 JR Los Gatos, CA
Dakota Essenpries 5-2 SO Adrian, MO
Kalyxta Gamiao 4-10 SR Honolulu, HI
Maddie Jones 5-2 SR Charlotte, NC
Hailey Klein 5-2 SO Lake Forest, IL
Ja'Leigh Lang FR East Palo Alto, CA
Priscilla Park 5-3 SO Atlanta, GA
Frankie Price 5-0 R-JR Coppell, TX
Joscelyn Roberson 4-8 FR Texarkana, TX
Jensen Scalzo 5-4 GR Parkland, FL
Leah Smith 5-1 SR Spring, TX
Sadie Smith FR Gig Harbor, WA
Cally Swaney 5-2 JR Gastonia, NC
Cami Weaver 5-1 R-JR Pelham, AL
Julianna Weeks FR Charlotte, NC
Lauren Williams 5-3 JR Rogers, AR

Coaches

Head coaches

Name Years Record Win %
Mark Cook 2003 – 2019
Jordyn Wieber 2020 – present

Coaches for the current season

Name Position
Jordyn Wieber Head coach [13]
Chris Brooks Assistant coach [14]
Kyla Ross Assistant coach [15]
Catelyn Branson Assistant Coach [16]

Past Olympians

References

  1. ^ "Color Palette & Fonts". Arkansas Razorbacks Brand Style Guide (PDF). June 16, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "University of Arkansas - Latest Headlines, Scores, and Schedules". www.secsports.com. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  3. ^ "Gymnastics Record Book" (PDF). Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  4. ^ "At Age 23, Jordyn Wieber Takes Over As Arkansas Women's Gymnastics Coach". Team USA. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  5. ^ "Mark Cook". Arkansas Razorbacks. 2015-04-28. Retrieved 2019-04-27.
  6. ^ "2009 National Championship Record Book" (PDF). Retrieved 2019-04-27.
  7. ^ "2012 National Championship Record Book" (PDF). Retrieved 2019-04-27.
  8. ^ "Built From Scratch: By Mark Cook". Arkansas Razorbacks. 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
  9. ^ "At Age 23, Jordyn Wieber Takes Over As Arkansas Women's Gymnastics Coach". Team USA. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
  10. ^ "Standings". roadtonationals.com. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
  11. ^ "Standings". roadtonationals.com. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
  12. ^ Minehart, Emily (2024-04-18). "Projected 2024 NCAA Nationals All-Americans". College Gym News. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  13. ^ "Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Wieber named Arkansas gymnastics coach". Arkansas Online. 2019-04-24. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
  14. ^ "Chris Brooks". Arkansas Razorbacks. 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
  15. ^ "Kyla Ross Promoted To Gymnastics Assistant Coach". Arkansas Razorbacks. July 13, 2022.
  16. ^ "Arkansas Gymnastics Welcomes Catelyn Branson Back to Coaching Staff". Arkansas Razorbacks. May 28, 2024.