Gymnastics

Arkansas Hosts No. 3 Florida For Pink Meet

February 16, 2017

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas gymnastics team hosts its second top-five opponent in as many weeks when No. 3 Florida visits Barnhill Arena on Friday night for the program’s annual Pink Meet. Pre-meet ceremonies start at 5:45, and first vault is set for 6 p.m. The meet will also be broadcast on SEC Network.

Arkansas (2-4, 2-3 SEC) posted its highest score at home and its second-highest score of the season in a 197.700-196.275 loss to No. 2 LSU this past Friday. The Razorbacks also scored season bests on vault (49.000) and floor exercise (49.225) to open and close the meet.

Hailey Garner scored a career best and a team season best with a 9.900 on uneven bars for her first career individual event title and the team’s first title in the event this season. Samantha Nelson also scored a team season best with a 9.875 on floor exercise and was one of four gymnasts who matched or set a season best in the event against LSU.

The Razorbacks continue to be strong on balance beam, where they average a 48.983, and floor exercise, where they average a 48.979. They rank 15th in the nation in both events and have outscored their opponent in four of six meets in both events.

Florida (5-1, 3-1 SEC), ranked No. 3 in the nation, scored a season-best 197.975 in a win over Georgia this past Friday and raised its average score to a 197.521 entering this week. The Gators lead the nation on vault (49.425) and ranks third on uneven bars (49.367), balance beam (49.367) and floor exercise (49.363).

Florida is also one of two programs in the nation to have two gymnasts earn 10.0 marks this season, as Alex McMurtry scored a 10.0 on uneven bars against Georgia and Kennedy Baker scored a 10.0 on floor against Auburn earlier this season.

Baker also ranks third in the nation in the all-around (39.550), while teammate Alicia Boren, the reigning SEC Gymnast of the Week, ranks fourth in the nation (39.517).

Notable

  • Arkansas is 4-36 all-time against Florida, including 2-7 in meets held in Fayetteville. Arkansas is seeking its first win in the series since 2011, when the Razorbacks bested the Gators in the NCAA Denver Regional.
  • Four different gymnasts have combined for five scores of 9.900 this season:
    • Amanda Wellick (Vault at UCLA)
    • Sydney McGlone (Vault vs. Missouri, Balance Beam at Georgia)
    • Samantha Nelson (Balance Beam at Auburn)
    • Hailey Garner (Uneven Bars vs. LSU)
  • Six different gymnasts have won individual titles this season across all six meets and four different events:
    • Amanda Wellick (Vault at UCLA)
    • Jessica Yamzon (Balance Beam vs. Missouri, All-Around vs. Alabama, All-Around at Auburn)
    • Sydney McGlone (Balance Beam at Georgia, Vault vs. Alabama)
    • Braie Speed (Vault vs. Alabama)
    • Samantha Nelson (Balance Beam at Auburn
    • Hailey Garner (Uneven Bars vs. LSU)
  • Jessica Yamzon (9.825) is tied for 17th in the SEC on balance beam and Samantha Nelson (9.817) is tied for 21st in the SEC on balance beam, while Syndey McGlone ranks 19th in the SEC on vault (9.833).
  • As a team, Arkansas ranks 15th in the nation on balance beam (48.983) and floor exercise (48.979) and 22nd on vault (48.888).
  • Arkansas ranks seventh in the SEC and ninth in the nation in attendance with an average crowd of 4,241 and the largest crowd of 5,456 for the meet vs. Alabama on Jan. 27.
  • Arkansas ranks 10th in the nation in strength of schedule, according to RoadToNationals.com.

Quotable – From Coach Mark Cook

“We have another top program coming into town Friday. Florida is always stacked deep with fantastic athletes, so it’s going to be a very exciting competition and a very challenging competition for us. Our approach is to do the best that we can for ourselves and get out there and try to break a 196 again.” 

Looking Ahead

Arkansas is on the road for its next two meets, traveling to Michigan State on Feb. 25 and No. 9 Kentucky on March 3. The Razorbacks return home for a Senior Night tri-meet against San Jose State and Centenary on March 10.

Single-meet tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for youth 17 and under. Admission is also free for UA students with ID. Tickets are also available for the NCAA Regional that Arkansas will be hosting in Barnhill Arena on April 1. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth and UA students.

Fans can purchase tickets online or by calling the Razorback Ticket Center at 800-982-HOGS or 479-575-5151.

For more information on Arkansas gymnastics, follow @RazorbackGym on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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