Arkansas Gymnastics Fact Sheet #12

2009 NCAA SOUTH CENTRALREGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

*RQS #High Score $Average
ARKANSAS HOSTS SC REGIONALThe 10th-ranked University of Arkansas gymnastics team learned its post-season fate Monday, March 22, as selections for the 2009 South Central Regional Championship were announced. The Razorbacks, one of six predetermined regional sites, learned they would host No. 4 Stanford, No. 16 Michigan, No. 25 Arizona, No. 27 Southern Utah and No. 31 Arizona State in Barnhill Arena Saturday, April 4. The Razorbacks are hosting the South Central Regional Championship for the second time in program history and the team is making its sixth appearance in seven seasons of gymnastics at Arkansas.
SEC WELL-REPRESENTED IN POST-SEASONAll seven Southeastern Conference teams advanced to the post-season. Top-ranked Georgia heads East for the Southeast Regional in North Carolina. Alabama, coming off the SEC Championship title and ranked third this week, steps out of region hosting the Northeast Region in Tuscaloosa, Ala., while both No. 5 LSU and No. 24 Kentucky travel to Ohio State for the Central Regional. Sixth-ranked Florida travels to Iowa for the North Central Regional and No. 11 Auburn goes to Washington for the West Regional.
CAN I GET TICKETS? Tickets for the South Central Regional in Barnhill are on sale now and can be obtained by contacting the Razorback Ticket Office at 479-575-5151 or by logging on to ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
BYE ME SOME TIMEArkansas is making its sixth consecutive NCAA Regional appearance in seven seasons of gymnastics. In that time, the Razorbacks have opened on floor twice (2004, 2005), with Bye 2 twice (2006, 2007) and opened on bars last year (2008). The tradition held, the Razorbacks open on bars again this year (2009).
SOME ARKANSAS NUMBERS AT REGIONALS–The Razorbacks’ best regional score was a 196.125 set last year in Minnesota.–Arkansas best regional finish is second place – something they have done twice in 2006 and again in 2008.–Arkansas is a member of the South Central Region but has only competed in that regional two of the previous six times.–Arkansas’ best regional scores include 49.30 on vault (2007, 2008), 49.375 on bars (2004), 49.275 on beam (2007) and 49.225 on floor (2008).–Arkansas individuals have posted the following top scores.–A 9.90 on vault (three athletes in three different years), 9.925 by Melissa Leigh (2004) on bars, a 9.90 on beam by Casey Jo Magee (2007), a 9.90 on floor by Samantha Cortez (2008) and a 39.375 by Casey Jo Magee as an all-arounder (2008).WHAT
REGIONAL DO I GO TO?That’s an interesting question. Arkansas is a member of the South Central Region but has only competed in that regional two of the previous six times. Why? Well…..up until this year, the top 18 teams in the country were seeded and scattered across the country regardless of their regional affiliation unless they were a host (you usually host your own region). Arkansas was one of those top 18 teams in five of the six previous years (excluding 2004 when Arkansas was No. 25). Those three seeded teams in each region were joined by the next best three teams FROM THAT REGION. This year, the NCAA will seed all 36 teams and regional alignments could look a bit different. Also throwing a wrench into the system in 2009 is Alabama. The Crimson Tide volunteered to host the North East Regional although they are not a member of that region. No team from the North East wanted to host therefore the Crimson Tide was granted the hosting opportunity. Arkansas has competed in the South Central Regional three times (2004, 2006, 2009) hosting twice (2006, 2009). The Razorbacks took part in the East Regional (2005), the Northeast Regional (2007) and the North Central Regional (2008).
TEAMS ARKANSAS HAS FACED IN THE REGIONALThe Razorbacks have faced 16 different teams in regional action. Arkansas has gone up against SEC rival Florida more than any other team facing the Gators in three different regionals (2004, 2006, 2007). Arkansas has faced Utah, Arizona, Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, New Hampshire, Pittsburgh and Rutgers twice and has taken on LSU, Oklahoma, UCLA, Southeast Missouri State, Michigan, Minnesota, Southern Utah and Iowa once each.
ABOUT THIS YEAR’S TEAMSArkansas is making its third regional appearance against Arizona, its second against Michigan and Southern Utah. The Razorbacks meet Stanford and Arizona State for the first time in the post-season.
WHAT ABOUT THE REGULAR SEASON?Arkansas is 1-2 against Arizona, 1-1 against Arizona State, 0-3 versus Michigan, 2-0 against Southern Utah and is meeting the Cardinal for the first time in program history.
DON’T I KNOW YOU?Arkansas co-head coaches Mark and Rene Cook came to Fayetteville from Stanford University. Mark was the head coach for the Cardinal from 1998-2001 while Rene was the assistant during much of the same time. This is the first meeting between the Cooks and their previous team.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MOREArkansas assistant coach Dave Kuzara was an assistant coach at Michigan from 1990-93, helping the Wolverines to the program’s first NCAA Championship appearance in 2003.
ALL-AROUND SUCCESSArkansas’ all-arounders won 10 of 11 regular season titles this year. Junior Casey Jo Magee began the year winning five in a row. Freshman Jaime Pisani took top honors at Kentucky. Arkansas was shutout at Auburn – the only regular season all-around title the Razorbacks didn’t win. Pisani was on the awards stand again against No. 2 Georgia followed by Magee’s return to the podium at LSU. Junior Michelle Stout won the first all-around title of her career against No. 18 Minnesota and Magee wrapped up the regular season with a win at TWU.
HOW DO WE STACK UP?Pretty well, actually. Of the teams in this regional, Casey Jo Magee comes into the meet as the highest-ranked all-arounder tie for 10th overall. Stanford’s Carly Janiga is 13th. On the vault, Arkansas’ Jaime Pisani and Michelle Stout rank 14th and 15th in the country, respectively Airzona State’s Beate Jones ranks tied for 17th. Stanford’s Carly Janiga is the top beam worker ranked ninth, followed by t19 Allyse Ishino of Stanford. Magee is 24th. Janiga is sixth on beam followed by No. 8 Nicole Harris of Arizona State and No. 9 Magee of Arkansas. Finally, on the floor, Michigan’s Kylee Botterman holds the top spot in this regional. She ranks tied for ninth in the country. Arkansas’ Jaime Pisani is tied for 18th followed by No. 25 Magee.
MOVING ONThe top two teams from each of the six regional sites plus the top individuals on a non-advancing team will move on to the NCAA Championship in Lincoln, Neb., April 16-18. The 12 advancing teams will be broken up into two sessions based on their regional scores. The two sessions compete on Thursday with the top three teams from each session moving on to the Super Six Friday. Individual event finals are Saturday.
LEADING THE WAYArkansas is the highest ranked team on vault and floor at this regional. The Razorbacks are the second highest on bars and beam behind Stanford.

Download: 09GymFact 12 – NCAA Regionals.pdf