Gym'Backs host top three in the nation in 2005

FAYETTEVILLE — Five home meets including the nation’s toughest opponents highlight the 2004-05 University of Arkansas gymnastics schedule announced co-head coaches Mark and Rene Cook Tuesday. Beginning just their third season of competition the Gym’Backs face five teams from the NCAA Championships including defending national champion UCLA, runner-up and Southeastern Conference champion Georgia are just a few of the top teams. Alabama, who finished third at the NCAA Championship, and Florida, fifth at NCAAs, are also on the home schedule. "It’s a great schedule," said Mark Cook. "We face five of the top teams in the nation in our gym. We’re hosting the number one, two, three and five teams in the nation this year as well as Nebraska who was in the top six a year ago. It’s a really awesome schedule and it will challenge us but fans will see the improvement and see how close we are to those teams. We hope to put some heat on them this year." The season begins with the Gym’Back Gala on Jan. 2 at 3:00 p.m. The Gala gives fans and media a sneak peak at the upcoming season and the three newcomers on the roster. "It’s going to be hard," agreed Rene Cook. "Our win-loss record isn’t as important as competing and scoring well against everyone we face. We’re excited to have the best teams in the country come to our place. We want to close the gap and we hop our fans will continue to come out and support us toward those goals." The Gym’Backs pack their bags for three on the road beginning Jan. 8 in dual action at Minnesota. Arkansas travels to Kentucky Jan. 14, and face one of their biggest rivals in the short program history traveling to Auburn Jan. 21. Arkansas opens at home with the Georgia Gym’Dogs Jan. 28, followed by two more road meets. Arkansas continues SEC action at LSU Feb. 4, and travels to Washington taking on the Huskies, Oregon State and Seattle Pacific in quad action. The Gym’Backs continue in the month of February hosting Florida on the 18th, and Alabama on Feb. 25, before a non-conference break at Denver March 5. It’s back home for the Gym’Backs March 13 for a regional meet with Missouri on March13, followed by the Gym’Back Quad with Nebraska, Oregon State and defending national champion UCLA all coming to Fayetteville. The Gym’Backs begin the postseason at one of the biggest meets in the country, the SEC Championship in Duluth, Ga., March 26, followed by NCAA Regionals April 9, and the NCAA Championship April 21-23 at Auburn. This year also marks the first time in program history the Gym’Backs have competed on any day other than a Friday. The 2005 schedule features a Missouri meet on Sunday, March 13, at 2:00 p.m., followed by a Saturday Quad March 19, beginning at 7:00 p.m. "We’ve shuffled some dates around a bit to try and accommodate some of the other things that are going on around campus," said Mark Cook. "We want our fans to be able to enjoy all of our events and a shift in the schedule allows that to happen." For more information or tickets to the 2004-05 season please call the Lady Razorback Ticket Office at 57-LBACK or log on to www.ladybacks.com.
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS2005 LADY RAZORBACK GYMNASTICS

*Denotes SEC opponentAll home meets in Barnhill Arena (9,000) All times Central