Pisani SC gymnast of year

FAYETTEVILLE – Junior All-American Jaime Pisani has been named the National Association for Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches for Women South Central Region Gymnast of the Year.

The Ringwood, N.J., native is the first Razorback to earn the award.

"It’s very well deserved," co-head coach Mark Cook says. "She’s been a mainstay for us the whole season. She gets it done on the floor and in the locker room, and she keeps the other girls on task. We’re very pleased for her."

Pisani, who has earned six All-America honors over the last two years, including first-team on floor and vault in 2010, has led Arkansas to the NCAA Championship for the fourth straight season.

The Razorbacks won the NCAA North Central Regional in Denver last week, knocking off No. 1 Florida for the second time this year, and compete in the NCAA Championship in Cleveland April 15-17.

Pisani leads the team with 27 individual event titles this year, including nine all-around, four vault, three bars, one beam and 10 on floor. She won floor at last week’s regional, tying the school record of 9.95, which she already shared.

The most recent rankings are through the regular season, but she entered the regional No. 3 in the nation on floor, No. 5 in the all-around and tied for No. 16 on vault.

In the South Central Region, she is No. 1 in the all-around, No. 1 on floor, tied for No. 3 on vault, No. 11 on bars and tied for No. 11 on beam.

"She’s phenomenal," co-head coach René Cook says. "She’s a great athlete, leader and teammate. She’s unique in that she does all three of those well."

Her season highs include a 9.95 on floor three times, a 9.925 on vault, 9.90 on bars and 9.875 on beam. Her best of 39.60 in the all-around is a career high and ties for fifth-best in school history. Her 9.925 vault ties for seventh-best, and the 9.90 on bars is a career high and ties for sixth-best.

Pisani helped the Razorbacks earn a spot in an NCAA Regional for the eighth straight season, and advance to the NCAA Championship for the fourth straight year and the fifth time in six years.

In addition to winning the NCAA North Central Region, which is the second regional title in the program’s nine-year history, Arkansas had its best finish ever in the Southeastern Conference Championship (fourth) and set a school SEC meet record with a 195.80.

The Razorbacks tied for the SEC regular-season title at 5-1, and own two wins over No. 1 Florida, and wins over No. 4 Georgia, No. 13 Boise State, No. 19 LSU, No. 19 Denver and No. 20 Arizona.