Paige Zaziski - Gymnastics - Arkansas Razorbacks

Paige Zaziski

VT, UB, BB | Sophomore | 5-4 | Chesterfield, Mich. | Hunt's Gymnastics

#RazorFacts

  • All-SEC Team (2015, 2016)
  • SEC Co-Freshman of the Year (2015)
  • All-SEC Freshman Team (2015)
  • SEC Freshman of the Week (Jan. 27, Feb. 17, March 16, 2015)
  • First Razorback to Earn Three SEC Freshman of the Week Honors
  • Team’s Scholastic Award (2016)
  • SEC Academic Honor Roll (2016)
  • Won 11 Career Event Titles (8 UB, 1 BB, 2 AA)

Personal Bests
V: 9.925, vs. Florida, Feb. 6, 2015
UB: 9.95, vs. UCLA, Mar. 13, 2015
BB: 9.875, 3x, last vs. Oklahoma, Jan. 17, 2016
FX: 9.825, vs. UCLA, Mar. 13, 2015
AA: 39.45, vs. UCLA, Mar. 13, 2015

As A Sophomore (2016)
Earned All-SEC Team honors with a 9.875 on uneven bars at the SEC Championship … Won uneven bars event titles with 9.9 vs. Oklahoma on Jan. 17, 9.8 at Maryland on Feb. 19, 9.925 vs. Kentucky on Feb. 26 and 9.875 vs. Utah State on March 11 … Competed in all 13 vault, uneven bars and balance beam lineups … Vault score counted towards team total in all 13 performances … Had season high of 9.875 on vault at Alabama on Jan. 22 … Had 9-of-13 vault scores of 9.825 or better … Second on team with 9.81 average on vault … Uneven bars score counted towards team total in 11-of-13 performances … Led team with four uneven bars event titles … Had season high of 9.925 on uneven bars vs. Kentucky on Feb. 26 … Had 7-of-13 uneven bars scores of 9.85 or better … Second on team with 9.79 average on uneven bars … Balance beam score counted towards team total in all 13 performances … Tied career high of 9.875 on balance beam two times … Had 10-of-13 balance beam scores of 9.825 or better … Had two vault scores, nine uneven bars scores and three balance beam scores lead the team.

As A Freshman (2015)
SEC Co-Freshman of the Year … All-SEC member … All-SEC freshman team … Named the SEC Freshman of the Week a program-best three times … Tied the program’s record and set the freshman record on the uneven bars with a 9.950 on Feb. 6 against co-defending national champion, Florida … Only freshman in the SEC to compete as an all-arounder in every meet … Captured seven event titles … Won four uneven bar titles (No. 2 Florida, at No. 24 Kentucky, No. 23 Missouri, No. 8 UCLA) … Won the balance beam title against Florida, sharing the honor with teammate Sydnie Dillard … Captured two all-around titles (No. 23 Missouri, No. 8 UCLA) … Scored a career-best on the vault (9.925) and balance beam (9.875) against No. 2 Florida … Collected a personal-best on the uneven bars (9.950), floor exercise (9.825) and all-around (39.450) in the regular season finale against No. 8 UCLA … Score counted on 40 of her 48 routines … Posted a 9.8-plus on 29 of her routines and a 9.9-plus on eight routines … Averaged a 39.016 in the all-around, a 9.857 on the vault, 9.855 on the bars, a 9.727 on the beam and a 9.580 on the floor.

Prior to Arkansas

Club
Attended Hunts Gymnastics Academy in Harrison Township, Mich. … Junior Olympic NIT Qualifier in 2010 and 2012 … At the 2012 Junior Olympic National Meet finished 3rd on bars, 6th on vault, all-around … Region 5 Champion in all-around, bars and beam in 2012 … 2012 Michigan State Champion in the all-around, vault, bars, beam and all-around champion in 2011 … 2012 Region 5 All-Star team … Courtney Kupets Pink Invitational first place on all-around, bars, floor … At the 2011 Lady Luck Invitational won the all-around, vault, bars, and beam … First place in the all-around, bars and beam at the 2010 Excalibur cup meet … Finished in first place on all-around, vault, bars at the  2010 Jingle Bell Rock … Personal bests of 9.775 on the vault, 9.7 on the bars, 9.575 on the beam and 9.7 on the floor and In the all-around, she recently set her best mark of 38.55.

Personal
Born on Sept. 21, 1996 … Daughter of Michael and Debbie Zaziski … Has one sibling, Payton … Majoring in sports management.

2016 Performances

  VaultBarsBeamFloorAA
Jan. 2Cancun Classic9.8259.859.75
Jan. 15Georgia9.89.8759.875
Jan. 17Oklahoma9.89.99.875
Jan. 22at Alabama9.8759.7759.825
Jan. 29Auburn9.8259.39.825
Feb. 5at LSU9.8259.8759.825
Feb. 12at Florida9.859.89.775
Feb. 19at Maryland9.8259.89.825
Feb. 26Kentucky9.859.9259.825
Mar. 4at Missouri9.8259.759.775
Mar. 11Utah State9.7759.8759.825
Mar. 19SEC Championship9.859.8759.85
Apr. 2at NCAA Regionals9.659.79.85
AVERAGE9.819.799.823

2015 Performances

  VaultBarsBeamFloorAA
Jan. 9at Oklahoma9.99.859.259.6538.65
Jan. 16Alabama9.6759.859.759.07538.35
Jan. 23at Auburn9.8259.859.88.8538.325
Jan. 31Metroplex Challenge9.99.8759.759.7539.275
Feb. 6Florida9.9259.859.8759.639.25
Feb. 13Home Tri Meet9.859.89.89.77539.225
Feb. 20at Kentucky9.859.859.7259.739.125
Feb. 27Missouri9.99.9259.79.67539.2
Mar. 7at Georgia9.8759.8259.89.739.2
Mar. 13UCLA9.859.959.8259.82539.45
Mar. 21SEC Championship9.8759.7759.7259.7539.125
Apr. 4at NCAA Regionals9.8759.99.859.238.825
AVERAGE9.869.869.749.5539

Career Event Titles

 VaultBarsBeamFloorAA
P. Zaziski812

What do you love most about gymnastics? I simply love to flip in gymnastics because I find myself smiling when I do certain skills. I also love the mental and physical challenge that gymnastics has, along with the many opportunities and experiences that come along with the sport, like the memories I make with my teammates and coaches.

What keeps you motivated in and out of the gym? My family, my teammates, my coaches and music.

Why did you choose to come to Arkansas? Because I love the SEC, it’s beautiful here (The Natural State), the people are very nice and I wanted to come to the south for some warm weather, even thought it still gets cold. Also, Arkansas felt like home and something about the Razorback being so unique made me fall in love with the school.

What’s the best thing about being a Gymback? Definitely getting to wear a leo with a hog on it (WPS). But also I love all of the memories made with my teammates.

What are your personal and team goals this season? Contribute to the team in any way possible for us to go to Nationals, and to make every meet the best we can.

What’s your favorite event? Beam.

If you could play any other sport, what would it be? If I could play any other sport, I would either play table tennis, mini golf, zorbing or surfing. But I would probably have to move somewhere to be able to surf.

Who had the biggest influence in your athletics or in your life? My club coach, Shannon Hunt, made the biggest influence on my athletics because she was the one who taught me everything in the gym and also taught me many life lessons outside of the gym. She played a second mom role and she always pushed me to stay focused. Even in now in college, I will call her if I’m struggling and she always has the right answers. My parents are also a huge influence, they have supported me from the start and are the best role models.

Who’s your favorite athlete? In gymnastics, my favorite athletes growing up were Courtney Kupets and Alicia Sacramone, which is cool because they commentate our meets now. Now, my favorite athletes are my teammates.

What’s your favorite healthy food? Fruits and veggies are delish.

What’s your favorite unhealthy food? I have a sweet tooth for just about anything not chocolate. Ice cream with sprinkles is life.

What’s your favorite movie? I like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Air Bud series, of course.

What’s your favorite TV show? I don’t watch much TV, but if I do I watch Shark Tank or Criminal Minds. I also watch the Detroit Lions if they’re on.

What do you like to do in your free time? If I have a lot of free time, my ideal activity would include going out on a lake in a boat or playing with my dog. But normally my free time includes coloring, sleeping or going to church.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would go to Madagascar because the movie made that place look very cool.

Who’s your favorite kind of music? I like a lot of different music, even oldies, so it depends on the day what genre and what song I like.

What’s your favorite book? Either Green Eggs and Ham or Baby Beluga, for sure.

Can you play any instruments or have any other hidden talents? I’ve always wished that I was musically inclined, but I can sing the alphabet backwards and I can spell words backwards pretty well too.

Do you have any superstitions? I have to eat Starbursts at certain points before and during the meet. I normally eat the same dinner the day before a home meet. Before bars, I have to use a new roll of tape and then rip a piece off and put it on someone, and then when I grip up for the second time I have to put it on the same person.

If you were a rapper, what would your name be? Lil’ Z or Nikki MaPaige.

What celebrity would you most like to meet? Rob Dyrdek, because he just seems like a very fun person and he does fun things. I also would like to meet Kid Ink, Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford and Beyoncé.

If someone walked into your dorm room, what’s the first thing they would notice? My giant wall tapestry hanging by my bed. It’s mostly red and black with some other colors on it, and it has elephants and cool designs.

What’s the best advice you have ever received? Enjoy life and don’t let anyone take away from your happiness. But more importantly, look both ways when crossing the street.