Signees top all-arounders at nationals

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas’ four incoming gymnasts for 2011 recently competed at the Junior Olympic Level 10 National Championship in Dallas with Katherine Grable and Bailee Zumwalde finishing first and second, respectively, in the all-around.

Grable, from Oshkosh, Wis., finished third on vault (9.675), second on bars (9.50), third on beam (9.50) and tied for ninth on floor (9.525) to win the all-around with a 38.20.

Zumwalde, from St. Cloud, Minn., tied for third on bars (9.475), tied for fifth on beam (9.45) and tied for second on floor (9.60) to place second in the all-around with a 38.00.

Shelby Salmon, who is from Noblesville, Ind., tied for fifth on bars (9.475) and tied for 14th on beam (9.325).

Scarlett Williams, from Baton Rouge, La., tied for ninth on bars (9.525) and tied for ninth in the all-around with a 37.375.

The four incoming Razorbacks join a program coming off an 11th-place finish in the nation in 2010. Arkansas, which finished second in the NCAA West Regional, finished fifth in the NCAA Championship Session II semifinal. Arkansas has finished among the country’s top 12 three consecutive seasons and four times in the last five years, and placed among the nation’s top 15 six straight years.

Arkansas has earned a spot in an NCAA Regional seven straight years and advanced to the NCAA Championship four times in its eight seasons, including three consecutive years and four of the last five.

Highlights in this year’s Session II semifinal included senior Casey Jo Magee finishing second in the nation with a 39.55 in the all-around. Jaime Pisani won the Session II semifinal floor with a school championship record score of 9.925, and Magee tied for first on beam and bars.

Magee earned first-team All-America honors in the all-around, on bars, on beam and on floor. Pisani was a first-team All-American on floor and vault, and second-team in the all-around.

The freshmen join a group of returnees headed by Pisani, who will be a junior, and senior All-American Michelle Stout, who missed the 2010 season with an injury. Other returnees are senior Stacy Bartlett, juniors Mariah Howdeshell and Genny Salvatore, and sophomores Natalie Bohonsky, Amy Borsellino, Kelci Lewis and Amanda Siebert.