2020 Season Begins in Gainesville for Razorback Gymnastics

FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas gymnastics team led by first-year head coach Jordyn Wieber is preparing for its first meet of the 2020 season in Gainesville, Fla. The Gymbacks, ranked no.19 by WCGA in the preseason poll will face preseason no.3 Florida on Friday evening at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

Arkansas begins the year ranked 19th by the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA). It marks the 14th consecutive year the Gymbacks have been ranked in the top 20 in the debut rankings. Last season, Arkansas started the year at No. 12 and climbed as high as 10th in the WCGA poll.

Friday’s meet opens the head coaching career of Arkansas’ Jordyn Wieber. A member of the U.S.’s gold medal team at the 2012 Olympics and 2011 World all-around champion, Wieber served as team manager at UCLA for three seasons and was the Bruins volunteer coach the last three seasons. The Bruins advanced to the NCAA team final each of the last four seasons, winning the 2018 NCAA Championship. She replaced Mark Cook, who led the Razorbacks from the program’s first season in 2003 until his retirement at the conclusion of the 2019 season.

The Razorbacks will meet Florida for the 48th time in program history, Arkansas has lost the 20 matchups and will be looking for its first win since 2011. The Gymbacks will also be looking to secure its first victory in Gainesville in program history.

Florida returns six with 17 All-America honors – Alyssa Baumann, Rachel Gowey, Amelia Hundley. Savannah Schoenherr, Megan Skaggs and Trinity Thomas. Four of those All-Americans are also defending SEC event champions – Baumann (balance beam), Gowey (beam), Skaggs (beam) and Thomas (vault).

Arkansas returns two record holders this season in Hailey Garner and Sophia Carter. Garner’s 9.975 bar routine on March 16, 2018 is the best in Razorback history while Carter’s 9.975 on the balance beam against Arizona on March 2, 2018 is also the best by a Gymback in that event. Sydney Laird, Sarah Shaffer, and Jessica Yamzon have also notched top routines in their careers.

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