Carter's Record Performance Gets Nod From SEC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Freshman Sophia Carter has been named the Southeastern Conference Specialist of the Week following her record performance on the beam and the floor last Friday against No. 11 Georgia.

Carter set a program record with a score of 9.975 on the balance beam against the Bulldogs. The previous record of 9.950 was set seven times in program history, last by Katherine Grable and Jaime Pisani at the 2012 NCAA Championships. Carter paved the way for a beam score of 49.425, the second best score in team history on the event.

The Blue Springs, Missouri native followed up her beam performance with a score of 9.950 on the floor. The score was the fourth best in program history on the floor and helped the Razorbacks secure its second best score in team history with a 197.175.

She is the only freshman in the SEC to score a 9.950 on multiple events, and is responsible for two of the three highest scores in the conference among freshmen this season on any event. Carter is one of two freshmen in the country to score a 9.950 on two events and the only freshman to score a 9.950 and a 9.975. Among all league athletes, she was one of two to score over a 9.950 on multiple events this past week.

Carter has been a power on the balance beam since the beginning of the season, scoring a 9.900 to open the year at LSU and again against Kentucky. The freshman averages a score of 9.894 on beam and is tied for the 10th-best gymnast in the country on the event.

She joins Kelci Lewis, who won the award in 2013, as the only Razorbacks to win the conference’s Specialist of the Week honor. Carter joins fellow freshman Sarah Shaffer to be recognized by the conference this season. Shaffer was named Freshman of the Week on Jan. 16 following her all-around performance against Kentucky. It’s the first time since 2015, and just the fourth time in program history, that two different Razorbacks have won weekly awards from the conference in a single season.

Carter and the Razorbacks hit the road again this Friday for a top-10 showdown at No. 10 Alabama. The meet is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be streamed on the SEC Network+ and the WatchESPN app.

Tickets for the remaining three home meets are available at the Razorback Ticket Center by calling 1-800-982-HOGS (4647) or by clicking here. Arkansas’ next home meet is Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. against Georgia.

For more information on Razorback gymnastics, including in-meet updates, follow @Razorbackgym on Twitter.