Jaime Armbrust - Gymnastics - Arkansas Razorbacks

Jaime Armbrust

#RazorFacts

  • 2018 NCAA South Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year
  • 2 Second Team All-American
  • 2 NACGC/W Regular Season All-Americans
  • 6 All-SEC Team Selections

Jaime Armbrust (née Pisani) was named an assistant coach for Arkansas gymnastics prior to the 2015 season after spending two seasons as director of operations for the Razorbacks. Armbrust primarily coaches the #Gymbacks on balance beam, while also assisting with recruiting, team choreography and other administrative activities including team and meet official travel arrangements. Armbrust has also served as the Regional Score Verifier for the South Central Region. Following the 2018 season, Armbrust was promoted to Associate Head Coach.

In 2018, Armbrust led the Razorbacks to one of their best seasons on the beam, setting four of the highest individual scores in program history on the event this season, including a pair of 9.975’s from freshman Sophia Carter against Georgia and in Arkansas’ Tri Meet against Denver and Iowa State. In Arkansas’ meet against Georgia, two additional Razorbacks in sophomore’s Michaela Burton and Jessica Yamzon tied the previous record score on beam with scores of 9.950 each.

Armbrust’s beam squad has set two of the three highest scores in program history on the balance beam with a 49.425 against Georgia and a 49.400 against Arizona. In 13-of-14 meets this season, she has coached the group to event scores of 49.000 or higher. Last season, the Razorbacks posted a 49.000 event score on beam in just six-of-12 meets. At the SEC Championships in St. Louis, sophomore Hailey Garner posted a 9.925 on the balance beam, tying the highest score by a Razorback at the Conference Championships in team history.

In 2016, Arkansas scored a 49.000 or better on floor in 9-of-13 meets, ending the campaign with a 49.073 average in the event. The final RQS of 49.280 finished the year 12th in the nation. The Razorbacks reached a season-high of 49.425 at No. 4 Alabama on Jan. 22 in the team’s first-ever victory in Tuscaloosa.

On 11 occasions in 2016, a Razorback scored 9.900 on floor exercise: three times by Samantha Nelson, three times by Amanda Wellick, twice by Stephani Canizaro and once by Sydney McGlone. During McGlone’s 9.900 performance at No. 4 Alabama on Jan. 22, the freshman completed the first double layout in program history.

In the SEC Championship, Nelson and Wellick each posted a 9.875 to earn All-SEC honors on floor. Wellick scored a team season-high of 9.950 to cap Arkansas’ record-tying 197.225 total team score vs. No. 23 Kentucky on Feb. 26. In the meet, the Razorbacks had a 49.350, which tied a home season-high they previously reached vs. No. 9 Auburn on Jan. 29.

In her first season as floor coach, Armbrust worked with the Arkansas floor team as they broke the program record with a 49.6 score against Alabama on Jan. 16, 2015. The record-setting rotation allowed the Razorbacks to defeat the No. 6 Crimson Tide, 196.325-196.175. Amanda Wellick won the meet’s floor event title with a score of 9.95.

As the director of operations, she coordinated home meets including meet officials and their travel arrangements as well as home meet management. She also coordinated, administered and marketed the Razorbacks gymnastics summer camp and winter clinics and also choreographed routines for private club gymnasts. During those two years, Armbrust received her master’s degree in sport management.

In the gym for the Razorbacks from 2009-12, she led Arkansas to its first two Super Six appearances, four NCAA Championship appearances and three top-10 finishes. Armbrust earned a school-record 13 All-America honors, was the 2012 SEC Gymnast of the Year, the 2011 South Central Gymnast of the Year, won 94 career individual event titles, won three NCAA Regional titles, four NCAA Championship session titles and earned three NCAA Individual Event Finals appearances.

In 2012, she helped the Razorbacks earn their first No. 1 national ranking, and Armbrust was ranked No. 1 in the country on floor for eight rankings periods and in the all-around for four periods. She led Arkansas to a national sixth-place finish with first-team All-America honors in the all-around, on floor and on beam, and second-team honors on bars. Armbrust finished third in the nation in the all-around, ninth on floor and 12th on beam.

Armbrust set or tied school records with her 39.725 in the all-around, 9.975 on floor, 9.95 on beam and 9.95 on bars.

Following her senior season, a team award, the Jaime Pisani Iron Gymback Award, was created in her honor for competing all around in every meet for all four years during her career. She also received multiple other team awards including the Most Outstanding Newcomer, Most Outstanding (three times) and the Samantha Cortez Leadership Award.

A College Sports Information Directors of America Capital One Academic All-American, Armbrust earned NCAA Winter Sports and NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women’s Enhancement postgraduate scholarships. She was also named to the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll for three years.

A graduate of Lakeland Regional High in Ringwood, N.J., Armbrust earned her bachelor’s in kinesiology from Arkansas in 2012 with a 3.66 cumulative grade point average. She also received her master’s degree in sport management.