Roberson, Drexler Highlight Star Signing Class for Gymbacks

November 8, 2023

Arkansas gymnastics has bolstered its roster for the next four seasons with high-level talent as five new Gymbacks put pen to paper and solidified their commitments on Wednesday.

Joscelyn Roberson, Grace Drexler, Ja’Leigh Lang, Sadie Smith and Julianna Weeks are set to join the Gymbacks in 2025 and provide a variety of experience and skill for the squad.

“We are thrilled to have this group of incredibly talented young women join the Arkansas Gymnastics family. The excitement we feel to have Arkansas’ first US National Team Member and World champion in Joscelyn Roberson and an All-Around National Champion in Grace Drexler, along with the other incredibly talented level 10s in this signing class, is undeniable,” head coach Jordyn Wieber said. “Power, confidence, competitiveness, and passion are things that this class has in common. Each of them come from nationally-recognized clubs, great families, and will undoubtedly help us continue the growth of Arkansas Gymnastics within the NCAA.”

Joscelyn Roberson – World Champions Centre – Texarkana, Texas
Sr. Elite Highs (scores from nat’l and int’l meets) – VT: 14.650 | UB: 13.000 | BB: 14.300 | FX: 14.150 | AA: 54.050

Joscelyn Roberson will make history on The Hill as the first-ever national team member and world champion to compete for the Razorbacks. Roberson is coached by Cecile and Laurent Landi at World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas, alongside gymnastics greats and Olympians Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles. WCC is also the former home gym of Gymback Leah Smith. In her two seasons as a senior elite, Roberson has earned 10 medals in national competitions, four gold, and 11 international medals, all either first or second place finishes.

2023 world team champion, following the footsteps of Arkansas coaches Jordyn Wieber (Tokyo, 2011) and Kyla Ross (Antwerp, 2013)
2023 U.S. vault champion with top 10 finishes on beam, floor and all-around
Medaled in three of four events and all-around at U.S. Classics in August with a first place finish on vault
2023 Pan American Championships team and floor champion, silver medalist on beam and vault
Took first in the Cairo World Cup in April on vault and floor, finished in second on beam
2023 DTB Potkal Team Challenge team and vault champion, silver medalist on floor
2023 Winter Cup vault champion, finished second on beam and floor
2022 Winter Cup vault champion, vault silver medalist at 2022 U.S. national championship and U.S. Classic
Junior national champion on beam in 2021
2021 Winter Cup junior beam champion, came in second all-around and third on floor
Junior vault silver medalist at U.S. Championships and U.S. Classic in 2021

Grace Drexler – Twin City Twisters – Stratford, Wis.
Level 10 Highs – VT: 9.875 | UB: 9.750 | BB: 9.575 | FX: 9.800 | AA: 38.775

Drexler brings three years of level 10 experience to Fayetteville. She has competed at Twin City Twisters since 2018, the home gym to many NCAA standouts such as Maggie Nichols, Olivia Trautman and Grace McCallum. Drexler has qualified to nationals the last two seasons and brought home the all-around crown in 2022, along with a first place finish on floor.

Senior national qualifier with top 20 finishes on beam and floor in 2023
2022 national all-around and floor champion
2023 regional silver medalist on beam and bronze medalist on bars
2023 state bronze medalist on vault and bars
2022 regional bars, beam and all-around champion, finished in the top five in all events
2022 Minnesota state vault champion, bronze medalist on bars, and top 10 finishes in all events and all-around

Ja’Leigh Lang – San Mateo Gymnastics – East Palo Alto, Calif.
Level 10 Highs – VT: 9.850 | UB: 9.575 | BB: 9.475 | FX: 9.725 | AA: 37.825

Ja’Leigh Lang has competed level 10 at San Mateo Gymnastics for the last two seasons. The East Palo Alto, Calif. native is the reigning national vault champion, all-around silver medalist, and came in fourth on bars. In 2022, Lang was the regional and California state vault champion, and took the state crown on floor. She is also a two-time California state bars silver medalist, placing second in 2022 and 2023.

Sadie Smith – Ascend Gymnastics – Gig Harbor, Wash.
Level 10 Highs – VT: 9.025 | UB: 9.825 | BB: 9.050

Sadie Smith has competed level 10 for the last two seasons, most recently at Ascend Gymnastics in Washington, which was named the 2022 National Program of the Year by USA Gymnastics. Smith posted top five finishes in all events and all-around at regionals this past spring, with a bronze medal on bars. She was a 2022 national qualifier, where she finished in the top 15 on bars, and was also the 2022 regional third place finisher on bars. At the 2022 Washington state meet, Sadie placed in the top 10 on all events and all-around, including fifth on bars.

Julianna Weeks – Everest Gymnastics – Charlotte, N.C.
Level 10 Highs – VT: 9.025 | UB: 9.825 | BB: 9.050

Julianna Weeks has trained at Everest Gymnastics since 2021 and made her level 10 debut this season. Despite dealing with injuries over the past couple of seasons, she placed within the top 10 in both of her events at this season’s Sand Dollar Invitational, coming in sixth on bars and ninth on vault. In her last North Carolina State meet appearance in 2021, Weeks finished in the top 10 on bars.

More Information

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