FAYETTEVILLE -- First-year University of Arkansas gymnastics Coach Jordyn Wieber knew when she got her first head coaching job that she wanted to have a themed meet to celebrate women's empowerment.
The moment is at hand tonight as the No. 14 Razorbacks will welcome No. 20 Auburn to Barnhill Arena for an SEC meet at 6:30 with empowerment as the theme.
At a glance
Arkansas Gymnastics vs. Auburn
WHEN 6:30 p.m.
WHERE Barnhill Arena, Fayetteville
RECORDS Auburn 2-6, 2-4 SEC; Arkansas 2-5, 2-3
RANKINGS Arkansas is No. 14 (196.214); Auburn is No. 20 (195.904)
SERIES Tied 18-18-1
TV SEC Network
COACHES Jeff Graba 10th year at Auburn); Jordyn Wieber (1st year at Arkansas)
EVENTS Vault: No. 12 Auburn 49.096, No. 27 Arkansas 48.861; Bars: No. 13 Arkansas 49.089, No. 17 Auburn 49.018; Beam: No. 17 Arkansas 48.954, No. 19 Auburn 48.932; Floor: No. 6 Arkansas 49.311, No. 36 Auburn 48.857
TOP ATHLETES (top 100)
All-around No. 18 Kennedy Hambrick (UA) 39.325, No. 48 Cassie Stevens (Aub) 39.087, No. 49 Jessica Yamzon (UA) 39.083, No. 54 Kiara Gianfagna (UA) 39.05, No. 56 Drew Watson (Aub) 39.042
Vault No. 24 Derrian Gobourne (Aub) 9.868, No. 26 Amanda Elswick (UA) 9.863, No. 34 Watson (Aub) 9.85, No. 74 Sarah Shaffer (UA) 9.814, No. 97 Stevens (Aub) 9.804
Bars No. 29 Hambrick (UA) 9.857, No. 42 Gracie Day (Aub) 9.843, No. 47 Bailey Lovett (UA) 9.839, No. 60 Aria Brusch (Aub) 9.829, No. 85 Gianfagna (UA) 9.813
Beam No. 39 Elswick (UA) 9.85, No. 73 Skyler Sheppard (Aub) 9.807, No. 75 Meredith Sylvia (Aub) 9.804, No. 89 Brusch (Aub) 9.793, No. 92 Stevens (Aub) 9.792, No. 96 Yamzon (UA) 9.789
Floor No. 16 (tie) Sophia Carter (UA) and Lovett (UA) 9.896, No. 27 Hambrick (UA) 9.886, No. 81 Watson (Aub) 9.846
MEET NOTES
The Razorbacks are holding their Women’s Empowerment meet and their annual alumni reunion. The first 1,500 fans will receive a Razorback women’s empowerment bracelet, and the first 300 students will get free pizza. … Doors open at 5 p.m. and opening ceremonies will start at 6:15 p.m. … Arkansas has a 5-4-1 edge in its last 10 meetings with Auburn. … The teams met three times last season, with Auburn winning 197.1 to 196.175 at home, Arkansas out-pointing the Tigers 196.475 to 196.375 at the SEC championships in New Orleans, and Auburn winning 197.075 to 196.175 at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional on April 5. … Auburn senior Gracie Day is the reigning SEC specialist of the week after scoring 9.925 on vault, 9.9 on bars and 9.9 on the floor in a home loss to Florida.
"I wanted to have a meet around celebrating strong women and their voices and all the impact they have on the world and the community," Wieber said. "So really we want this meet to be about more than gymnastics. We want it to be about honoring and celebrating those women."
Wieber said gymnasts for both Arkansas (2-5, 2-3 SEC) and Auburn (2-6, 2-4 SEC) will wear shirts with the names of a woman they want to honor on the back.
"I know when I originally chose Arkansas, I think the big thing I chose it for was the support system of Razorback Nation, and a lot of that is the fans and the little kids that look up to you," Arkansas sophomore Amanda Elswick said. "I think it's a great idea that we're showing who we look up to and the people that have guided us to where we are today."
Added freshman Bailey Lovett: "I just think this meet is for a much greater cause than any other meet that we've ever had before. I think it's special that we got to do this and pick that one special person. I think that just took it to a whole other level."
The Razorbacks are looking to stick their landings, particularly on the vault, which has been a struggle much of the season.
"We've been dialing in our landings a lot more. Especially from practice this week, I've really seen a big improvement," said sophomore Kennedy Hambrick, who has won three consecutive all-arounds and improved to 18th in the country in the all-around.
"They've been doing tons and tons of drills and visualizations and training on vault, so hopefully it'll start translating to the competition," said Wieber, who added Elswick and Hambrick are working on more difficult vaults that feature one-and-a-half flips.
Neither team has hit the 197-point mark this season, though Arkansas got within a whisker with a 196.985 in a win over Georgia two weeks ago.
Auburn's top score is the 196.7 it amassed in a home win against Missouri on Jan. 24.
The Tigers have struggled with consistency since that meet, averaging 195.783 in dual-meet losses to Georgia, Kentucky and Florida.
Sports on 02/21/2020