Let the preseason dossiers begin! Here, I’ll be providing a rundown of the major teams and their 2017 rosters, key gymnasts, event-by-event scoring prospects, lineup conundrums, and overall season outlook. It’ll be fun. If that’s the kind of thing you find fun. It probably shouldn’t be.
| ARKANSAS ROSTER 2017 |
| Seniors |
Heather
Elswick
(redshirt) |
- Missed 2016 with injury; summer wrist surgery.
- Staple of VT and FX lineups through her first three years.
- Can fill in on UB when necessary. (It may be necessary.)
- 2015 RQS – FX: 9.885, VT: 9.875, UB: 9.685.
|
Samantha
Nelson
|
- Provides critical late-lineup routines on BB and FX.
- Frequently called upon to VT for a 9.7.
- 2016 RQS – FX: 9.890, BB: 9.855, VT: 9.775.
|
Amanda Wellick
|
- Literally everything.
- Essential, team-best routines on all four pieces.
- 2016 RQS – VT: 9.900, FX: 9.880, BB: 9.875, UB: 9.840.
|
| Juniors |
Mia
Bargiacchi
|
- Competed BB once in 2016 for 9.800.
|
Leah
MacMoyle
|
- Weekly VT and frequent FX contributor in 2016 until mid-season injury.
- 2016 RQS – VT: 9.785.
- 2016 AVG hit – FX: 9.781.
|
Braie Speed
|
- Top returning UB routine and weekly VTer in 2016.
- Missed 2015 with torn ACL.
- 2016 RQS – UB: 9.845, VT: 9.805.
|
| Sophomores |
Makenzie
Anderson
|
- Originally VT and FX backup in 2016, replaced MacMoyle in lineups post-injury.
- 2016 RQS – FX: 9.770
|
Sydney
McGlone
|
- Weekly top-3 team score on VT and FX as freshman in 2016.
- Often survived BB.
- 2016 RQS – VT: 9.850, FX: 9.830, BB: 9.775
|
| Freshmen |
Michaela
Burton
|
- Legacy Elite
- 4th place on BB at 2016 JO Nationals
|
Hailey
Garner
|
- Gymstars TN
- 2015 JO National Champion on UB and BB
|
Kirby
Rathjen
|
- Stars Houston
- 8th place on BB, 12th AA at 2015 JO Nationals
|
Sarah Shaffer
|
- Texas East
- 2016 Region 3 AA, FX champion.
|
Jessica
Yamzon
|
- Gymcats
- 7th AA, UB at 2016 JO Nationals, 2nd UB in 2015.
|
Recent History
2016 – 20th
2015 – 14th
2014 – 15th
2013 – 10th
2012 – 6th
2011 – 10th
2010 – 11th
The last few years have not been kind to Arkansas, as major stars have up and graduated without being replaced by equivalent stars. Last year’s disappointing 20th-place—the Razorbacks’ worst finish since 2005, their third season in existence—undersells the quality of a team that entered regionals a more respectable 13th but suffered the Epic Vault Catastrophe of ’16 and came nowhere close to advancing. Continue reading Arkansas 2017 →
Because gymnastics is a comedy, not a drama