Despite Being Iced by SEC, Major Injury, Arkansas Advances

UNIVERSITY PARK, Penn. — For one full weekend, because of a glitch in SEC scheduling that caused one team to sit out the championship meet at the end of the season, No. 16 Arkansas was the only team in the nation not allowed to compete in gymnastics. 

The Razorbacks had to sit helplessly as other teams and individuals got to enhance their national qualifying scores while Arkansas could do nothing but potentially watch them breeze right on by.

It wasn’t because of a lack of trying. Other schools were willing to let Jordyn Wieber’s team come join in on their final meet, but the NCAA rejected the idea.

So, only Arkansas sat at home and watched. 

They rested up, healed and turned their focus squarely on getting ready for the national meet. The Razorbacks had been on quite the streak as of late, posting high scores in competition, driving up their NQS, so missing a meet week was a concern as far as staying sharp. 

However, nothing could be done about that.

Finally, things returned somewhat back to normal when it was announced Arkansas would join fellow SEC powers Kentucky and LSU at Penn State for regionals. To face the Wildcats meant having to make the finals.

However, No. 1 LSU was in the regional semifinal with Arkansas which meant, although the Razorbacks stunned them by knocking them off in Bud Walton Arena, Wieber’s gymnasts were in a battle for the one other remaining spot from their pod in the regional finals because the Tigers were definitely going to take the other.

Despite having to deal with a forced three-week layoff, Arkansas has advanced to its second consecutive regional finals by knocking off Michigan and Maryland to join LSU, No. 9 Kentucky and No. 8 Michigan St. in the finals Saturday. 

The Razorbacks posted a 197.550, better than their season ending score of 197.225 against No. 7 Missouri. That score was anchored heavily by freshman Joscelyn Roberts who not only broke her all-around scoring record, but posted the highest all-around score Arkansas has seen in over a decade.

Her score of 39.600 was the fourth highest across both semifinals. Her 9.925s on beam and floor helped Arkansas seal its spot in the semifinals.

Maddie Jones also chipped in with a regional winning 9.950 on bars.

The only real downside of the meet was an injury to high flyer Frankie Price. She injured herself on her floor routine, causing her to have to stop and accept a score of 6.300.

Typically her scores anchor the Razorbacks’ floor routine, so Arkansas was fortunate to have already built up a high score. However, her energy and high point potential will be missed greatly in the regional finals.

Here is how Arkansas performed in each event, including highlights.

Vault

Overall – 49.425
Cami Weaver – 9.900
Ja’Leigh lang – 9.900
Joscelyn Roberson – 9.875
Frankie Price – 9.859
Haley Klein – 9.800

Bars

Overall – 49.525
Maddie Jones – 9.950
Mati Waligora – 9.900
Cally Swaney – 9.900
Kaitlyn Ewald – 9.900
Joscelyn Roberson – 9.875
Priscilla Park – 9.750

Beam

Overall – 49.125
Joscelyn Roberson – 9.925
Kalyxta Gamio – 9.900
Cami Weaver – 9.825
Priscilla Park – 9.800
Cally Swaney – 9.675
Mati Waligora – 9.025

Floor

Overall – 49.475
Maddie Jones – 9.925
Mati Waligoria – 9.925
Joscelyn Roberson – 9.925
Kalyxta Gamio – 9.850
Hailey Klein – 9.850
Frankie Price – 6.300

The regional finals will take place Saturday at 4 p.m. on ESPN+.

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