Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
UA gymnasts look to avoid winless SEC season
FAYETTEVILLE — Time is running out for the University of Arkansas gymnastics team to find the consistency Coach Mark Cook has sought this season.
The No. 20 Razorbacks host No. 3 Florida at 7 tonight at Barnhill Arena on Arkansas’ annual Gymback Alumni Weekend. It is the conference finale for Arkansas (1-9, 0-6 SEC), which must win to avoid its first winless conference season.
History says that will be difficult. Florida leads the all-time series 42-3 and the Gators (7-3, 5-1 SEC) have the extra incentive of being able to clinch a share of their third consecutive SEC championship with a victory. Auburn, which is also 5-1, competes at Alabama tonight in its SEC finale.
The Razorbacks have won at least two SEC dual meets every season since the program’s conception in 2003 with two exceptions. The debut team went 1-5 against the SEC with a victory at Kentucky, and the 2013 team was 1-5-1 against SEC opponents, with a victory over Missouri and a tie against No. 4 Alabama.
Florida, which owns 10 SEC titles, has won 18 consecutive meets against the Razorbacks dating to a 196.55 to 196.425 setback at the NCAA Denver Regional on April 2, 2011.
Florida is coming off a 197.45 to 197.375 home loss to No. 7 Georgia. The Gators have a national qualifying score of 197.545 and a high score of 198.025.
Arkansas scored a season-high 196.375 in a home loss to LSU last week and moved up a spot to No. 20 in the first week of the national rankings using qualifying scores.
While the Razorbacks scored well on the balance beam and floor exercise, they had too many minor errors on those events and had to count a fall on the uneven bars for the second week in a row.
“We still haven’t hit yet,” Cook said last week. “Without counting a fall on the bars we would have been semi-clean.
“[The bars] has got to hit. That’s unacceptable.”
Arkansas sophomore Sophia Carter jumped back into the top 10 on the floor exercise at a tie for No. 7, along with Florida’s Alicia Boren and Nya Reed, with a qualifying score of 9.92.
Arkansas junior Jessica Yamzon, who vaulted to No. 28 in the national rankings this week, and freshman Kennedy Hambrick are expected to compete in the all-around.
Florida freshman Trinity Thomas is the reigning SEC gymnast of the week for the third time this season after claiming her fourth
all-around crown last week. Thomas, ranked second nationally in the all-around with a qualifying score of
39.635, has won either SEC gymnast or SEC freshman of the week honors each of the last seven weeks.