Meet The Team: #8 Arkansas Razorbacks

Jan 29, 2015 by Dani from Gymnastike

In only the first few weeks of the 2015 gymnastics season, the Arkansas Razorbacks have faced a Top 25 Team in each meet so far, including their season-opener against Co-National Champions and current No. 1, Oklahoma. As they’ve improved each week, the Razorbacks are making a name for themselves and have already upset one national championship contender in their historic performance, and subsequent defeat, of No. 6 Alabama on January 16th. As they head into this weekend’s Metroplex Challenge, the Razorbacks will be faced with an opportunity for redemption as they face Iowa State and the top two teams in the nation: No.1 Oklahoma and No. 2 LSU.

Meet the team bound to turn some heads, the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Via Arkansas Razorbacks Gymnastics on Facebook

SENIORS

Stephani Canizaro

Cailee Ellsworth

The Arkansas senior class will be looking to lead the Razorbacks back to the NCAA Championships as they missed qualifying out of the Fayetteville Regional last season. The 2015 Razorbacks are lead by a duo of seniors including clutch bar contributor Cailee Ellsworth and second-team All-American on floor, Stephani Canizaro. A staple in the vault, uneven bars and floor lineups, Canizaro scored a career-high 9.925 on floor in the Alabama upset earlier this season.

Watch highlights from No. 8 Arkansas defeating No. 6 Alabama below!

JUNIORS

Sydnie Dillard

Heather Ellswick

Erin Freir

Keara Glover

The junior class is comprised of a tenacious group of competitors that make up the core of the Razorbacks’ lineups especially bars and beam. Erin Freir competed in the bars and beam lineup in 11 meets last season, and has set season high scores on bars (9.85) and beam (9.775) last weekend against Auburn. After missing most of the 2014 season due to an injury, Keara Glover will be at the core of the bars and beam lineups as she’s able to deliver consistently counting scores on both events.

Standout and runner-up on balance beam and floor exercise at the 2014 SEC Championships, Sydnie Dillard can be relied on to deliver a solid contributing score every time she competes; last season 100 percent of Dillard’s routines counted towards the team score. And, Heather Elswick set two career-high scores and upset one of the best teams in the country, all in a single night. Against No. 6 Alabama, Elswick snagged a piece of the vault title with a career-best 9.950 and set another career-high on floor with a 9.925.

SOPHOMORES

Samantha Nelson

Paris Ryder

Amanda Wellick

The sophomore class brings dynamic routines on the power events for the Razorbacks. Paris Ryder appeared in two meets last season and is capable of delivering a substantial counting score on vault. Competing in all 12 meets as a true freshman and earning a spot on both the 2014 All-SEC Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team, Samantha Nelson has added vault to her repertoire and has been a significant contributor on beam and floor as well.

The accolades continue to pour in for superb sophomore, Amanda Wellick. The 2014 SEC Freshman of the Year, Wellick is undeniably one of, if not the primary leader for the Razorbacks and will look to head back to NCAAs, where she competed as an individual all-arounder last year, but this time she’s planning on bringing her entire team with her. In Arkansas’ victory over No. 6 Alabama, Wellick set three career-highs by scoring a pair of 9.950s on both vault and floor, as well as a 39.475 in the all-around for her second consecutive title and a new career best.

FRESHMAN

Mia Bargiacchi

Leah Macmoyle

Braie Speed

Kathleen York

Paige Zaziski

This season, a squad of feral freshman Hogs have been ready, willing and fully able to hit the ground running for the Razorbacks. Mia Bargiacchi competed at the 2014 NIT, finishing fifth on the beam and placed sixth on vault and eighth on beam at the Region 8 Championships. New Jersey State and Region 7 Champion on vault and floor in 2011 and 2012, Leah Macmoyle will be a definite asset on both events as the season progresses.

Region 3 Bar Champion in 2010 and 2012, Braie Speed was also the Houston National Invitational all-around champ in 2011. Unfortunately, a recently torn ACL in will keep this Hog off the competition floor this season. Kathleen York has the potential break into several lineups during her freshman campaign. York collected seven event titles in her last two years as a prep gymnast, highlighted by winning the all-around title at the Kurt Thomas Invitational as well as the Anna Brashear Invitational.

Stepping up and standing out is this week’s SEC Freshman of the Week, Paige Zaziski. Though she hasn’t quite hit an enitre meet yet, Zaziski has been competing in the all-around and has amazing potential to be an impact player for the Razorbacks.

Via @RazorbackGym on Twitter

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