Hogs place second at regional, advance to NCAA Championships

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Arkansas placed second at the NCAA Columbus Regional on Saturday with a score of 196.775, advancing to the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Missouri.

It will mark the program’s seventh trip to the National Championships and first since 2013.

Columbus Regional Team Results
(3) UCLA- 197.650
(10) Arkansas- 196.775
Ohio State- 196.500
(15) Boise State- 196.225
Pittsburgh- 195.125
Kent State- 194.900

First Rotation: Arkansas Beam: 49.175
Sophomore Jessica Yamzon gave the Razorbacks a solid start on beam with a 9.825 to begin the rotation. After a fall in the second spot by sophomore Hailey Garner, the Razorbacks recovered with three scores over 9.800 including a pair of 9.900s from senior Amanda Wellick and sophomore Michaela Burton. The two 9.900s tied for the second-highest scores on beam at an NCAA Regional by a Razorback. Arkansas has now posted beam scores of 49.000 or higher in 12 of 13 meets this season.

Second Rotation: Arkansas Floor: 49.200
Following a bye before floor, the Razorbacks started the rotation with a 9.800 from senior Mia Bargiacchi. Wellick followed that up with a 9.850, her highest score on the event since Jan. 7, 2017. Yamzon and Burton each posted a 9.850 in the three and four spots before freshman Sarah Shaffer recorded a 9.900, her seventh score over 9.900 on floor this season. All six Razorbacks tallied a 9.800 or higher as the Razorbacks were able to post a 49.200 on the event, putting Arkansas in second place with a running score of 98.425.

Third Rotation: Arkansas Vault: 49.175
Yamzon led off the Razorbacks with a career high 9.850, while Wellick and Shaffer posted 9.850s of their own. Speed anchored the rotation with a 9.900, her fourth vault score of 9.900 or higher this season. Arkansas posted a 49.175 on the event, despite competing just five athletes, en route to its second-highest vault score of the season. Arkansas’ last scorer in Garner tallied a 9.725 in the second spot.

Speed’s 9.900 was good enough to take the Columbus Regional vault title, her second-consecutive regional vault title after taking first at the NCAA Fayetteville Regional a year ago. The title is Arkansas’ 15th individual event regional title and the fifth on vault.

Fourth Rotation: Arkansas Bars: 49.175
After a 9.775 from Yamzon in the lead-off spot, the Razorbacks posted five-straight scores over 9.800. The Razorbacks led by just 0.05 points at one point in the rotation and had little room for error. Four-straight scores of 9.825 from Wellick, Speed, Shaffer and freshman Sydney Laird gave way to Garner who anchored the rotation with a 9.875 to secure Arkansas’ second-place finish.

Wellick took the all-around title with a score of 39.425 while Yamzon posted a 39.300.

The Razorbacks will take a two-week break from action before the NCAA Championships are contested April 20-21 at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Mo.