Razorbacks put up second-highest score in school history at SEC Championships

NEW ORLEANS — Arkansas placed second in the SEC Championships Session One with a 196.475, the second highest team score recorded at the championship meet.

The Razorbacks were led by record scores from freshman Amanda Elswick on vault and sophomore Sarah Shaffer on bars. Both gymnasts recorded a 9.900 on their apparatus, which tied for the school records on the events at the SEC Championships.

Session One Team Scores:

1. Alabama: 197.350
2. Arkansas: 196.75
3. Auburn: 196.375
4. Missouri: 195.900

All-SEC Gymbacks

Kennedy Hambrick | All-Around
Amanda Elswick | Vault
Sarah Shaffer | Bars

All-SEC Freshman Team

Kennedy Hambrick | All-Around
Amanda Elswick | Vault

First Rotation: Arkansas Floor: 49.275
The Gymbacks took a slight lead over Alabama in the first rotation off of what was the third highest floor score at the SEC Championship in team history. The rotation was led by four scores of 9.850 from freshmen Kennedy Hambrick and Amanda Elswick, as well as sophomores Sarah Shaffer and Sophia Carter. Senior Sydney McGlone led the rotation with a 9.875 as no Razorback scored below a 9.800 on the event.

Second Rotation: Arkansas Vault: 48.950
Arkansas nearly cleared the 49 mark on vault once again, led by Elswick’s 9.900 as the team’s anchor. The score of 9.900 ties the school record on vault at the meet as she Amanda Wellick, Katherine Grable, Jaime Pisani and Michelle Stout who have recorded the score at the meet for the Gymbacks.

The back half of the lineup recorded Arkansas’ highest scores as Hambrick and McGlone recorded 9.8’s in the four and five position. Leadoff vaulter junior Jessica Yamzon scored a 9700 and freshman Savannah Pennese recorded a 9.750 as the other scorers in the rotation.

Third Rotation: Arkansas Bars: 49.100
Sarah Shaffer paced the Hogs with a 9.900 on the bars en route to the third highest team bars score at the SEC Championships. Shaffer’s 9.900 was also the highest by a Gymback at the meet in team history, as she joins Michelle Stout and Melissa Leigh who recorded similar scores in 2009 and 2004, respectively.

With little room for error after a fall in the second spot for the team, the Razorbacks came up strong. Hambrick posted a 9.825 in the two-spot that gave way to a 9.775 from sophomore Hailey Garner. Following Shaffer’s score, junior Michaela Burton recorded a 9.850 in the anchor position to give Arkansas a running score of 147.325 as the Gymbacks trailed just the Crimson Tide of Alabama heading into the final event.

Fourth Rotation: Arkansas Beam: 49.150
The Gymbacks started the rotation strong, with a leadoff score of 9.850 from Yamzon, freshmen Hambrick and Elswick each posted 9.900’s on the event. After a fall, freshman Katarina Derrick recorded a 9.650 while anchor Burton put up a 9.850 to end the meet. The beam score was the second highest in team history on the event at the meet to give way for a team score of 196.475.

The Razorbacks now await their postseason fate. The NCAA Selection Show will be streamed on NCAA.com Sunday at 4 p.m. The NCAA Regional Hosts this season are Oregon State, Michigan, LSU and Georgia. This will be the first season under the new NCAA Gymnastics Postseason format.