FAYETTEVILLE -- Heather Elswick, Amanda Wellick and Samantha Nelson, the three seniors who will be honored by Arkansas Razorbacks gymnastics at a tri-meet tonight, are an apt reflection of the program's recent travails.
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville will host San Jose State and Centenary College in the 7 p.m. season-finale at Barnhill Arena.
WHEN 7 p.m.
WHERE Barnhill Arena, Fayetteville
RECORDS Arkansas 2-7, San Jose State 6-11, Centenary 2-11
TV None
TICKETS $5 for adults, $3 for children 17 and under, free for UA students with ID.
COACHES Mark Cook (15th year at Arkansas); Jackie Fain (sixth season at Centenary); Wayne Wright (16th season at San Jose State)
EVENTS Vault: No. 29 Arkansas 48.9, No. 48 San Jose State 48.62, No. 69 Centenary 47.645; Bars: No. 31 (tie) Arkansas 48.92, No. 42 San Jose State 48.765, No. 66 Centenary 47.22; Beam: No. 21 Arkansas 49.025, No. 51 San Jose State 48.425, No. 71 Centenary 47.414; Floor: No. 34 Arkansas 48.98, No. 43 San Jose State 48.89, No. 70 Centenary 47.985
NOTEWORTHY Arkansas freshman Hailey Garner became the fourth Razorback to win a beam title this season with a 9.9 last week at Kentucky. … The Razorbacks posted a season-best 49.15 on the balance beam last week.
Elswick returned for a fifth season after undergoing wrist surgery and missing 2016. Wellick, the All-American and the team's top performer, has been out since the second week of the season with an Achilles injury. She will go through senior night festivities tonight but is expected to return next season. Nelson, a standout on the balance beam and floor exercise, is finishing up a fourth consecutive season and is among the hearty few who hasn't been impacted by a significant injury this trying season for 15th year Coach Mark Cook.
"It's been nice to see these kids grow up," Cook said of his three seniors. "It's been a really interesting year and I think the girls have handled it with a lot of tenacity and dignity and we're just going to keep plugging away."
The Razorbacks (2-7), who will be trying to snap a four-meet losing skid, should get a boost as sophomore Syndey McGlone is expected back in the vault and floor exercise lineups.
Cook and the Razorbacks have experienced one injury after another, with the low point coming when Mia Bargiacchi's injury at Michigan State two weeks ago left Arkansas with a four-person floor lineup.
"I'd say it's been eventful," Nelson said of her senior season. "It's been unique and it's really brought the team together. We've had a lot of adversity ... but we've come together and embraced it."
Elswick has added the vault to her floor duties the last two weeks and her wrist has held up with the added work. She said she was grateful to be granted a fifth season, even through Arkansas has dealt with injuries throughout.
"It's a different experience," Elswick said of her anticipation for senior night. "It's like the last time you'll compete in Barnhill in in-season competition. Knowing we have regionals [April 1] that makes this night a little easier, but still it's coming to an end, and way too quickly for me."
Arkansas' freshmen, led by No. 31-ranked all-arounder Jessica Yamzon, Michaela Burton and Hailey Garner, have had to shoulder a lot of the scoring load. Garner won her first beam title and her second event title of the season last week with a 9.9 on the final rotation at Kentucky.
San Jose State (6-11) struggled early, but the Spartans have scored 195 or better in two of their last three meets. Centenary (2-11), of the Midwest Independent Conference, is coming off a 0-2 weekend against the University of Alaska in Anchorage, Alaska.
Sports on 03/10/2017