Razorbacks gymnasts host Arizona at Pink Meet

Arkansas Razorbacks Sarah Shaffer high-fives teammates following her performance on the floor during a gymnastics meet, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, at Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks gymnastics team starts its stretch run toward the postseason tonight in its first meet of the year that does not feature a top 25 opponent.

The Razorbacks (2-8) host No. 36 Arizona (1-7) at 7 p.m. at Barnhill Arena in their annual Pink Meet, which will honor breast cancer survivors.

Arkansas gymnastics vs. Arizona

WHEN 7 p.m.

WHERE Barnhill Arena, Fayetteville

RECORDS Arizona 1-7, Arkansas 2-8

SERIES Arkansas leads 6-2

TICKETS Adults $5; 17 and under $3; UA students with ID free; group of 10 or more purchased 24 hours in advance $2 each

TV None

RANKINGS No. 10 Arkansas 196.53 regional qualifying score; No. 36 Arizona 195.18

EVENTS Vault: No. 20 Arkansas 49.015, No. 30 Arizona 48.895; Bars: No. 8 Arkansas 49.165, No. 25 Arizona 48.94; Beam: No. 9 Arkansas 49.2, No. 42 Arizona 48.565; Floor: No. 15 Arkansas 49.175, No. 36 Arizona 48.95

TOP ATHLETES (top 100)

All-around: No. 27 (tie) Jessica Yamzon (Ark) and Sarah Shaffer (Ark) 39.195, No. 39 Madison Cindric (Ariz) 39.075

Vault: No. 23 Braie Speed (Ark) 9.87, No. 47 Amanda Wellick (Ark) 9.84, No. 56 Sarah Shaffer (Ark) 9.83, No. 64 Cindric (Ariz) 9.825

Bars: No. 24 Wellick (Ark) 9.87, No. 37 Speed (Ark) 9.855, No. 46 Shaffer (Ark) 9.85, No. 80 Sydney Laird (Ark) 9.825, No. 84 Christina Berg (Ariz) 9.82

Beam: No. 20 Michaela Burton (Ark) 9.885, No. 32 Sophia Carter (Ark) 9.87, No. 36 Cindric (Ariz) 9.865, No. 44 Yamzon (Ark) 9.85, No. 63 Wellick (Ark) 9.83, No. 96 Haylie Hendrickson (Ariz) 9.805

Floor: No. 19 Shaffer (Ark) 9.885, No. 59 Burton (Ark) 9.855, No. 66 Yamzon (Ark) 9.85, No. 95 Kennady Schneider (Ariz) 9.83

NOTES

The Razorbacks compete for the first time this season without an SEC opponent in the same meet. … Pre-meet festivities, which includes recognition of breast cancer survivors in the annual Pink Meet, begin at 6:45 p.m. … Arkansas has scored 196 or better in six of the last seven meets. … The Razorbacks used a season-high four all-around competitors last week at Florida, including senior All-American Amanda Wellick in her season debut on all four events. … Jessica Yamzon and Sarah Shaffer have competed in the all-around in all eight meets, while Wellick, sophomore Hailey Garner and Sophia Carter have gone on all four events one time each.

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The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, accustomed to facing difficult schedules, broke the school record by competing in eight consecutive meets against opponents ranked in the top 25 to open the season.

The Razorbacks capped the run last week with their second-highest road score in program history -- 196.875 -- in a loss at No. 5 Florida.

"We had a really nice away meet at Florida," Coach Mark Cook said. "Now we have two home meets left, so it's really important with the RQS [regional qualifying scores] that we maximize our potential back here again."

Cook put up four gymnasts in the all-around at Florida, with senior Amanda Wellick and freshman Sophia Carter joining steady all-arounders Jessica Yamzon and Sarah Shaffer. Wellick, a two-time All-American with 32 career event titles, competed on the floor for the first time since suffering a torn Achilles tendon last January.

"She loves floor," Cook said. "She feels more complete when she's doing all four events."

Wellick has scored 9.8 or better on 80 percent of her 25 routines this season. Fellow senior Braie Speed has scored 9.75 or better on all 16 of her vault and bars routines and 9.8 or better on 14 of them.

Arkansas has a 6-2 record against the Wildcats and has won its last six competitions against them, all since 2008, with the last meet resulting in a 196.45 to 195.15 season-opening victory for the Razorbacks in Cancun, Mexico, on Jan. 6, 2012.

Sports on 03/02/2018