FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas gymnastics team will open the season ranked No. 15 in the Women’s College Gymnastics Association coaches poll released on Friday.
The Razorbacks are ranked in the preseason top 20 for the 17th consecutive season and they are in the top 15 for the third year in a row under fourth-year Coach Jordyn Wieber.
Wieber lead Arkansas to its 18th consecutive NCAA regional last season and its second straight regional final while being ranked in the top 25 of all four events.
The Razorbacks have key returning performers in five-time All-American Kennedy Hambrick, Bailey Lovett and Leah Smith, and they added UCLA graduate transfer Norah Flatley, a three-time All-American.
Hambrick and Flatley competed at last year’s NCAA championships as individual all-around qualifiers.
The Razorbacks brought four freshmen on board in Reese Drotar, Jamie Pratt, Cally Swaney and Lauren Williams of Rogers.
Arkansas will hold its intrasquad meet at 2 p.m. Dec. 18, featuring free admission. The Razorbacks open the season on Jan. 7 at Nebraska.