Gymbacks Check in at No. 8 in Preseason Poll
Coming off the best season in head coach Jordyn Wieber’s tenure, expectations are high for the Gymbacks in 2025 as the team has been voted No. 8 in the Women’s College Gymnastics Association preseason coaches poll.
The ranking is the highest in an opening poll during Wieber’s tenure, first in the top 10, and fifth in the top 15.
Arkansas concluded the 2024 slate ranked No. 7 in the country after the Gymbacks qualified for their first nationals under Wieber and first since 2018.
Over the course of the season, the Gymbacks set and broke their team program score record three times. They reached their peak on March 15 against Nebraska with a 198.100, the first 198 ever for Arkansas. The team also set new event records on vault (49.550), beam (49.575), and floor (49.725).
The team ultimately tallied 11 total scores of 197+, a new program single season record by six, and compiled a 15-15-1 record, the most wins since 2012 and most in Wieber’s tenure. The Gymbacks had a 4-2-1 record in SEC competition, the most conference victories since 2016.
Arkansas only loses two key routines from last season heading into 2025 and returns a wealth of talent including All-Americans Reese Drotar (bars), Leah Smith (vault) and Cami Weaver (vault). Floor regular season All-American and All-SEC honoree Frankie Price will be back for another season of fan favorite gymnastics, and fellow all-conference teammates Maddie Jones, Hailey Klein and Lauren Williams will also play big roles for the Gymbacks.
The team’s new additions are sure to make a big impact, starting with incoming freshman Joscelyn Roberson. Roberson served as a traveling alternate for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the first gymnast to ever represent Arkansas at the games. En route to Paris, she had an excellent showing at Olympic Trials with back-to-back personal high all-around scores of 55.475 and 55.500. She placed sixth overall with a combined score of 110.975, finished in fourth place on vault and floor and tied for first on beam.
Roberson is 2023 world champion, 2023 U.S. vault champion. Since her senior debut in 2022, Roberson has earned 23 top 10 finishes across eight domestic competitions and 11 in her four international assignments with Team USA.
Grace Drexler, Ja’Leigh Lang, Sadie Smith and Julianna Weeks join Joscelyn in the freshman class, and Arkansas has also added two graduate transfers in the off-season, Kaity Ewald and Mati Waligora. All six provide a wealth of expertise on all events to ensure that the Gymbacks continue 2024’s success into the new season.
Arkansas will also take its talents to a bigger stage this season as the Hogs are set to host all five of their home meets at Bud Walton Arena. Razorback Nation did not disappoint in its support for gymnastics in 2024, starting with a new season ticket record of 2,480. Arkansas recorded a total regular season attendance of 35,367 across five meets and has room to expand on that number with a larger venue and marquee SEC opponents like defending national champions LSU, Florida, Alabama and Mizzou.
Season tickets for Arkansas gymnastics’ 2025 campaign are now on sale starting at just $35 via Razorback Ticket Center, and single meet tickets will be on sale at a later date.
More Information
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