Alabama Gymnastics Posts Season-High Score in Tie vs. Arkansas

Alabama gymnastics took to Coleman Coliseum looking to build on its strong start to the season and back-to-back scores over 197. The Crimson Tide posted a season-high 197.525, which was enough for a tie at the final tally.

The No. 3 Crimson Tide hosted No. 4 Arkansas Friday night for the second straight top-five matchup at home. It came down to the wire. Alabama needed help from a fall on beam by Arkansas and a strong floor routine to overcome some difficulties during the third and fourth events. The Crimson Tide also suffered a fall in its own right, but rose to the challenge from there on out.

A strong series of routines on floor kept Alabama's chances at 197 and beyond alive. Chloe LaCoursiere led off, and Lilly Hudson closed it out in an electric moment that proved to be one of the definitive spots of the meet. Alabama's bars lineup was as advertised. Only one gymnast from the home squad scored below a 9.900 in that event.

Elsewhere on the night, the Crimson Tide took home three of four individual titles: Makarri Doggette took home the event crown on bars, Hudson prevailed on floor and Ella Burgess brought it home on beam. Future Olympian Luisa Blanco tied with two Arkansas gymnasts for the vault title.

How It Happened:

(latest updates at the top)

Fourth Rotation (Alabama floor exercise, Arkansas balance beam)

• All scores are as announced as of the immediate aftermath of the meet by the Coleman P.A. Subject to change.
• The all-around winner is Arkansas' Priscilla Park, whose fall on beam let Alabama back into things. The bars title belongs to Makarri Doggette, the beam title belongs to Ella Burgess and the floor title belongs to Lilly Hudson. Luisa Blanco, Leah Smith and Lauren Williams tied for the vault title.
• The score of this meet: Arkansas 197.525, Alabama 197.525. Wow. The only solo event titles of the night belong to Alabama.
• The final competitor in this matchup is Lilly Hudson on floor. Big routine coming up here. Hudson is cheered loudly as the meet wraps up. Park was given a 9.025 on beam. Hudson gets a 9.950.
• Last up on beam for Arkansas is Park. She takes a fall. This could prove massive. Sears gets a 9.875 for her floor routine.
• Sears nails her floor routine, and the crowd knew it. 
• Freshman Jamison Sears makes her debut in this meet on floor up next. Linton nets a 9.900 on beam.
• Next on the beam for the Razorbacks is Sirena Linton. Machado scores 9.875 on floor.
• On floor now for Alabama is Cam Machado. Weaver gets a 9.825 on beam.
• Cami Weaver takes on the balance beam next for Arkansas. Burgess' floor score checks in at 9.825.
• Waligora's floor score is a 9.700. Up next for the Crimson Tide on floor is Ella Burgess. Williams nets a 9.875 on beam.
• Mati Waligora to the floor for Alabama. Jones' beam score checks in at 9.875. Williams up next.
• Next on beam for the Razorbacks: Maddie Jones. LaCoursiere gets a 9.850 on floor and Jones sticks her beam landing.
• Up first for Alabama on floor is Chloe LaCoursiere. She returns to the lineup after not competing on beam. Her routine is met with an electric reaction from teammates.
• Starting on beam for Arkansas is Kalyxta Gamiao. She begins the final event with a 9.925.
• The absence of Gabby Gladieux, an SEC champion on vault and all-arounder, looms large on paper in this final event. Crimson Tide's lead is razor thin. She earned a 9.975 on floor in Vegas.

Third Rotation (Alabama balance beam, Arkansas floor exercise)

• The penultimate event closes with a score of Alabama 148.150, Arkansas 148.125.
• Frankie Price closes out on floor for Arkansas with a 9.850. The third event is complete. Blanco gets 9.850 on beam.
• Luisa Blanco rounds out tonight's showing on beam for Alabama. Williams nets 9.875 on floor. Blanco gets a huge ovation from fans.
• Shania Adams scored a 9.900 on beam. Arkansas' Williams finishes up on floor to a strong ovation from teammates.
• Adams next on beam for the Crimson Tide. One of the loudest crowd responses to a beam routine tonight. Smith scored 9.925 on floor.
• Smith on floor for Arkansas. Rybicki nets a 9.800 for her beam routine.
• Next on beam for Alabama is Rachel Rybicki. She stops herself from falling and ends strong. "She said stick!" from the crowd.
• Jones closes out her floor routine for Arkansas to the tune of a 9.900. Burgess' beam score is a 9.950.
• Park finishes up on floor to a strong ovation from her teammates. Ella Burgess up on beam for Alabama. Hudson scores a 9.125. Need strong showings the rest of the way to be able to drop it. Burgess is greeted by the chant at the close of her routine. Park nets a 9.825 on floor.
• Klein scores 9.850 on floor. Next on floor is Park. Hudson takes a fall.
• Hailey Klein leads off on floor for the Razorbacks. Hudson next on beam for the Crimson Tide. Waligora's score checks in at 9.700.
• First up on beam for Alabama is Mati Waligora, and the third event is underway.

Second Rotation (Alabama uneven bars, Arkansas vault)

• Through two events, Alabama has widened its lead: it's a 98.950-98.725 advantage for the home squad. Both Adams and Doggette earned "She said stick!" chants for their showing on bars.
• Adams and 2021 SEC champion Makarri Doggette close Alabama out on bars with a 9.925 and a 9.950 respectively. Arkansas ends on vault with a pair of strong scores.
• Frankie Price of Arkansas completes her vault routine. Waligora gets a 9.925 for her outing on bars. Up next is Adams.
• The Crimson Tide's Mati Waligora lands her bars routine to a loud cheer and yet another chant. Sedlacek checks in at 9.850 on vault.
• Arkansas' Makenzie Sedlacek hits her landing on vault. Machado's bars routine earns a 9.900.
• Pawlak scores a 9.850 on bars. Cam Machado next, who sticks her landing and gets to bask in the chant. Smith scores a 9.925 on vault, a high mark for Arkansas.
• Alabama's Natalia Pawlak lands well after her bars routine. Park's vault score is 9.800. Leah Smith next for the visitors.
• Park next on vault for Arkansas. LaCoursiere nets yet another 9.900 on bars. She's been on fire with those.
• Getting things started on bars for Alabama is Chloe LaCoursiere. She sticks the landing, and yes, there was a chant. Weaver's vault score checks in at 9.875.
• Leading off the second rotation is Cami Weaver on vault for Arkansas.

First Rotation (Alabama vault, Arkansas uneven bars)

• Through one event, Alabama leads Arkansas by a narrow margin: 49.350 to 49.300.
• Arkansas' final bars competitor, Maddie Jones, has a somewhat shaky landing to end a strong event for the visitors. Adams' vault score checks in at 9.850. Jones lands a 9.825 for her efforts on bars.
• Adams earns a tremendous ovation and a "She said stick!" chant. For those keeping track, that's three in six tries on vault. Arkansas' Priscilla Park scores 9.925 on bars. 
• Doggette's vault score is 9.825. The final competitor of the rotation, Shania Adams, is up.
• Doggette is strong on vault. Meanwhile, Arkansas' Jensen Scalzo scored a 9.825 on bars.
• Blanco scores a 9.925 on vault, the Crimson Tide's highest mark on the night as of yet. Up next is Doggette.
• Luisa Blanco stops short on her first start on vault before completing the routine. After some coaching from Makarri Doggette, she lands her second start to a tremendous cheer. Pratt earns a 9.825 on bars.
• Solid showing on bars for Arkansas' Jamie Pratt. Hudson nets the first 9.900 on the night for the Crimson Tide with her vault score.
• Alabama's Lilly Hudson conquers the bars, earning the second "She said stick!" chant of the night. Drotar's bars score is 9.875.
• LaCoursiere's score on vault is a 9.850.
• Chloe LaCoursiere follows German on vault, then Reese Drotar takes to the bars for Arkansas. Swaney's bars score is 9.850.
• Karis German's vault score is 9.825.
• Cally Swaney starts things off on the uneven bars for Arkansas and hits her landing. 
• Leading off on vault for Alabama is Karis German. She nails the landing and we're underway with a "She said stick!" chant.

Pre-meet notes

Courtesy of Alabama Athletics

FRIDAY’S MEET

• Alabama is led by head coach Ashley Johnston, in her second season at UA, while Jordyn Wieber is in her fifth year at the helm of the Razorbacks.
• The two teams last competed against each other in Coleman Coliseum on March 4, 2022, with UA taking home a 198.075 – 196.00 win.
• Both programs are coming off SEC-opening victories with Alabama rolling past Missouri via a season-high 197.225 team score and Arkansas taking home a victory of their own over Georgia by a score of 197.150 –196.350.

LAST TIME OUT

• The Crimson Tide’s 197.225 is the highest score for a home opener in program history.
• Leading by only 0.10 heading into the final rotation, Alabama posted a season-high 49.450 event total on the floor exercise to secure the victory over the then-No. 3 Missouri Tigers
• Along with the Crimson Tide’s season-high rotation score on floor, Alabama also posted a season-high score on bars – 49.550, as the lowest-counted scorer for UA finished higher than Missouri’s full lineup in the same event.
• Luisa Blanco was named the SEC Co-Gymnast of the Week (Jan. 16) after recording three event titles against the Tigers (all-around, uneven bars, floor exercise) and posting the highest all-around score of any SEC gymnast in week-two action (39.675)

THE TIDE IN THE RANKINGS

• Alabama leads the country on the uneven bars, holding a share of the No. 1 ranking (49.538) with Oklahoma and Oregon State, while simultaneously posting top-six rankings on all four events within the SEC (No. 1 – UB; No. 4 – BB; No. 5 – FX; No. 6 – VT)
• Individually, Blanco sits at No. 2 nationally on the uneven bars, while also holding top-six rankings in the all-around (No. 3), vault (No. 5) and balance beam (No. 6)
• Gabby Gladieux ranks No. 5, nationally, on the floor exercise (9.938) after posting two consecutive 9.9 scores-or-higher to start her sophomore campaign.