“It’s undoubtedly not going to be straightforward, however this crew has continued to shock me all season.”
That’s what Arkansas head coach Jordyn Wieber stated this week forward of the 2024 NCAA Ladies’s Gymnastics Championships.
“I’m gonna guess that they’re gonna go in feeling actually aggressive, however persevering with to do the issues which have helped us win and succeed thus far this season. I’m simply excited to see how day one goes, and I feel something is feasible.”
Wieber is right when she says something is feasible. The Razorbacks have damaged a number of program information this season and continued to show many individuals mistaken after they beat out No. 7 Kentucky and No. 15 Minnesota on the Fayetteville regional for a spot within the semifinals in Fort Value, Texas.
Thursday would be the Gymbacks hardest competitors but as they face No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Cal, and Stanford, with simply the highest two advancing. Wieber says that the crew is greater than prepared because of the troublesome schedule they already needed to withstand this level.
“The advantage of our convention is that we’ve been in some actually excessive strain conditions many, many occasions, even all through the common season,” Wieber stated. “And you’ll’t get extra excessive strain than our day two regional meet with the groups that we had there, in order that they’re actually ready for this.”
Arkansas has already confronted off in opposition to LSU and Cal earlier this yr. The Razorbacks didn’t get the win, however since these meets passed off, the crew has elevated their total rating by greater than some extent.
Sophomore Lauren Williams and graduate pupil switch Sirena Linton have each competed on the nationwide stage within the particular person competitors, so their expertise is coming in helpful for the crew’s preparation. Wieber stated that Williams and Linton are each members of the management crew for the Gymbacks and have been in a position to present peace of thoughts and reign within the crew’s focus when speaking about what to anticipate.
“That was actually Lauren’s objective that she expressed to us. After final yr, making it as a person, she realized quite a bit and noticed what she noticed from the opposite groups and stated, ‘Guys we have now it, we simply have to determine how one can make it occur.’ I’m actually excited that we did that, and I feel they’re (Williams and Linton) thrilled to have the ability to be going again with their crew,” Wieber stated.
Wieber isn’t any stranger to high-pressure meets herself after being a part of the 2012 Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. crew that many individuals know because the “Fierce 5.” Wieber stated the one recommendation she retains giving the crew is to remain current, calm and constant.
The Razorbacks will probably be beginning on beam within the semifinals, which hasn’t occurred for them but this season. Wieber stated that via observe this week she will inform that at this level it’s muscle reminiscence, so if they will keep within the second, she feels assured that they may reach any state of affairs.
“We’ve chatted with the crew a bit bit about it they usually simply say they really feel like it doesn’t matter what occasion we’re beginning on or ending on they actually have felt like this yr we simply take it one occasion at a time,” Wieber stated. “In order that’s our sport plan.”
Wieber is feeling all the thrill and strain together with her crew since that is her first time as a head coach to make it previous regionals. On the younger age of 23, she took over the Razorback program, and now, in simply 5 years, has remodeled it right into a nationally-contending crew.
2019-2020 was Wieber’s first season as Arkansas’ head coach. She had her work reduce out for her since this was only one yr after the NCAA championships moved from a 12-team to eight crew format. Arkansas has lastly match all the proper items into the puzzle and achieved their objective of gracing the nationwide stage for the primary time since 2018.
“That is what we anticipated to do,” Wieber stated. “That is what we needed to do, and it actually appears like we took a giant step this yr. I do know final yr, not making it to day two, the crew was feeling actually unhappy. They expressed to us in the beginning of this yr that they needed to be the crew that acquired over that hump of not simply being glad with making day two regionals, however being the crew that did it – that lastly certified to Nationals.”
Wieber and the Razorbacks will compete in Semifinal 1 on Thursday, April 18 at 4:30 p.m. ET, stay on ESPN2. The 2 highest-scoring groups from Semifinal 1 will advance with the 2 highest-scoring groups from Semifinal 2, Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, and compete within the nationwide championship on Saturday, April 20 at 4 p.m. ET. Particular person titles and All-People will probably be named on the conclusion of each Thursday semifinals. For extra data, click on right here.
