“It’s undoubtedly not going to be simple, however this staff has continued to shock me all season.”
That’s what Arkansas head coach Jordyn Wieber stated this week forward of the 2024 NCAA Girls’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 appropriate when she says something is feasible. The Razorbacks have damaged a number of program information this season and continued to show many individuals flawed after they beat out No. 7 Kentucky and No. 15 Minnesota on the Fayetteville regional for a spot within the semifinals in Fort Price, 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 staff is greater than prepared due to the tough schedule they already needed to resist 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 may’t get extra excessive strain than our day two regional meet with the groups that we had there, so that they’re actually ready for this.”
Arkansas has already confronted off towards LSU and Cal earlier this yr. The Razorbacks didn’t get the win, however since these meets occurred, the staff has elevated their total rating by greater than a degree.
Sophomore Lauren Williams and graduate scholar switch Sirena Linton have each competed on the nationwide stage within the particular person competitors, so their expertise is coming in useful for the staff’s preparation. Wieber stated that Williams and Linton are each members of the management staff for the Gymbacks and have been capable of present peace of thoughts and reign within the staff’s focus when speaking about what to anticipate.
“That was actually Lauren’s purpose that she expressed to us. After final yr, making it as a person, she discovered quite a bit and noticed what she noticed from the opposite groups and stated, ‘Guys now we have it, we simply have to determine learn how to 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 staff,” 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. staff that many individuals know because the “Fierce 5.” Wieber stated the one recommendation she retains giving the staff is to remain current, calm and constant.
The Razorbacks might be beginning on beam within the semifinals, which hasn’t occurred for them but this season. Wieber stated that by means of follow this week she will be able to inform that at this level it’s muscle reminiscence, so if they’ll keep within the second, she feels assured that they are going to reach any situation.
“We’ve chatted with the staff just a little 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 recreation plan.”
Wieber is feeling all the joy and strain together with her staff 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 reworked it right into a nationally-contending staff.
2019-2020 was Wieber’s first season as Arkansas’ head coach. She had her work lower out for her since this was only one yr after the NCAA championships moved from a 12-team to eight staff format. Arkansas has lastly match all the appropriate items into the puzzle and achieved their purpose of gracing the nationwide stage for the primary time since 2018.
“That is what we anticipated to do,” Wieber stated. “That is what we wished to do, and it actually seems like we took an enormous step this yr. I do know final yr, not making it to day two, the staff was feeling actually unhappy. They expressed to us at the start of this yr that they wished to be the staff that obtained over that hump of not simply being happy with making day two regionals, however being the staff 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 might be named on the conclusion of each Thursday semifinals. For extra info, click on right here.