Before winter weather hits Fayetteville, the No. 8 Arkansas Gymbacks are set to warm things up inside Bud Walton Arena with a Friday afternoon matchup against Southeast Missouri State (SEMO).
First vault is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT, and fans can expect a high-energy meet as the Gymbacks look to build on their momentum after a statement win last weekend.
Razorbacks Riding High
Arkansas is coming off a big-time performance at home, where they handed then-No. 11 Auburn a 197.250-196.075 loss.
That meet wasn’t just a win - it was a showcase. The Gymbacks outscored the Tigers on every event and took top individual honors across the board: vault, bars, beam, and all-around.
Redshirt junior Lauren Williams led the charge with a thunderous 9.975 on vault, tying the program record and vaulting (pun intended) her to No. 1 in the nation on the event. That performance earned her SEC Specialist of the Week honors, and she’ll be one to watch again on Friday.
Series History: All Arkansas
This will be the eighth meeting between Arkansas and SEMO since 2004, and so far, it’s been all Razorbacks. Arkansas holds a 7-0 record in the series, with six of those wins coming at home. While history is on the Gymbacks’ side, SEMO comes in looking to build on their own early-season progress.
Scouting SEMO
The Redhawks have competed twice this season, most recently posting a season-high 193.350 at the Windy City Invite - a meet where they topped three other teams. Their strength so far has been on beam, where they’re ranked No. 34 nationally with an average score of 48.663. Leah Parton leads the way on that event with a 9.825 average.
Senior Taylor Ingle has been a steady presence for SEMO, leading the team in three of four events and in the all-around with a 38.888 average. She’ll be a key figure if SEMO hopes to push Arkansas in any of the rotations.
Numbers That Matter
Let’s break down the numbers heading into Friday’s meet:
SEMO Redhawks
- Vault: 47.775 average (67th) | Taylor Ingle: 9.813
- Bars: 48.538 (45th) | Taylor Ingle: 9.787
- Beam: 48.663 (34th) | Leah Parton: 9.825
- Floor: 48.100 (67th) | Taylor Ingle: 9.825
- All-Around: 193.075 (53rd) | Taylor Ingle: 38.888
Arkansas Gymbacks
- Vault: 49.313 (3rd) | Lauren Williams: 9.938
- Bars: 49.175 (11th) | Leah Smith: 9.875
- Beam: 49.288 (9th) | Joscelyn Roberson: 9.950
- Floor: 49.200 (13th) | Frankie Price: 9.875
- All-Around: 196.975 (8th) | Allison Cucci: 39.350
These numbers paint a clear picture: Arkansas has the edge across all four events, but SEMO’s beam lineup has the potential to make things interesting. If the Redhawks can hit cleanly and stay composed, they could challenge Arkansas in at least one rotation.
Game Day Details
Admission is free for Friday’s meet, and fans holding tickets who can’t make it are encouraged to contact the Ticket Center at 479-575-5151 to exchange for a future 2026 home meet.
Parking will be available in Lots 320-322, with access to the arena through the south entrance off Nolan Richardson Drive. Doors open at 11:45 a.m., team introductions begin at 12:45 p.m., and the first vault kicks off at 1:00 p.m.
Can’t make it in person? The meet will stream live on SEC Network+, and live scoring will be available via Virtius.
What to Watch
This is more than just a non-conference meet. For Arkansas, it’s a chance to keep building confidence and consistency before diving deeper into SEC play. For SEMO, it’s an opportunity to test themselves against one of the top programs in the country and sharpen routines under pressure.
Keep an eye on Lauren Williams on vault - she’s not just aiming to match her record-tying score from last week; she’s looking to own that record outright. And don’t overlook the beam rotation - both squads have talent there, and it could be the most competitive event of the afternoon.
All signs point to another strong showing from the Gymbacks, but as always in gymnastics, execution is everything. One wobble can swing a rotation. One stuck landing can electrify a crowd.
Friday’s meet might be a warm-up to the winter storm, but inside Bud Walton Arena, it’s going to be all fire.