AUBURN, ALABAMA – JANUARY 17: The Arkansas Razorbacks cheer on a teammate competing on the floor … [+]
The field is set for the 2025 SEC Gymnastics Champions in Birmingham, Alabama, later this month. Though all nine gymnastics teams rank among the nation’s top-25 programs, only eight will advance to the SEC Championships.
Despite a historic season that included multiple upset wins and attendance records, the No. 16 Arkansas Razorbacks will not be permitted to compete in Birmingham. After the powerhouse Oklahoma Sooners were added to the SEC due to conference realignment, the Southeastern Conference opted to modify its championship layout.
In December 2024, the SEC confirmed the new programming in a press release, stating the new format “will include the top eight teams (determined by NQS), with Seeds 5-8 competing in the afternoon session, and Seeds 1-4 competing in the evening session.” Previously, all eight teams qualified regardless of national ranking, with four teams competing per session. Now, one team would miss out.
Fans and experts were quick to point out that the issue could be remedied by adding a bye rotation. Byes are common in NCAA women’s gymnastics. Up until the 2019 season, the sport’s National Championship featured six gymnastics programs, with all six teams receiving a bye rotation.
Despite the precedent for byes in championship meets, SEC officials would not budge. Though his No. 2 Tigers are firmly qualified for conference championships, LSU Coach Jay Clark voiced frustrations over the change in an internal press conference.
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA – FEBRUARY 7: Head Coach Jay Clark of the LSU Tigers gives instructions at … [+]
“It’s kind of amazing to me that you can be in the top 15 in the country and not make your conference championship,” Clark said, visibly dismayed. When pressed on potential solutions by reporters, Clark shared that the SEC discussed implementing a five-team session with a bye, but that the idea fell flat as “TV gets involved.”
Clark wasn’t alone in his critiques of the new format. Though Auburn narrowly edged out Arkansas for the eighth spot, Coach Jeff Graba acknowledged the nuance of the situation for all teams involved. “It might be harder to win the SEC Championships than the NCAA championships,” Graba said.
Regardless of national ranking, the ninth seed is out in 2025. After failing to reach the score needed to qualify, the No. 16 Arkansas Razorbacks sealed their fate as the SEC’s unlucky ninth team on Friday.
Coached by Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Wieber and led by Olympic alternate Joscelyn Roberson, the Razorbacks won’t just miss out on an opportunity to compete for the SEC team title – their top gymnasts will lose title shots. Roberson is among the SEC’s best gymnasts, holding top-10 rankings on both beam and floor.
AUBURN, ALABAMA – JANUARY 17: Joscelyn Roberson of the Arkansas Razorbacks competes on the floor … [+]
With today’s results, the former World Champion and freshman phenom will no longer be able to challenge for SEC event titles. Frankie Price, ranked 12th on floor in the SEC, is also out of contention for the Razorbacks. In addition to missed title opportunities, the Razorbacks now head toward the postseason at a disadvantage.
When the SEC, Big 12, and Big Ten championships occur next weekend, the Razorbacks will be sitting at home in Fayetteville, unable to record another total to boost their National Qualifying Score (NQS). Just like that, Arkansas now loses control over its postseason destiny. The reasoning? Their conference is too large and too strong.
With their current NQS, Coach Wieber’s team would rank second in the Big 12, third in the ACC, and fourth in the Big Ten. In the SEC, they’re dead last.
As Coach Clark succinctly stated: “The SEC’s focus has to be on how we best prepare our teams to move into the NCAA postseason.” But with the nation’s 16th-best team now removed from a vital scoring opportunity, the gymnastics community looks to the SEC to reconsider its controversial format.
Read the full article here