FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — From a torn ACL to a vault title, Arkansas redshirt freshman Cami Weaver has become an inspiration for the Razorback athletic program.
Weaver began her freshman season in the fall of 2022 and made her collegiate debut in the Gymback's second meet of the season against Auburn.
In front of a program record crowd of ten-thousand people, Weaver tore her ACL on vault. In the blink of an eye her freshman season was over.
"I was on the ground, there were ten-thousand people there starring at me." said Arkansas redshirt freshman Cami Weaver. "The doctor rushed over there, so I knew something had to be wrong. I heard him whisper ACL and I said no way."
"Heartbreak, for Cami last year, her freshman year, she just had an incredible preseason and was looking so good," said Arkansas head gymnastics coach Jordyn Wieber.
A ten month rehab would begin right away with Weaver acting as a cheerleader for her team the rest of the season.
"I was in the gym every single day from eight to twelve doing rehab and there was no time for me to be down on myself," said Weaver.
After working as hard as she ever has, Weaver was cleared in the beginning of December, with the goal of being ready for the Razorback's first meet of the season.
"She had shown tremendous amount of grit in her comeback, she has comeback very well and very strong," said Wieber.
The Hogs began the 2023 season with a meet at Nebraska where Weaver was penciled into the lineup on vault. "I took advantage of the nerves and the adrenaline and I used it," said Weaver"
The redshirt freshman would put together a score of 9.850 to share the vault title with teammates Norah Flatley. The same vault that took her freshman season just twelve months prior.
"I just went in and did my vault and it was the best vault I've done," said Weaver. "I don't even know how to explain the feeling, I loved every second of it"
Weaver says the best part of her return was the support her teammates had along the way.
"that is one of those moments where you feel like it's all worth it," said Weaver.
Weaver and the Hogs are back in action Friday night against #7 Alabama for the home opener.