BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama gymnast Azaraya Ra-Akbar was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday.

The Baltimore, Md., native raised her career-high vault score to a 9.975 while also adding a 9.950 on uneven bars and a 9.900 on floor to help propel the Crimson Tide to a season-high 197.950 team total in its victory over No. 8 Arkansas. The freshman captured event titles on vault and bars, bringing her season total to seven. During Week 6 SEC competition, Ra-Akbar recorded the highest freshman vault score and tied for the top rookie bars score. It marked the third time this season – and second consecutive meet – that Ra-Akbar posted three scores of 9.900 or higher in a single competition, all coming against top-eight nationally ranked SEC opponents.

• Second career SEC weekly honor

  • Jan. 20 – Gymnast of the Week
  • Feb. 17 – Freshman of the Week

• Ranks No. 2 in the Central Region on both vault and uneven bars
• Her 9.950 on bars against Arkansas marked her third score of 9.950 or better on the apparatus
• Earned two event titles against Arkansas – vault (9.975) and uneven bars (9.950)
• Raised her career-high vault score to 9.975 one week after first setting it at 9.950 against Oklahoma
• First UA gymnast to earn multiple SEC weekly honors in a season since program legend and Paris Olympian Luisa Blanco in 2024