April 12, 2008
The Arizona State Sun Devils earned a 193.2 to place sixth at the South Central Regional at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla. Alabama won the competition with a 197.3. Freshman Francesca Mercurio led the Devils by scoring 38.775 in the all-around. Beaté Jones followed with a 38.475 while Tiana Jean earned a 38.4. This is only the third time in ASU gymnastics history that ASU will not be represented at the NCAA Championships.
The Sun Devils started off on beam, compiling a 47.975, their lowest beam score of the season. Ashlee Hinkle and Kaitlynn Bormann led the team with scores of 9.75 each. Mercurio hit her routine to tally a 9.725. Jones earned a 9.550 on the apparatus. Jean suffered her first fall on beam of the season and the Sun Devils were forced to count her score of 9.2 after Brittany Schuett scored a 9.1.
The team picked themselves up after their tough beam set, scoring a solid 48.7 on floor. Hinkle, Jones and Schuett performed their way to scores of 9.8. Jones and Schuett's scores were their second-highest of the season. Jean recorded a 9.75 on her routine. Mercurio earned a 9.55 after stepping out on her first tumbling pass.
On vault, the Sun Devils earned a team score of 48.7. Jones led the way for the Devils with a 9.825. Hinkle followed, scoring a 9.8. Hinkle's vault capped her successful season as she went 39-39 on her events this year. Mary Atkinson hit her vault with a 9.75. Mercurio earned a 9.7 on the event while Jean scored a 9.625.
With the loss of Tia Orlando at the Pac-10 Championships, the Sun Devils were only able to put five athletes on bars and compiled their second-lowest score of the season, 47.825. Jean led the Devils with a clean 9.825. Mercurio stuck her landing and hit her routine to score a 9.8. Atkinson also had a nice set with a 9.775. Jones took a large hop on her landing and earned a 9.3 while Bormann fell on her landing to score a 9.125.
The Sun Devils ended the regular season with a 19th ranking. The Sun Devils will return all seven of the starting line-up next season.