Feb. 14, 2013
STANFORD, Calif.—The 25th-ranked Arizona State women’s gymnastics (2-4, 0-3 Pac-12) team travels to Stanford, Calif. to take on the 10th-ranked Cardinal, Friday, in a nationally televised match-up on the Pac-12 Network. The meet will be broadcast on tape delay on Sat., Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. MT.
The Gym Devils are coming off their third-consecutive 195-plus performance, including scoring a 195.450 in front of over 14,000 on the road at Utah. With its 195.450 score against Oregon State, ASU entered the top-25 for the first time this season.
The Arizona State squad is the youngest in the Pac-12 with seven freshmen and four sophomores on the 14-gymnast roster. The team relies so heavily on the young team that 21 out of the 24 line-up spots against Oregon State were occupied by underclassman. Graduate student Kahoku Palafox (UB, BB) and senior Amelia Rew (UB) are the only veteran Sun Devils competing.
Improving every week, the Sun Devil vault line-up score three successive 9.850's in the event with both freshmen Carissa Kraus and Erin Hamister landing career highs. ASU also toped the 49 mark on floor for the second time this season, scoring a 49.075 with four scores above 9.800.
Pac-12 Live Stream
The Pac-12.com will provide an online webcast for all five of the Sun Devil home gymnastic meets. The Pac-12 live streamed the Gym Devil’s season opener against then-No. 4 Oklahoma for one of Arizona State’s first Pac-12 live streams. Meets against UCLA, Oregon State, Washington and Bridgeport will also be streamed live via http://pac-12.com/live/thesundevils.
GYMNASTS TO WATCH
Natasha Sundby
Sophomore Natasha Sundby has set new highs in every event she has competed this season including recording a 9.9 on floor to win the event title over the No. 1-ranked floor team of UCLA. Sundby’s routine won her ASU’s first Pac-12 weekly honor, since 2009, for Event Specialist on Jan. 29. Sundby also anchors the vault line-up averaging a 9.840 over five meets in the event.
Kahoku Palafox
Graduate student Kahoku Palafox is one of the Gym Devils’ top bar workers recording a season-best 9.875 on the road at Sacramento State. Look for Palafox to switch up her landing on bars after she debuted a new dismount against Oregon State on Feb. 8. Palafox was also a 2012 Academic All-American and a three-time Pac-12 first-team All-Academic honoree.
Brianna Gades
Sophomore Brianna Gades is one of Arizona State’s most consistent gymnasts. Known for her clean lines and elegance of her performances, eight of Gades’ 10 beam and floor routines have earned a 9.800 or better. Gades also competes on bars where she recorded a season-high and career-high 9.800 at Utah.
Stephanie Miceli
Freshman Stephanie Miceli has improved on a meet-to-meet basis. Last meet against Oregon State, Miceli hit a career-high 9.775 on bars. Anchoring beam as a freshman, Miceli hit back-to-back 9.850’s before scoring a 9.825 against Oregon State. The New Yorker also returned to the floor line-up against the Beavers, scoring a 9.825 in her second-ever floor routine competed.
Risa Perez
Freshman Risa Perez is known for bubbly personality, facial expression and showmanship on beam and floor. Perez opened up the season scoring a 9.825 on floor against Oklahoma, performing a near flawless routine. Since the opening meet, Perez has struggled in areas in the event, especially in her opening pass. However, if Perez hits in every area of the routine, the sky is the limit for the dynamic gymnast. The freshman also performs a unique beam routine where she showcases her charisma, flexibility and her affinity for choreography.
Morgan Steigerwalt
Sophomore Morgan Steigerwalt is easing back into the Sun Devil line-up after nursing a sore ankle. In her first vault in collegiate competition at Utah, Steigerwalt scored a 9.800 for ASU. Her floor routine is also dramatic and graceful and seemed to capture the entire crowd’s attention while at Utah, scoring a 9.825. Steigerwalt was removed from the Oregon State floor line-up as to be extra careful not to over extend the sophomore.