TEMPE, Ariz.--The Arizona State gymnastics team, ranked at No. 36 in the NACGC/W preseason poll, will kick off the 2016 campaign on Friday, hosting No. 11 Nebraska and Bowling Green at 7 p.m. MT inside Wells Fargo Arena.
The home opener is also Princess Night with the Sun Devils, and fans are encouraged to dress up as their favorite prince or princess for the chance to win a prize.
The match will be live streamed via TheSunDevils.com, and fans can also follow along on Twitter by following @ASUGymnastics. Fans are encouraged to tweet with #EmbraceExcellence in support of the 2016 Gym Devils.
Live stats will also be available via the Sun Devil Gymnastics schedule page on TheSunDevils.com.
ABOUT NEBRASKA
The 11th-ranked Cornhuskers return six letterwinners from the 2015 squad, which finished eighth nationally after finishing fourth at the NCAA Semifinals. All-Americans Hollie Blanske and Ashley Lambert, along with senior Madison McConkey and Big Ten Co-Champion Jennie Laeng are set to head up the Nebraska lineup.
ABOUT BOWLING GREEN
The Falcons went 8-8 last season, and return eight gymnasts, including 2015 MAC co-vault champion Lauren Freeley. Bowling Green picked up the program’s two wins over Big Ten Conference opponents last year, and also used a season-best 195.700 to defeat Kent State at home for the first time since 1999.
THE 2016 RETURNERS
ASU returns five gymnasts from last year’s lineup, with seniors Taylor Allex, Carissa Kraus, Kristine Levin, and Allie Salas ready to lead the program. Also back is beam and floor specialist Beka Conrad.
Last season, Allex competed in just her second all-around of the season at the NCAA Regional in Norman, Okla.
THE 2016 NEWCOMERS
The Gym Devils are set to field a young roster in 2016, with six freshmen expected to contribute to the lineup: Corinne Belkoff (Tucson, Ariz./Arizona Dynamics), Justine Callis (Chesapeake, Va./Oaktree Academy), Eileen Imbus (San Antonio, Texas (Aerial Athletics), Katelyn Lentz (Brisbane, Calif./Head Over Heels Athletic Arts), Heather Udowich (Spring Creek Academy), and Morgan Wilson (Lee’s Summit, Mo./Diamond Gymnastics Academy).
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils will next compete on Monday, Jan. 18, opening the Pac-12 slate against Washington at 7 p.m. MT, aired on the Pac-12 Networks.
THE 2016 SCHEDULE
ASU is set for another rigorous schedule this season, kicking off the Pac-12 slate in the second weekend of the year, hosting Washington on Monday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. MT.
The Gym Devils will then hit the road for three consecutive meets, the first at Oklahoma in Norman on Friday, Jan. 22. Then, ASU will resume Pac-12 competition at Oregon State on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 5 p.m. MT, followed by a meet at Stanford on Monday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. MT.
On Monday, Feb. 15, ASU will return home to host California on Monday, Feb. 15, before taking on the rival Arizona Wildcats on Monday, Feb. 22. Both matches are slated for a 7 p.m. MT start.
ASU will return to the road for the final time in the Pac-12 regular-season slate on Saturday, Feb. 27 at UCLA before rounding out the home schedule on Friday, March 4.
During the home finale, ASU will host both Penn State’s women’s and men’s program in a double-dual with the Arizona State men’s gymnastics team.
The final regular-season meet is slated for Friday, Match 11 at Auburn, and on the following Saturday, March 19, ASU will make the trek up to Seattle, Wash., for the 2016 Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships.
GYM DEVILS ON THE PAC-12 NETWORKS
Each of ASU’s three home conference meets (vs. Washington, vs. California, and vs. Arizona) will air on the Pac-12 Networks. The Gym Devils’ meet at UCLA will also be televised on the Pac-12 Networks, as will the sessions of the 2016 Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships.
THE 2015 CAMPAIGN
Despite being plagued by injuries throughout most of the 2015 season, the Sun Devils bounced back in their regular season finale with a 195.175-191.050 victory over Air Force.
Following competition at the Pac-12 Championships, then-senior Natasha Sundby (floor) and then-junior Taylor Allex (all-around) qualified to compete at the NCAA Regional championships.
DR. RENE LYST
Rene Lyst was named head coach of the Arizona State women’s gymnastics team in May of 2014, and enters her second season at the helm of the Sun Devil program in 2016. Lyst helped the Razorbacks have qualified for 11 NCAA Regionals as a team, seven NCAA Championship appearances, five top-10 finishes, and two NCAA Super Six appearances.