TEMPE, Ariz.--The Arizona State gymnastics team (1-8, 0-5 Pac-12) travels to Los Angeles on Saturday for its final Pac-12 match-up of the regular season, taking on the No. 6 UCLA Bruins (5-2, 4-1 Pac-12) at 2 p.m. MT in Pauley Pavilion.
The meet is set to air on the Pac-12 Networks. Fans can also follow along on Twitter by following @ASUGymnastics. Fans are encouraged to tweet with #EmbraceExcellence in support of the 2016 Gym Devils.
ABOUT UCLA
The Bruins closed the meet out strong on the road last Sunday, beating the Washington Huskies in Seattle, 196.675-196.450.
Sadiqua Bynum led the way on vault, winning the meet with a 9.875. On bars, Sophina DeJesus led the Bruins with a first place score of 9.925, while Rechelle Dennis and Danusia Francis each contributed 9.800s. Mikaela Gerber contributed a career high 9.875 on beam, followed by Angie Cipra’s career high 9.850. Francis also posted a meet-winning 9.925. On floor, the Bruins hit two 9.950s from Cipra and Bynum, while DeJesus scored a season high 9.925, her third consecutive 9.9+.
Last season, ASU posted a 194.250 at home against the Bruins, falling short to their 197.350.
LAST TIME OUT
The Sun Devils posted three new event season highs against Arizona with a 193.975 team score in Wells Fargo Arena.
For the second consecutive week, the Gym Devils surpassed a 49 on floor, this time with a new season high 49.250. Taylor Allex scored a team high 9.925, winning the event for the second consecutive week. Allie Salas hit a 9.875 for a personal career high, while Corinne Belkoff scored her third consecutive 9.875.
On vault, the Gym Devils posted a season high 48.825. Allex posted a 9.900, tying her career high. Salas followed with a season high 9.850, and Belkoff had a career high 9.775. Beam featured a career high 9.825 score for Beka Conrad, along with a 48.650 team season high.
Salas’ scores were enough for the all-around victory, her first, at 39.100, while Heather Udowitch stepped up for the Gym Devils, making her debut in the all-around competition, scoring a 37.425.
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils will have their final home meet of the season on Friday, March 4, hosting Penn State in Wells Fargo Arena. The meet is a dual meet with the men’s gymnastics team.
The meet is slated for a 7 p.m. MT start, and will be live streamed on TheSunDevils.com. Prior to the meet, the Sun Devils will honor their seniors: Taylor Allex, Carissa Kraus, and Allie Salas.
ASU’S 2016 EVENT LEADERS
Vault
In ASU’s Pac-12 opener, at home against Washington, Taylor Allex matched her career best score on vault, winning the event with a 9.900. The score marked the first time Allex has won vault this season.
Bars
The Sun Devils posted four of the top-five bars scores this season against California, led by Carissa Kraus’ 9.850. Katelyn Lentz followed with a new best, 9.800, while Eileen Imbus posted a career best 9.775, and Corinne Belkoff scored a 9.750.
Beam
Freshman Katelyn Lentz tied her season best score on beam against Arizona with a 9.825, which she also scored at Oregon State. Junior Beka Conrad scored a career high 9.825 against California, and matched that score again against Arizona. Also against the Bears, Corinne Belkoff posted the No. 3 mark at 9.800, which Lentz also scored against Washington.
Floor
Taylor Allex set a new career high on floor with a 9.950, tying for first place in the event in the meet against Cal. Against Arizona, Allex hit a 9.925, her second highest career score, and her second consecutive 9.9+ on the season.
All Around
Allie Salas won the all-around for the first time in her career, posting a personal best 39.100 against Arizona. That score would also be the Gym Devils’ season best score. Katelyn Lentz posted a personal best 38.975 all-around score, placing second at Stanford.
Gym Devils Post All-Time High Team GPA In Fall 2015
The Fall 2015 semester was a time of academic success for the GymDevils as the team achieved its all-time highest cumulative and semester GPA, it was announced this week.
Last spring, the team ended with a GPA of 3.27 for the semester, which improved after the 2015 fall semester to a GPA of 3.51. In addition to the team’s collective achievements, seniors Taylor Allex (3.65 GPA) and Kristine Levin (3.27 GPA) and junior Beka Conrad (3.67 GPA) all earned their highest semester GPA.
Freshman Corinne Belkoff had the team’s highest semester GPA at 3.93. Belkoff, as well as freshmen Katelyn Lentz, Heather Udowitch and Eileen Imbus are all students in Barrett, the Honors College.
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 Udowitch (Spring Creek Academy), and Morgan Wilson (Lee’s Summit, Mo./Diamond Gymnastics Academy).
THE 2016 SCHEDULE
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.