TEMPE, Ariz.—The Arizona State gymnastics team and head coach Jay Santos announced on Thursday that 2016 NCAA Championships qualifier and Tuscaloosa Regional Vault Champion Taylor Allex will return to the squad with a fifth year of eligibility.
"Having Taylor join us for one more year is such a bonus for us as we are working hard to get back to a competitive level in the Pac-12," Santos said. "She brings both NCAA Regional and National level experience and we will be expecting her to help lead our young squad along with senior Beka Conrad."
Allex posted a career high 9.900 on vault five times last season, including at the Tuscaloosa Regional. She recorded that score or higher 10 times overall last season to lead the Gym Devils. She also either won or tied for first on vault seven times.
The Becker, Minn. native was the Gym Devils' first NCAA Championships qualifier since Mary Atkinson qualified as an all-arounder in 2010.
ASU's first Pac-12 Conference First-Teamer on vault since 1997, Allex was also recognized on the Pac-12 All-Academic Team's Honorable Mention List, and was named a NACGC/W Scholastic All-American on July 22.
The Gym Devils will have three more newcomers on Santos' first squad, with incoming freshmen Graycee Rushton (Arizona Dynamics) and Mekayla Jones (JamJev Gymnastics), and junior transfer Nichelle Christopherson (Michigan).
"We are excited to have these three gymnasts join our team in the fall," Santos said. "All three of them will provide much needed depth to all of our line-ups including the Uneven Bars which needs the most improvement from the 2016 season. Nichelle, who is transferring from the University of Michigan, has a lot of high-level experience from both club and college, which includes being a part of two Big 10 Championships teams in 2015 and 2016. Both Graycee and Mekayla were 2016 J.O. National qualifiers and had strong senior seasons."
Christopherson, a two-time J.O. National Championships qualifier in 2011 and 2014, recorded personal best on bars with a 9.900 in Michigan's tri-meet against Maryland and Eastern Michigan (Feb. 8, 2016), and also set a new best on floor with a 9.875 at the 2016 Big Ten Championships (March 19, 2016).
Rushton capped her senior season with the Arizona Dynamics at the 2016 JO Nationals, where she finished in the top-20 on bars. She set a Level 10 career best with a 9.725 on bars, placing her in the top-100 in the country.
Jones opened her senior season strong, taking the vault, bars, and all-around titles at the 2016 Elevate the Stage meet in Birmingham, Ala. She also finished as the all-around runner-up twice, first at the IGI Chicago Style meet on Feb. 12 and then at the 2016 Alabama Optional State Championship on March 18.
"Having Taylor join us for one more year is such a bonus for us as we are working hard to get back to a competitive level in the Pac-12," Santos said. "She brings both NCAA Regional and National level experience and we will be expecting her to help lead our young squad along with senior Beka Conrad."
Allex posted a career high 9.900 on vault five times last season, including at the Tuscaloosa Regional. She recorded that score or higher 10 times overall last season to lead the Gym Devils. She also either won or tied for first on vault seven times.
The Becker, Minn. native was the Gym Devils' first NCAA Championships qualifier since Mary Atkinson qualified as an all-arounder in 2010.
ASU's first Pac-12 Conference First-Teamer on vault since 1997, Allex was also recognized on the Pac-12 All-Academic Team's Honorable Mention List, and was named a NACGC/W Scholastic All-American on July 22.
The Gym Devils will have three more newcomers on Santos' first squad, with incoming freshmen Graycee Rushton (Arizona Dynamics) and Mekayla Jones (JamJev Gymnastics), and junior transfer Nichelle Christopherson (Michigan).
"We are excited to have these three gymnasts join our team in the fall," Santos said. "All three of them will provide much needed depth to all of our line-ups including the Uneven Bars which needs the most improvement from the 2016 season. Nichelle, who is transferring from the University of Michigan, has a lot of high-level experience from both club and college, which includes being a part of two Big 10 Championships teams in 2015 and 2016. Both Graycee and Mekayla were 2016 J.O. National qualifiers and had strong senior seasons."
Christopherson, a two-time J.O. National Championships qualifier in 2011 and 2014, recorded personal best on bars with a 9.900 in Michigan's tri-meet against Maryland and Eastern Michigan (Feb. 8, 2016), and also set a new best on floor with a 9.875 at the 2016 Big Ten Championships (March 19, 2016).
Rushton capped her senior season with the Arizona Dynamics at the 2016 JO Nationals, where she finished in the top-20 on bars. She set a Level 10 career best with a 9.725 on bars, placing her in the top-100 in the country.
Jones opened her senior season strong, taking the vault, bars, and all-around titles at the 2016 Elevate the Stage meet in Birmingham, Ala. She also finished as the all-around runner-up twice, first at the IGI Chicago Style meet on Feb. 12 and then at the 2016 Alabama Optional State Championship on March 18.