TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona State gymnastics team, ranked at No. 31 in the NACGC/W preseason poll, will kick off the 2018 campaign Saturday night playing host to No. 14 Auburn, No. 20 Iowa and No. 29 Iowa State in a quad meet inside Wells Fargo Arena. The meet is slated for a 4 p.m. MT start.
The home outing will be live streamed via Arizona State's Pac-12 live stream available HERE. Live stats will also be accessible courtesy of asu.statbroadcast.com.
Fans can also follow the action on Twitter @SunDevilGym and on Instagram @SunDevilGymnastics. Fans are encouraged to tweet with #SunDevilPower in support of the 2018 Gym Devils.
Scouting The Opposition
Auburn: The Auburn Tigers are coached by three-time SEC Coach of the Year Jeff Graba…finished last year with three consecutive high scores capped by a 196.600 at the NCAA Fayetteville Regional…coming off a year in which the Tigers finished at No. 21 in the rankings, Auburn is slotted at No. 14 in the Preseason Coaches Poll…features returning veterans Abby Milliet, Taylor Krippner, Emma Engler, and Samantha Cerio.
Iowa State: The Iowa State Cyclones are coached by Jay Ronayne, who is in his 12th season at the helm…the Cyclones return an experienced group that was an NCAA participant at the Lincoln Regional…finished the regular season with a season high score of 196.600 at Alabama…extremely successful at home, compiling a 7-1 mark, falling only to No. 1 Oklahoma…finished ahead of No. 14 George Washington at the Missouri Quad Meet.
Iowa: The Iowa Hawkeyes are coached by reigning Big Ten Coach of the Year Larissa Libby…finished the season at No. 18 in the country, the second consecutive Top-20 finish for the program…recorded the best championship score in program history at the 2017 Big Ten Championship with a 196.725, good enough for a third-place finish...return three All-Big Ten performers in seniors Melissa Zurawski and Lanie Snyder along with a pair of sophomores that earned Big Ten freshmen of the week honors last season in sophomores Charlotte Sullivan and Clair Kaji.
Season Prospectus
Announced in October, Arizona State's gauntlet of a 2018 slate sees the Gym Devils take on five programs – Oklahoma, Utah, Washington, Denver and Oregon State – who all advanced to compete in the 2017 National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships. In addition to the aforementioned teams, the Gym Devils will face off with five other squads that capped the 2017 season ranked nationally in the top-25 including Auburn, California, Iowa, Arkansas and West Virginia. Following their season-opening quad-meet on Jan. 6 the Gym Devils will hit the road to face off against Big 12 member West Virginia on Jan. 14.
Arizona State will then kick start Pac-12 play with a visit to the Bay Area to take on Stanford on Jan. 20. The Gym Devils will return home the following weekend for their Pac-12 home opener, hosting California on Sunday, Jan. 28. The meet is set to be televised via Pac-12 Networks.
The team will follow their brief home stay with consecutive road weekends, starting with Oregon State and defending 2017 Pac-12 Champions Utah, on Feb. 3 and Feb. 9, respectively. Both meets will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
Arizona State will host back-to-back home meets the following weekends, welcoming Washington on Saturday, Feb. 17, followed by Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Gym Devils outing with Washington will be televised via Pac-12 Networks, while Arizona State's matchup with in-state rival Arizona on Feb. 24, will represent a rematch of the teams' 2017 meet, that saw the Gym Devils capture a 195.700-195.375 over the then-No. 23 Wildcats.
ASU will again hit the road for a Saturday, Mar. 3, meet against Minnesota, before traveling to Norman, Okla. for another quad-meet against Oklahoma, Denver, and Arkansas on Mar. 9. The meet will be hosted by two-time national defending champions, Oklahoma. Denver is also coming off an impressive season in which they qualified to the NCAA National Championships. Additionally, Arkansas finished last season ranked in the top-25.
Arizona State will then cap the 2017 non-conference slate and regular season partaking in a Sacramento State-hosted quad-meet with UC Davis and Pac-12 counterpart Oregon State on Friday, Mar. 16.
The Pac-12 season will conclude on Saturday, Mar. 24 with Arizona set to host the 2018 Pac-12 Championships.
Returners
The Gym Devils return 22 routines and 12 letterwinners from 2017. Senior leader Nichelle Christopherson constitutes the lone senior on the roster while juniors Corinne Belkoff, Justine Callis, Heather Udowitch, Katelyn Lentz and Morgan Wilson return for their respective third seasons with the program. The Gym Devils also return six sophomores in Averie Brook, Jessica Ginn, Morgan Hart, Mekayla Jones, Graycee Rushton, and Ashley Szafranski.
Newcomers
The offseason proved generous for the Gym Devils who welcomed a pair of high-caliber collegiate transfers in Anne Kuhm (University of Paris-Dauphine/Junior) and Kaitlyn Szafranski (Louisiana State University/Junior) and trio a freshmen - Cairo Leonard-Baker (Oakland, Calif.), Molly McNamara (Pearland, Texas), Maya Williams (Reistertown, Md.) - expected to immediately elevate the program.
Olympic Flair
Junior Gym Devil Anne Kuhm joins the Arizona State program with international competition experience to her credit. A member of the French national team since 2009, she competed in the 2012 London Olympics for Team France, who finished in 11th place. Kuhm was selected as a reserve for the all-around final. She participated in the 2012 & 2016 Olympic Test Event, helping France qualify a full team to the Olympics on both occasions. Most recently Kuhm was selected as an alternate for France in the 2016 Rio Olympics. She also earned further international experience competing for France at the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow. Kuhm is a two-time French national all-around champion (2011 and 2012). She also finished second at the National Championships on bars and floor. In 2011, Kuhm was the French Junior National Champion in the All-Around.
2018 Sun Devil Gymnastics Home Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 6 — Auburn, Iowa & Iowa State — 4 p.m. MST (Wells Fargo Arena)
Sunday, Jan. 28 — California — 12 p.m. MST (Wells Fargo Arena)
Saturday, Feb. 17 — Washington — 11:30 a.m. MST (Wells Fargo Arena)
Saturday, Feb. 24 — Arizona — 4 p.m. MST (Wells Fargo Arena)
Sun Devil Athletics #GreenGameASU Campaign
Saturday's quad meet will constitute Arizona State's green meet of the 2018 campaign. Sustainability is one of the pillars of Arizona State University, and Sun Devil Athletics prides itself with aligning the department to minimize its carbon footprint. Join us for the and let's make the world more sustainable!
Baskett Joins #GymDevil Staff
Arizona State gymnastics head coach Jay Santos announced in August, the addition of former national champion and 12-time All-American Kristina Baskett to the Sun Devil coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2018 season. Baskett compiled a prolific career as a gymnast at the University of Utah. She competed as a member of the Red Rocks program from 2006-09, helping to pace the squad to three-consecutive second-place national finishes. She most notably won the 2006 NCAA uneven bar title as a freshman. She also received second-team All-American honors on vault at the 2006 NCAA Championships. A highly decorated competitor for the Red Rocks, Baskett also earned Silver medals on vault in 2008 and in the all-around in 2009. Baskett comes to Tempe after recently serving as a stunt double in a number of renowned T.V. series and blockbuster movies. Baskett has accumulated 63 total credits in her professional acting career, while making appearances in popular films such as Jason Bourne and Olympus Has Fallen.
2017 In Retrospect
Under first-year head coach Jay Santos, the Gym Devils finished the 2017 season 3-10 and 1-5 in conference play. The team saw tremendous growth on the season, hitting a season high team score in five of six consecutive meets including a season high 195.700 at Arizona. The Gym Devils scored 195+ in four separate meets, the first time that has happened since the 2014 season. The team showed significant improvement on bars and beam from the 2016 season. Their bars regional qualifying score increased from a 48.24 in 2016 to a 48.8 in 2017 while beam improved from 48.57 to 48.93. The Gym Devils finished the season ranked 29th in the country on beam. The Gym Devils also bested then-No. 23 Arizona for the program's first Pac-12 win since 2014 and the coveted Territorial Cup series point. At the Pac-12 Championship, the Gym Devils completed the season with a 195.600, their second highest team score of the season, plus a season-high 49.275 on beam in the final rotation, the highest team beam score since March 13, 2009. It was the second highest team total for the program at a championship meet since 2004 when they scored a 196.775.
In The Rankings
The Gym Devils check in at No. 31 in the NACGC/W preseason coaches poll, jumping 10 slots from their 2017 postseason ranking of No. 41. The ten-spot move constitutes the most significant rise in the rankings in that span. Collectively the Pac-12 Conference proves well-represented in the rankings as six of its eight programs appear within the top-25.
Arizona State is positioned in eighth in the preseason Pac-12 women's gymnastics poll. Reigning conference champion UCLA tops the league list, announced in mid-December.
Academic Excellence
Academic excellence has become an integral standard within the Gym Devil program. In 2017 Arizona State placed seven student-athletes on Pac-12 All-Academic teams, while ten members of the squad garnered Scholastics All-America recognition (NACGC/W). As a contingent Arizona State gymnastics was one of seven Sun Devil programs recognized as an APR (Academic Progress Report) top-10 percent performer in 2017. Exemplifying the team's academic excellence, the Gym Devils managed a perfect score of 1000.
Ticket Info
Secure your tickets for the 2018 gymnastics season today. Existing season ticket holders can renew online or by calling (480) 727-3539. At only $25 you can guarantee a spot to every Sun Devil Gymnastics home meet.
Purchase new season tickets here to secure tickets to every home meet before prices increase.
Purchase a season 4 pack for just $80 at the loyalty price, and just $100 for new purchasers, and ensure yourself and three others tickets to every home meet this season.
Single-meet tickets are also now on sale and start at just $8.
SDA Clear Bag Policy
In order to enhance public safety, Sun Devil Athletics will now enforce their Clear Bag Policy at all ticketed events hosted at SDA facilities. Fans may bring in one (1) clear bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12" or a 1-gallon plastic storage bag. Fans are limited to one clear bag per person, along with a small clutch or purse for privacy. Please refer to the pictures above for non-approved bags.
Sun Devil Athletics adopted the Clear Bag policy to improve public safety at our venues and provide a great game day experience by making access at all facilities more efficient. This proactive measure will enhance security inside and outside of the athletics venues and speed up the security screening process for all fans.
The home outing will be live streamed via Arizona State's Pac-12 live stream available HERE. Live stats will also be accessible courtesy of asu.statbroadcast.com.
Fans can also follow the action on Twitter @SunDevilGym and on Instagram @SunDevilGymnastics. Fans are encouraged to tweet with #SunDevilPower in support of the 2018 Gym Devils.
Scouting The Opposition
Auburn: The Auburn Tigers are coached by three-time SEC Coach of the Year Jeff Graba…finished last year with three consecutive high scores capped by a 196.600 at the NCAA Fayetteville Regional…coming off a year in which the Tigers finished at No. 21 in the rankings, Auburn is slotted at No. 14 in the Preseason Coaches Poll…features returning veterans Abby Milliet, Taylor Krippner, Emma Engler, and Samantha Cerio.
Iowa State: The Iowa State Cyclones are coached by Jay Ronayne, who is in his 12th season at the helm…the Cyclones return an experienced group that was an NCAA participant at the Lincoln Regional…finished the regular season with a season high score of 196.600 at Alabama…extremely successful at home, compiling a 7-1 mark, falling only to No. 1 Oklahoma…finished ahead of No. 14 George Washington at the Missouri Quad Meet.
Iowa: The Iowa Hawkeyes are coached by reigning Big Ten Coach of the Year Larissa Libby…finished the season at No. 18 in the country, the second consecutive Top-20 finish for the program…recorded the best championship score in program history at the 2017 Big Ten Championship with a 196.725, good enough for a third-place finish...return three All-Big Ten performers in seniors Melissa Zurawski and Lanie Snyder along with a pair of sophomores that earned Big Ten freshmen of the week honors last season in sophomores Charlotte Sullivan and Clair Kaji.
Season Prospectus
Announced in October, Arizona State's gauntlet of a 2018 slate sees the Gym Devils take on five programs – Oklahoma, Utah, Washington, Denver and Oregon State – who all advanced to compete in the 2017 National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships. In addition to the aforementioned teams, the Gym Devils will face off with five other squads that capped the 2017 season ranked nationally in the top-25 including Auburn, California, Iowa, Arkansas and West Virginia. Following their season-opening quad-meet on Jan. 6 the Gym Devils will hit the road to face off against Big 12 member West Virginia on Jan. 14.
Arizona State will then kick start Pac-12 play with a visit to the Bay Area to take on Stanford on Jan. 20. The Gym Devils will return home the following weekend for their Pac-12 home opener, hosting California on Sunday, Jan. 28. The meet is set to be televised via Pac-12 Networks.
The team will follow their brief home stay with consecutive road weekends, starting with Oregon State and defending 2017 Pac-12 Champions Utah, on Feb. 3 and Feb. 9, respectively. Both meets will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
Arizona State will host back-to-back home meets the following weekends, welcoming Washington on Saturday, Feb. 17, followed by Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 24. The Gym Devils outing with Washington will be televised via Pac-12 Networks, while Arizona State's matchup with in-state rival Arizona on Feb. 24, will represent a rematch of the teams' 2017 meet, that saw the Gym Devils capture a 195.700-195.375 over the then-No. 23 Wildcats.
ASU will again hit the road for a Saturday, Mar. 3, meet against Minnesota, before traveling to Norman, Okla. for another quad-meet against Oklahoma, Denver, and Arkansas on Mar. 9. The meet will be hosted by two-time national defending champions, Oklahoma. Denver is also coming off an impressive season in which they qualified to the NCAA National Championships. Additionally, Arkansas finished last season ranked in the top-25.
Arizona State will then cap the 2017 non-conference slate and regular season partaking in a Sacramento State-hosted quad-meet with UC Davis and Pac-12 counterpart Oregon State on Friday, Mar. 16.
The Pac-12 season will conclude on Saturday, Mar. 24 with Arizona set to host the 2018 Pac-12 Championships.
Returners
The Gym Devils return 22 routines and 12 letterwinners from 2017. Senior leader Nichelle Christopherson constitutes the lone senior on the roster while juniors Corinne Belkoff, Justine Callis, Heather Udowitch, Katelyn Lentz and Morgan Wilson return for their respective third seasons with the program. The Gym Devils also return six sophomores in Averie Brook, Jessica Ginn, Morgan Hart, Mekayla Jones, Graycee Rushton, and Ashley Szafranski.
Newcomers
The offseason proved generous for the Gym Devils who welcomed a pair of high-caliber collegiate transfers in Anne Kuhm (University of Paris-Dauphine/Junior) and Kaitlyn Szafranski (Louisiana State University/Junior) and trio a freshmen - Cairo Leonard-Baker (Oakland, Calif.), Molly McNamara (Pearland, Texas), Maya Williams (Reistertown, Md.) - expected to immediately elevate the program.
Olympic Flair
Junior Gym Devil Anne Kuhm joins the Arizona State program with international competition experience to her credit. A member of the French national team since 2009, she competed in the 2012 London Olympics for Team France, who finished in 11th place. Kuhm was selected as a reserve for the all-around final. She participated in the 2012 & 2016 Olympic Test Event, helping France qualify a full team to the Olympics on both occasions. Most recently Kuhm was selected as an alternate for France in the 2016 Rio Olympics. She also earned further international experience competing for France at the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow. Kuhm is a two-time French national all-around champion (2011 and 2012). She also finished second at the National Championships on bars and floor. In 2011, Kuhm was the French Junior National Champion in the All-Around.
2018 Sun Devil Gymnastics Home Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 6 — Auburn, Iowa & Iowa State — 4 p.m. MST (Wells Fargo Arena)
Sunday, Jan. 28 — California — 12 p.m. MST (Wells Fargo Arena)
Saturday, Feb. 17 — Washington — 11:30 a.m. MST (Wells Fargo Arena)
Saturday, Feb. 24 — Arizona — 4 p.m. MST (Wells Fargo Arena)
Sun Devil Athletics #GreenGameASU Campaign
Saturday's quad meet will constitute Arizona State's green meet of the 2018 campaign. Sustainability is one of the pillars of Arizona State University, and Sun Devil Athletics prides itself with aligning the department to minimize its carbon footprint. Join us for the and let's make the world more sustainable!
Baskett Joins #GymDevil Staff
Arizona State gymnastics head coach Jay Santos announced in August, the addition of former national champion and 12-time All-American Kristina Baskett to the Sun Devil coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2018 season. Baskett compiled a prolific career as a gymnast at the University of Utah. She competed as a member of the Red Rocks program from 2006-09, helping to pace the squad to three-consecutive second-place national finishes. She most notably won the 2006 NCAA uneven bar title as a freshman. She also received second-team All-American honors on vault at the 2006 NCAA Championships. A highly decorated competitor for the Red Rocks, Baskett also earned Silver medals on vault in 2008 and in the all-around in 2009. Baskett comes to Tempe after recently serving as a stunt double in a number of renowned T.V. series and blockbuster movies. Baskett has accumulated 63 total credits in her professional acting career, while making appearances in popular films such as Jason Bourne and Olympus Has Fallen.
2017 In Retrospect
Under first-year head coach Jay Santos, the Gym Devils finished the 2017 season 3-10 and 1-5 in conference play. The team saw tremendous growth on the season, hitting a season high team score in five of six consecutive meets including a season high 195.700 at Arizona. The Gym Devils scored 195+ in four separate meets, the first time that has happened since the 2014 season. The team showed significant improvement on bars and beam from the 2016 season. Their bars regional qualifying score increased from a 48.24 in 2016 to a 48.8 in 2017 while beam improved from 48.57 to 48.93. The Gym Devils finished the season ranked 29th in the country on beam. The Gym Devils also bested then-No. 23 Arizona for the program's first Pac-12 win since 2014 and the coveted Territorial Cup series point. At the Pac-12 Championship, the Gym Devils completed the season with a 195.600, their second highest team score of the season, plus a season-high 49.275 on beam in the final rotation, the highest team beam score since March 13, 2009. It was the second highest team total for the program at a championship meet since 2004 when they scored a 196.775.
In The Rankings
The Gym Devils check in at No. 31 in the NACGC/W preseason coaches poll, jumping 10 slots from their 2017 postseason ranking of No. 41. The ten-spot move constitutes the most significant rise in the rankings in that span. Collectively the Pac-12 Conference proves well-represented in the rankings as six of its eight programs appear within the top-25.
Arizona State is positioned in eighth in the preseason Pac-12 women's gymnastics poll. Reigning conference champion UCLA tops the league list, announced in mid-December.
Academic Excellence
Academic excellence has become an integral standard within the Gym Devil program. In 2017 Arizona State placed seven student-athletes on Pac-12 All-Academic teams, while ten members of the squad garnered Scholastics All-America recognition (NACGC/W). As a contingent Arizona State gymnastics was one of seven Sun Devil programs recognized as an APR (Academic Progress Report) top-10 percent performer in 2017. Exemplifying the team's academic excellence, the Gym Devils managed a perfect score of 1000.
Ticket Info
Secure your tickets for the 2018 gymnastics season today. Existing season ticket holders can renew online or by calling (480) 727-3539. At only $25 you can guarantee a spot to every Sun Devil Gymnastics home meet.
Purchase new season tickets here to secure tickets to every home meet before prices increase.
Purchase a season 4 pack for just $80 at the loyalty price, and just $100 for new purchasers, and ensure yourself and three others tickets to every home meet this season.
Single-meet tickets are also now on sale and start at just $8.
SDA Clear Bag Policy
In order to enhance public safety, Sun Devil Athletics will now enforce their Clear Bag Policy at all ticketed events hosted at SDA facilities. Fans may bring in one (1) clear bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12" or a 1-gallon plastic storage bag. Fans are limited to one clear bag per person, along with a small clutch or purse for privacy. Please refer to the pictures above for non-approved bags.
Sun Devil Athletics adopted the Clear Bag policy to improve public safety at our venues and provide a great game day experience by making access at all facilities more efficient. This proactive measure will enhance security inside and outside of the athletics venues and speed up the security screening process for all fans.