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No. 17 Gym Devils Travel to Sacramento for Regular-Season Finale

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No. 17 Gym Devils Travel to Sacramento for Regular-Season FinaleNo. 17 Gym Devils Travel to Sacramento for Regular-Season Finale

No. 17 Arizona State vs. Sacramento State, No. 13 Oregon State, UC Davis
Friday, March 16 | 7 p.m. MST

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No. 17 Gym Devils Travel to Sacramento for Regular-Season Finale
The No. 17 Gym Devils (6-7-1, 3-3 Pac-12) remain on the road for a quad meet with No. 13 Oregon State, Sacramento State and UC Davis in ASU's regular-season finale. The Sacramento State-hosted outing is slated for a 7 p.m. start on Friday, March 16 in The Nest. The meet will be televised via Pluto TV (channel 203).

Raising The Bar

  • Arizona State has ranked in the Top-20 nationally for 10 consecutive weeks, coming in at No. 17 (RQS) in this week's Road to Nationals standings. The Gym Devils currently rank sixth among Pac-12 squads. ASU also ranks in the Top-25 nationally in each event, sitting at 19th on beam, 21st on vault, 22nd on bars and 24th on floor. Prior to the 2018 season, the Gym Devils had not ranked in the Top-25 since the 2013 season (No. 24) and had not appeared in the Top-15 since 2006 (No. 9).
  • Arizona State has jumped 26 spots (48-to-23) from its 2017 finish in the national rankings. Missouri currently holds the national record for season-to-season improvement, jumping 35 spots (51-to-17) in 2001-02.
  • The Gym Devils have knocked off four ranked opponents this season — No. 14 Auburn, No. 20 Iowa, No. 14 West Virginia, and No. 20 Stanford — marking the first time since 2006 that the squad has accomplished the feat.
  • Arizona State is one of six Pac-12 programs ranked nationally — the No. 17 Gym Devils are joined in the rankings by No. 3 UCLA, No. 4 Utah, No. 8 Washington, No. 10 California and No. 13 Oregon State. 
  • Recording team totals of 196.475 at No. 16 West Virginia on Jan. 14, 196.250 at No. 20 Stanford on Jan. 20 and 196.800 vs. California on Jan. 28, the Gym Devils surpassed the 196+ mark in three consecutive meets for the first time since 2006. After recording a 196.575 vs. No. 10 Washington on Feb. 17, a 196.725 vs. Arizona on Feb. 24 and a 196.525 at Minnesota on March 3, the team has now recorded six 196+ marks in a season for the first time since 2006.
  • Arizona State has scored 49.000 or higher in 25 event rotations on the season, after eclipsing the mark only four times in 2017.
  • Arizona State's 196.800 effort in its Pac-12 home opener against California on Jan. 28 constitutes the program's best team tally since the Gym Devils recorded a 197.750 vs. Iowa State on March 10, 2006. It also accounts for the 19th-best team total in Gym Devil history.
  • Standout Gym Devil freshman and five-time Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Week Cairo Leonard-Baker currently ranks in the Top-20 nationally in three event categories including the all-around (13th, 39.455), bars (15th, 9.905) and floor (19th, 9.905). Her RQS in the all-around and on bars and floor mark collegiate bests among freshmen. On a conference basis, Leonard-Baker sits in fifth on bars, fifth in the all-around, and eighth on floor. The freshman has also remarkably hit 39-of-39 routines on the season. 
  • French Olympian Anne Kuhm has made great strides this season and has made an immediate impact to the team. She currently ranks in the top-50 nationally in the all-around (36th, 39.245). 

Scouting The Opposition 
No. 13 Oregon State (5-3, 3-3 Pac-12): The Oregon State Beavers are led by head coach, Tanya Chaplin and Associate Head Coach, Michael Chaplin, who both enter their 21st season in their respective positions...T. Chaplin's illustrious career at the helm has earned her many coaching honors, including: four-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year and 2011 NACGC West Region Co-Coach of the Year (with husband, Michael Chaplin)... Coming off a year in which the Beavers returned to the NCAA Championships and finished No. 11 in the national rankings, Oregon State is ranked No. 13 after the tenth week of the NCAA season... Oregon State's young roster is led by veterans Dani Dessaints (All-American), Mckenna Singley, and Mary Jacobsen; along with sophomore sensations Maela Lazaro, Sabrina Gil, and Isis Lowery...The Beavers have also welcomed a talented group of newcomers including Kaitlyn Yanish, Savanna Force, and Niya Mack. 

No. 43 UC Davis (9-7, 4-0 MPSF): The Aggies are led by John Lavallee, who is entering his 12th season as head coach... Lavallee has garnered many honors throughout his time at UC Davis, including: six-time MPSF Coach of the Year… He has also guided the program to six MPSF team championships, including four straight from 2010 to 2013…. Coming off a year in which the Aggies finished No. 42 in the final national rankings, the team is ranked No. 43 after the tenth week of the NCAA gymnastics season… The Aggies young roster is led by the freshmen duo of, Kelley Herbert and Kyla Kessler, along with Redshirt-Freshman, Aya Suzuki...Veterans Alexis Brown, Yasmine Yektaparast, and Kara Jones add experience to the squad.

No. 55 Sacramento State (6-14, 5-2 MPSF): The Hornets are led by Randy Solorio, who is entering his 2nd season as head coach and 32nd season overall with the program... As an assistant coach with the Hornets, Solorio caputred honors, including: West Region Assistant Coach of the Year and MPSF Assistant Coach of the Year… Coming off a year in which the Hornets captured its second MPSF title in the last three years and finished No. 46 in the final national rankings, the team is ranked No. 55 after the tenth week of the NCAA gymnastics season… Sac State's experienced roster features returning veterans, Annie Juarez, Caitlin and Courtney Soliwoda, Jennifer Brenner, and Jackie Sampson...Underclassmen, Jordyn Brent and Alexis Belkoff (sister of Arizona State's, Corinne Belkoff) also add depth to the team.

Season Event Bests

  • Vault: Team - 49.125 vs. Arizona on Feb. 24 (highest since 2/22/14 against Arizona (49.125)) | Individual - 9.900, Anne Kuhm vs. Arizona on Feb. 24
  • Bars: Team - 49.325 vs. California on Jan. 28 (highest since 2/24/06 at UNO's Classic (49.500)) | Individual - 9.950, Cairo Leonard-Baker vs. California on Jan. 28 and vs. Washington on Feb. 17
  • Beam: Team - 49.325 at Stanford on Jan. 20 (highest since 3/13/09 at UNO's Classic (49.350)) | Individual - 9.900, Justine Callis vs. Arizona on Feb. 24/Katelyn Lentz at Stanford on Jan. 20/Ashley Szafranski at West Virginia on Jan. 14
  • Floor: Team - 49.400 vs. Arizona on Feb. 24 (highest since 3/10/2006 against Iowa State (49.425)) | Individual   9.950, Cairo Leonard-Baker vs. Arizona on Feb. 24
  • All-Around: Team - 196.800 vs. California on Jan. 28 (highest since 3/10/06 against Iowa State (197.750)) | Individual - 39.575, Cairo Leonard-Baker vs. California on Jan. 28 

Individual Event Titles

  • Cairo Leonard-Baker (12): Bars at West Virginia, Jan. 14; Floor at West Virginia, Jan. 14; All-Around at West Virginia, Jan. 14; Bars vs. California, Jan. 28; All-Around vs. California, Jan. 28; Bars at Oregon State, Feb. 3; Bars vs. Washington, Feb. 17; Floor vs. Washington, Feb. 17; All-Around vs. Washington, Feb. 17; Bars vs. Arizona, Feb. 24; Floor vs. Arizona, Feb. 24; All-Around vs. Arizona, Feb. 24
  • Anne Kuhm (1): Vault vs. Arizona, Feb. 24.
  • Justine Callis (1): Beam vs. Arizona, Feb. 24
  • Morgan Wilson (1): Vault at Oregon State, Feb. 3.
  • Ashley Szafranski (1): Beam at West Virginia, Jan. 14.

One For The Thumb; Leonard-Baker Nets Fifth Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer Of The Week Honor
Gym Devil standout freshman Cairo Leonard-Baker yet again garnered Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Week honors, as announced by the league office Feb. 27. The accolade constituted her fifth this season, after the Oakland native nabbed the recognition in three consecutive awards cycles earlier this season.
By virtue of the recognition, Leonard-Baker joined prestigious company - Utah's MyKayla Skinner and California's Toni-Ann Williams - as just one of three gymnasts in conference history to garner the award five or more times. The Oakland, Calif. native also became just the second Gym Devil in program history to earn league honors on five separate occasions, joining 2004 national champion and five-time all-american Ashley Kelly in the feat.

In The Rankings
Through 10 weeks of competition, Arizona State continues its presence in the collegiate rankings, coming in at No. 17 on an RQS. On an event basis, the Gym Devils rank 19th on beam (49.135), 21st on vault (49.045), 22nd on bars (49.145) and 24th on floor (49.175). Week 8 marked the squad's highest jump in the rankings since Week 2 as the Gym Devils moved up four spots to No. 13. In Weeks 5-7 of the season, the Gym Devils ranked No. 17. During Week 4 of the collegiate gymnastics season, the Gym Devils ranked No. 12 as they tallied a 196.800 in their Pac-12 home opener against California, constituting the program's best team tally since it recorded a 197.750 vs. Iowa State on March 10, 2006. It also accounts for the 19th-best team total in Gym Devil history. During Week 3 of the season, the Gym Devils ranked at No. 14. Week 2 constituted the team's highest rank of the season, coming in at No. 11 after the Gym Devils defeated then-No. 16 West Virginia. By virtue of their season-opening 194.674, the Gym Devils concluded Week 1 ranked at No. 14. ASU checked in at No. 31 in the NACGC/W preseason coaches poll released in December, jumping 10 spots from its 2017 postseason ranking of No. 41. The 10-spot move constituted the most significant rise in the rankings over that span. Collectively, the Pac-12 Conference proved well-represented in the rankings as six of its eight programs appeared within the Top-25. Arizona State was selected to finish eighth in the preseason Pac-12 women's gymnastics poll. Reigning conference champion UCLA topped the league list, announced in mid-December. 

Road Warriors
The Gym Devils will cap the regular season with a road meet at Sacramento State with Oregon State and UC Davis (March 16) before traveling south to Tucson for the 2018 Pac-12 Championships, to be held on March 24. After their trip to Tucson, the Gym Devils will have logged a total of 6,990.2 miles in travel since the beginning of March. 

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. 

Up next, Arizona State will ready for the 2018 Pac-12 Championships, slated to be hosted by Arizona on Saturday, March 24.

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 a pair of freshmen — Cairo Leonard-Baker (Oakland, Calif.) and Maya Williams (Reistertown, Md.) — expected to elevate the program immediately.

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, which finished in 11th place. Kuhm was selected as a reserve for the all-around final. She participated in the 2012 and 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. 

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-American recognitions (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.