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No. 17 Gym Devils Primed for 2018 Pac-12 Championships

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No. 17 Gym Devils Primed for 2018 Pac-12 ChampionshipsNo. 17 Gym Devils Primed for 2018 Pac-12 Championships

No. 17 Arizona State at 2018 Pac-12 Championships | Tucson, Ariz. 
Saturday, March 24 | All Day (Session One: 1 p.m. PT; Session Two: 6 p.m. PT)

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No. 17 Gym Devils Primed For 2018 Pac-12 Championships 
After three consecutive road meets to cap the regular season, the No. 17 Gym Devils (8-8-1, 3-4 Pac-12), travel south to Tucson, Ariz. for the 2018 Pac-12 Championships to be hosted by Arizona on Sat., March 24. Arizona State will compete in the first of two sessions, slated as the conference's sixth-seed. Competition will get underway on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT with the Championships' session one featuring seeds five through eight - Arizona State, No. 11 Oregon State, Stanford and Arizona. No. 3 UCLA, No. 4 Utah, No. 8 Washington and No. 10 California will round out the outing, set to compete in the Championship's second session slated for a 6 p.m. PT start time. All-session and single-session tickets for the Pac-12 Championships are on sale now. Visit pac-12.com/tickets to purchase.

Championship Seeding/Session/Rotation Order
1. UCLA/Session Two/Vault, Bars, Beam, Floor
2. Utah/Session Two/Bars, Beam, Floor, Vault
3. Washington/Session Two/Floor, Vault, Bars, Beam 
4. California/Session Two/Beam, Floor, Vault, Bars
5. Oregon State/Session One/Vault, Bars, Beam, Floor
6. Arizona State /Session One/ Bars, Beam, Floor, Vault
7. Stanford/Session One/Beam, Floor, Vault, Bars
8. Arizona/Session One/Floor, Vault, Bars, Beam

Raising The Bar

  • Arizona State has ranked in the Top-20 nationally for 11 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 three events, sitting at 20th on beam, 25th on vault and 25th on bars. Prior to the 2018 season, the Gym Devils had not ranked in the Top-25 since the 2013 season (No. 24).
  • Arizona State has jumped 24 spots (41-to-17) from its 2017 finish in the national rankings. Missouri currently holds the national record for season-to-season improvement, jumping 34 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. 11 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 27 event rotations on the season, after eclipsing the mark only four times in 2017.
  • The Maroon and Gold have tallied eight victories on the season for the first time since 2006.
  • 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-25 nationally in three event categories including the all-around (16th, 39.455), bars (19th, 9.905) and floor (24th, 9.905). Leonard-Baker is currently ranked the top freshman all-arounder in the conference, while sitting in third on a national basis. 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 42-of-43 routines on the season. 
  • French Olympian Anne Kuhm has made an immediate on the Gym Devil program in 2018. She currently ranks in the top-50 nationally in the all-around (41st, 39.280) while also sitting at 69th on floor (9.875). The Brumath, France native boast impressive season-best tallies including a 9.925 on floor, a pair of 9.900s on vault and bars, respectively, and a 9.875 on beam.
  • Gym Devil bars and beam specialist Ashley Szafranski has made great strides on the season in the respective events. Szafranski currently sits at No. 78 nationally on beam (9.855) and has exceeded the 9.875+ mark on the event four times this season. Her 9.900 on bars at Minnesota on March 3 constituted a career-best. 
  • Gym Devil junior Justine Callis cracked the top-100 nationally on beam, moving to No. 96 courtesy of a season RQS of 9.840.
  • Newcomer Kaitlyn Szafranski (LSU Transfer) has proved an ever reliable addition the team in 2018, having hit 27 of her 28 routines on the season. 

Pac-12 Championships – Session I: Scouting The Opposition 
No. 11 Oregon State (8-3, 3-3 Pac-12): The Oregon State Beavers are led by head coach, Tanya Chaplin and Associate Head Coach and husband, 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 also ranked No. 11 after the conclusion of the NCAA regular 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 welcome talented newcomers Kaitlyn Yanish, Savanna Force, and Niya Mack. 

No. 30 Stanford (8-11, 0-6 Pac-12): After guiding Arizona for the last two seasons, Tabitha Yim returns to The Farm this season in her first year as the head coach for the Stanford Cardinal. A former elite athlete, Yim competed for Stanford from 2005-08, earning 14 All-American honors, which is the most in school history ...The Cardinal fell short of an NCAA National berth last season, placing fourth with a 195.575 in the Seattle Regional...Stanford stud, Elizabeth Price, won the Seattle regional uneven bars title with a 9.975, which helped her garner an individual NCAA berth... Coming off a year in which the Cardinal finished No. 28 in the final national rankings and No. 18 in the Preseason Coaches Poll, Stanford is ranked No. 30 after the conclusion of the NCAA regular season...Stanford's talented roster features returning veteran and Stanford perfect 10 record holder Elizabeth Price and underclassmen Kaylee Cole, Lauren Navarro, Rachael Flam, Kyla Bryant, and Taylor Lawson. 

No. 37 Arizona (4-9, 1-5 Pac-12)
The Arizona Wildcats are led by interim turned head coach, John Court, who is entering his first season in the position and has spent the past 19 seasons on the Arizona Gymnastics staff under previous head coaches Bill Ryden and Tabitha Yim (current Stanford head coach)... As an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, Court helped extend the program's streak of NCAA regional appearances to 31 consecutive years, including qualifying to the 2002 NCAA Championships... Coming off a year in which the Wildcats finished No. 26 in the final national rankings, Arizona is ranked No. 37 after the conclusion of the NCAA regular season… Arizona's young and talented roster is led by veterans, Madison Cindric, Kennady Schneider, and Victoria Ortiz. Sophomore sensations Maddi Leydin and Christina Berg also add depth. The Wildcats also welcome newcomers Payton Bellows, Adra Parks, Laura Leigh Horton, and Sydney Freidin. 

Field Comparisons (RQS)

  • Vault: Arizona State (49.045) | Oregon State (49.135) | Stanford (49.115) | Arizona (48.915) 
  • Bars: Arizona State (49.145) | Oregon State (49.185) | Stanford (48.825) | Arizona (49.120)
  • Beam: Arizona State (49.135) | Oregon State (49.130) | Stanford (49.145) | Arizona (48.935)
  • Floor: Arizona State (49.185) | Oregon State (49.380) | Stanford (49.250) | Arizona (49.010)
  • All-Around: Arizona State (196.510) | Oregon State (196.765) | Stanford (195.920) | Arizona (195.630)

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.

Last Time Out
The No. 17 Gym Devils garnered a second-place finish in its regular season finale at Sacramento State Friday night at The Nest. Recording a team cumulative 195.900, the Gym Devils earned head-to-head victories over Sacramento State and UC Davis while falling to conference foe No. 13 Oregon State. ASU recorded event scores of 48.950, 48.725, 49.075, 49.150 on vault, bars, beam and floor, respectively. Once again leading the effort was 2012 French Olympian Anne Kuhm and five-time Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Week Cairo Leonard-Baker. Kuhm placed third in the all-around with a 39.325. Leonard-Baker also had third place finishes on vault and floor, while Kuhm and Sophomore Ashley Szafranski tied for second on beam.

In The Rankings
Through 11 weeks of competition, Arizona State maintains its RQS ranking of 17. On an event basis, the Gym Devils rank 25th on vault (49.045), 25th on bars (49.145), 20th on beam (49.135) and 26th on floor (49.185). 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 slots 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. Exceeding expectations, Arizona State currently sits sixth in the conference and has jumped two spots from its eighth place finish in the preseason Pac-12 women's gymnastics poll. 

Road Warriors
The Gym Devils capped the regular season with trips to Minnesota (March 3), Oklahoma (March 9) and Sacramento (March 16) in consecutive weeks. After their visit to Tucson, the Gym Devils will have accrued 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 saw 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 faced off with five other squads that capped the 2017 season ranked nationally in the Top-25 including Auburn, California, Iowa, Arkansas and West Virginia. 

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.