WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah - A historic season came to an end in a historic fashion as No. 11 Sun Devil Gymnastics took third at the NCAA Salt Lake Regional Finals with a 197.600, the highest postseason score in program history.
Notable Stats
Arizona State Head Coach Jay Santos
"Tonight's performance was absolutely amazing. We've been waiting for this team to put all four events together in the same meet and that is exactly what they did tonight. We went toe to toe with some of the top teams in the country and we were in the meet every step of the way. This was by far the most intense competitive setting this team has faced in the five years Jess and I have been at ASU and they showed up! They left everything they had on the floor and that is all we could've asked for them. I couldn't be more proud of what this team did and all of the support staff that have helped us along the way. This team is so young and they will come back next season hungry for more!"
Senior Cairo Leonard-Baker
"Today was one of the best days of my life because I got to do my favorite thing with my favorite people. We left it all out on the floor today, and I have no regrets. This is really a dream team. Watching the beam lineup go back-to-back and just hit it, hit it, hit it. I was like, this is how we are starting this meet? I guess it can only get better!"
Sophomore Hannah Scharf
"It was just amazing that we were able to put it all together tonight and really leave everything out on the floor. We worked so hard in the gym this season, especially these past two weeks, and it was an incredible feeling to see all of that hard work pay off. I could not be prouder of every single person on this team."
Final Results:
1. Utah, 197.925
2. LSU, 197.750
3. Arizona State, 197.600
3. Kentucky, 197.600
Rotation One: Beam, 49.450
The Gym Devils got off to a hot start. Their 49.450 is the best beam score since 2007, no athlete scored below a 9.875. Gracie Reeves and Jasmine Gutierrez both scored a 9.900, creating new career highs. Hannah Scharf also scored a 9.900 in the anchor spot, coming up clutch after a fall. Megan Thompson tied her career high with 9.875. Emily White also contributed a 9.875.
Rotation Two: Floor, 49.325
The Gym Devils continued their strong performance on floor. Scharf led the team with a 9.900, her second of the day at that point. Leonard-Baker and Jada Mangahas both contributed a 9.875. Sarah Clark added a 9.850 and Gracie Reeves scored a 9.825.
Rotation Three: Vault, 49.300
For the ninth meet in a row the Gym Devils scored above a 49.000. Vault specialist Anaya Smith led the team with a 9.900. Four Sun Devils scored a 9.850, including Cassi Barbanente who scored a new career high, White and Magnahas who tied career highs.
Rotation Four: Bars, 49.525
The Gym Devils scored their highest bars score of the season with 49.525, and the highest bars score since 2006. Three athletes scored a 9.900 or better including Scharf (9.900), Clark (9.925), and Leonard-Baker (9.950). Barbanente scored a new career high with a 9.875. White also contributed a 9.875.
Up Next
The NCAA Championships are on April 16-17 in Fort Worth, Texas. Leonard-Baker and Scharf will compete on April 16.
Notable Stats
- Despite coming in third and falling short of nationals, Arizona State made history. ASU scored a 197.600 for the ninth-highest team total in program history and the best postseason score the Sun Devils have ever earned.
- The Sun Devils achieved history by scoring event totals the program has not seen in over a decade. The 49.525 scored on bars is the best total on any event since 2006. On beam, they scored a 49.450, the best beam total since 2007.
- Arizona State did not count a score below a 9.825 in the meet with two rotations (bars and beam) earning three scores of 9.900-plus in the lineups.
- Sophomore Hannah Scharf had a fantastic showing on the big stage, scoring a 9.900 in three different events for the first time in her career. She got 9.900s on bars, beam and floor, adding a 9.800 from vault for a 39.500 in the all-around.
- Senior Cairo Leonard-Baker scored her second-straight 9.950 on bars to tie for first in that event, holding onto that regional title. She also brought in a 9.875 on floor and 9.850 on vault.
- Career highs were earned on multiple events tonight. On beam, Gracie Reeves and Jasmine Gutierrez both scored 9.900s, new personal highs for them. Freshman Cassi Barbanente scored a 9.850 on vault for a new career high for her. Finally on bars, Barbanente earned another personal best with a 9.875.
- Numerous career bests were tied as well in the meet. On vault, Emily White and Jada Mangahas matched their best scores with 9.850s. On bars, Scharf and Sarah Clark tied their career highs with 9.900 and 9.925, respectively. Beam saw Scharf (9.900) and Megan Thompson (9.875) equal their personal bests.
Arizona State Head Coach Jay Santos
"Tonight's performance was absolutely amazing. We've been waiting for this team to put all four events together in the same meet and that is exactly what they did tonight. We went toe to toe with some of the top teams in the country and we were in the meet every step of the way. This was by far the most intense competitive setting this team has faced in the five years Jess and I have been at ASU and they showed up! They left everything they had on the floor and that is all we could've asked for them. I couldn't be more proud of what this team did and all of the support staff that have helped us along the way. This team is so young and they will come back next season hungry for more!"
Senior Cairo Leonard-Baker
"Today was one of the best days of my life because I got to do my favorite thing with my favorite people. We left it all out on the floor today, and I have no regrets. This is really a dream team. Watching the beam lineup go back-to-back and just hit it, hit it, hit it. I was like, this is how we are starting this meet? I guess it can only get better!"
Sophomore Hannah Scharf
"It was just amazing that we were able to put it all together tonight and really leave everything out on the floor. We worked so hard in the gym this season, especially these past two weeks, and it was an incredible feeling to see all of that hard work pay off. I could not be prouder of every single person on this team."
A ?????????????????? end to a historic season ??
— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) April 4, 2021
The #GymDevils take third place with the highest postseason score ???? ?????????????? ?????????????? ?? pic.twitter.com/fZukJmmOLr
Final Results:
1. Utah, 197.925
2. LSU, 197.750
3. Arizona State, 197.600
3. Kentucky, 197.600
Rotation One: Beam, 49.450
The Gym Devils got off to a hot start. Their 49.450 is the best beam score since 2007, no athlete scored below a 9.875. Gracie Reeves and Jasmine Gutierrez both scored a 9.900, creating new career highs. Hannah Scharf also scored a 9.900 in the anchor spot, coming up clutch after a fall. Megan Thompson tied her career high with 9.875. Emily White also contributed a 9.875.
CLUTCH
— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) April 4, 2021
Coming up after a fall, Hannah anchors with a THIRD 9??.9??0??0?? on beam!!! pic.twitter.com/MPh9Z34y0o
Rotation Two: Floor, 49.325
The Gym Devils continued their strong performance on floor. Scharf led the team with a 9.900, her second of the day at that point. Leonard-Baker and Jada Mangahas both contributed a 9.875. Sarah Clark added a 9.850 and Gracie Reeves scored a 9.825.
9??.9??0??0??. HANNAH SCHARF. pic.twitter.com/9r3ryeFA3n
— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) April 4, 2021
Rotation Three: Vault, 49.300
For the ninth meet in a row the Gym Devils scored above a 49.000. Vault specialist Anaya Smith led the team with a 9.900. Four Sun Devils scored a 9.850, including Cassi Barbanente who scored a new career high, White and Magnahas who tied career highs.
Anaya doing Anaya things!!
— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) April 4, 2021
She wraps up our lineup with a 9??.9??0??0??! pic.twitter.com/K2xziTfmh7
Rotation Four: Bars, 49.525
The Gym Devils scored their highest bars score of the season with 49.525, and the highest bars score since 2006. Three athletes scored a 9.900 or better including Scharf (9.900), Clark (9.925), and Leonard-Baker (9.950). Barbanente scored a new career high with a 9.875. White also contributed a 9.875.
49.525 on bars ??????
— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) April 4, 2021
Highest event score on ANY event since 2006!! pic.twitter.com/wavz5TH26b
Up Next
The NCAA Championships are on April 16-17 in Fort Worth, Texas. Leonard-Baker and Scharf will compete on April 16.