TEMPE – No. 15 Sun Devil Gymnastics is headed to the Steel City to compete in the NCAA Regionals in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Friday, starting in the second session of the second round at 4 p.m. MST/7 p.m. EST on ESPN+.
Earning a No. 15 seed, Arizona State is one of four seeded teams in the Pittsburgh region and will compete in the second session of the second round on March 31, which will also features No. 2 Florida, Maryland, and the winner of the play-in meet on March 30 between Penn State and Towson. The first session includes Pac-12 foe No. 7 California, No. 10 Michigan State, Western Michigan and West Virginia. The top two from each session will advance to the regional finals on Sunday, April 2. Every meet this week will be live on ESPN+.
The Gym Devils embark on their fifth-straight trip to NCAA Regionals, including in 2020 when the team was guaranteed a lock to qualify before the postseason was canceled due to COVID-19. The Gym Devils will look to advance to the regional final for the first time since 2021, where they finished third in a tie with Kentucky to just barely miss a nationals berth.
Arizona State could compete against three teams for the first time in program history in Michigan State, Western Michigan and potentially Towson. Earlier this season, the Gym Devils fell short in a dual meet at California, a team ASU could potentially see in the regional finals.
Information about tickets can be found HERE.
The championship features 36 teams determined based on their national qualifying score. Regionals are held over multiple days. The first round will consist of two teams in a play-in meet, second round will consist of eight teams in two sessions and the regional final will consist of four teams. The top two teams, the top all-around competitors and the top event specialist on each event (who are not on an advancing team) from each regional will receive an automatic berth to the national championships on April 13-15 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Sun Devil Outlook
Arizona State (7-6, 4-3, Pac-12) is led by head coach Jay Santos, who has been at the helm for the last seven seasons. Last week, he was announced as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year for leading the Gym Devils to another stellar season, the second time earning the honor for him (also 2018).
The Gym Devils had another strong season, earning a team NQS of 197.105 and a season high score of 197.725, the ninth-highest score in ASU history. This is the third time ever that ASU ends the regular season with an NQS over 197, two of which have been while Santos has been in Tempe. The team had an eight-meet streak of scoring 196.000 or better throughout the regular season. That run included a three-meet winning streak where the Gym Devils upset then-No. 4 Utah, set a program record road score in a win over Washington, and dealt then-No. 11 Oregon State its first loss of the season. At the 2023 Pac-12 Championships, the Gym Devils took first in the first session with a 196.700, the program's third-highest score at a conference championship meet ever.
Hannah Scharf and Emily White have been stand-outs for the Sun Devils, competing in the all-around in every meet. Together, they have six scores of 9.95-plus, four for Scharf (one on bars, three on floor) and two for White (beam and floor). They also have 17 of the teams' 29 event titles, with 10 and seven for Scharf and White, respectively. They also have the teams' three Pac-12 weekly awards between them, all coaches choice, with Scharf earning two and White getting one.
Scharf has had a big senior campaign for her Sun Devils. She is currently ranked No. 21 in the all-around for her efforts this year and earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors in the all-around and on floor. She has three all-around scores of 39.625 or better, including a career-high 39.675. That score is tied for the 10th-best all-around mark in program history. She has 15 scores of 9.9-plus, seven of those coming from floor. Of 44 routines, she has scored below a 9.800 just five times.
The success this season has been a true team effort. As a squad, ASU has eight scores of 9.95-plus, which is the most in a single season since 2006. Aside from Scharf and White, Anaya Smith earned a 9.95 on vault and Sarah Clark scored a 9.975 on bars, both career highs. Smith has five scores of 9.9 or better on vault this season. For Clark, she has four marks of 9.9-plus, three coming from bars and one on beam. She has also competed on floor, her season-high being 9.875.
The 29 event titles have come from seven different gymnasts. In addition to the four already mentioned, Jordyn Jaslow, Jada Mangahas and Cienna Samiley have also won at least one event title. Mangahas has been a three-event gymnast all year, competing on vault, bars and floor and earning four scores of 9.9-plus. Three of those came from floor, one on bars. Jaslow has been in every floor lineup, scoring a career-high 9.9 four times this year. A bars specialist, Samiley has been in that lineup all season. She has not scored below a 9.825 in the last six meets, including a 9.9 and a career-high 9.925.
Earning a No. 15 seed, Arizona State is one of four seeded teams in the Pittsburgh region and will compete in the second session of the second round on March 31, which will also features No. 2 Florida, Maryland, and the winner of the play-in meet on March 30 between Penn State and Towson. The first session includes Pac-12 foe No. 7 California, No. 10 Michigan State, Western Michigan and West Virginia. The top two from each session will advance to the regional finals on Sunday, April 2. Every meet this week will be live on ESPN+.
The Gym Devils embark on their fifth-straight trip to NCAA Regionals, including in 2020 when the team was guaranteed a lock to qualify before the postseason was canceled due to COVID-19. The Gym Devils will look to advance to the regional final for the first time since 2021, where they finished third in a tie with Kentucky to just barely miss a nationals berth.
Arizona State could compete against three teams for the first time in program history in Michigan State, Western Michigan and potentially Towson. Earlier this season, the Gym Devils fell short in a dual meet at California, a team ASU could potentially see in the regional finals.
Information about tickets can be found HERE.
The championship features 36 teams determined based on their national qualifying score. Regionals are held over multiple days. The first round will consist of two teams in a play-in meet, second round will consist of eight teams in two sessions and the regional final will consist of four teams. The top two teams, the top all-around competitors and the top event specialist on each event (who are not on an advancing team) from each regional will receive an automatic berth to the national championships on April 13-15 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Sun Devil Outlook
Arizona State (7-6, 4-3, Pac-12) is led by head coach Jay Santos, who has been at the helm for the last seven seasons. Last week, he was announced as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year for leading the Gym Devils to another stellar season, the second time earning the honor for him (also 2018).
The Gym Devils had another strong season, earning a team NQS of 197.105 and a season high score of 197.725, the ninth-highest score in ASU history. This is the third time ever that ASU ends the regular season with an NQS over 197, two of which have been while Santos has been in Tempe. The team had an eight-meet streak of scoring 196.000 or better throughout the regular season. That run included a three-meet winning streak where the Gym Devils upset then-No. 4 Utah, set a program record road score in a win over Washington, and dealt then-No. 11 Oregon State its first loss of the season. At the 2023 Pac-12 Championships, the Gym Devils took first in the first session with a 196.700, the program's third-highest score at a conference championship meet ever.
Hannah Scharf and Emily White have been stand-outs for the Sun Devils, competing in the all-around in every meet. Together, they have six scores of 9.95-plus, four for Scharf (one on bars, three on floor) and two for White (beam and floor). They also have 17 of the teams' 29 event titles, with 10 and seven for Scharf and White, respectively. They also have the teams' three Pac-12 weekly awards between them, all coaches choice, with Scharf earning two and White getting one.
Scharf has had a big senior campaign for her Sun Devils. She is currently ranked No. 21 in the all-around for her efforts this year and earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors in the all-around and on floor. She has three all-around scores of 39.625 or better, including a career-high 39.675. That score is tied for the 10th-best all-around mark in program history. She has 15 scores of 9.9-plus, seven of those coming from floor. Of 44 routines, she has scored below a 9.800 just five times.
The success this season has been a true team effort. As a squad, ASU has eight scores of 9.95-plus, which is the most in a single season since 2006. Aside from Scharf and White, Anaya Smith earned a 9.95 on vault and Sarah Clark scored a 9.975 on bars, both career highs. Smith has five scores of 9.9 or better on vault this season. For Clark, she has four marks of 9.9-plus, three coming from bars and one on beam. She has also competed on floor, her season-high being 9.875.
The 29 event titles have come from seven different gymnasts. In addition to the four already mentioned, Jordyn Jaslow, Jada Mangahas and Cienna Samiley have also won at least one event title. Mangahas has been a three-event gymnast all year, competing on vault, bars and floor and earning four scores of 9.9-plus. Three of those came from floor, one on bars. Jaslow has been in every floor lineup, scoring a career-high 9.9 four times this year. A bars specialist, Samiley has been in that lineup all season. She has not scored below a 9.825 in the last six meets, including a 9.9 and a career-high 9.925.