By Ryan McClure, media relations intern
For yet another season, the Gym Devils saw both team and individual success, fighting their way to an NCAA Regional Final appearance while hitting impressive individual marks throughout the season.
The Gym Devils
Sun Devil Gymnastics ended the 2023 regular season with a 7-6 record, finishing up the season ranked No. 15 on Road to Nationals in head coach Jay Santos’ seventh season. This is the sixth year in a row that the Gym Devils finished the season ranked in the top-25. The last time there was a streak that long was from 2002-2006. Earning a team NQS of 197.105, this is the third time ever that ASU ended the regular season with an NQS over 197, two of which have been while Santos has been in Tempe. Seeded for the third season in a row for the postseason, the Sun Devils advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals for the second time in three years.
The best score of the season came against a victory over No. 11 Oregon State. The team scored a 197.725, the ninth-highest score in ASU history. 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.
The Gym Devils had five meets scoring 197.000 or better, the third season in a row ASU has reached that mark at least three times. The team finished its season scoring 49-plus in nine-straight meets on beam, a new program record-long streak. At one point throughout the season, the Gym Devils held a four-meet streak of reaching 49 or better in all four events, which matches the ASU record.
Arizona State had four conference wins throughout the season, earning its first Pac-12 win at home on Jan. 28 over Arizona to clinch the Territorial Cup point for the seventh year in a row. Despite early ranked losses in the season, the Gym Devils bounced back with a win over then-No. 4 Utah, a team that finished third at nationals. It was Arizona State’s first win over that program since 2003. The victory was the highest ranked win of Santos’ tenure at ASU. The team got the win with a score of 197.550, the 12th-highest team total in ASU history. Another 197+ score came against Washington, a 197.475 for the best road score of the year. To finish Pac-12 conference play against Oregon State, the Gym Devils put up their best score of the season with a 197.725.
The fan support set records for the Sun Devils in 2023. The average attendance of 2,430 is the highest average attendance on record for Sun Devil Gymnastics. The total attendance (12,151) is the second highest and there were two meets in the top 10 in attendance. Senior Night against Oregon State is in ninth with 2,760, while the return of Beauty and the Beast with Sun Devil Wrestling had 3,645, the fourth-highest total.
Individual Success
As a team, Arizona State saw success due to the consistent performances from the individuals all season long. The Gym Devils won 30 event titles, led by senior Hannah Scharf with 11, four of which were in the all-around. Junior Emily White finished with seven, while juniors Anaya Smith and Sarah Clark had four each.
Scharf continued her standout career as a Sun Devil, competing in the all-around in every meet and ending the season ranked No. 21 in the nation in the all-around. She competed as an individual at the NCAA Championships in the all-around, her highest score coming on bars with a 9.8625. At NCAA Regionals, she finished second in the second session in all-around with a 39.625 to send her to nationals, her fourth all-around total of 39.625-plus this season. Also at regionals, she took home the beam event title with a 9.950, matching her career high and setting a new season high. Her all-around career-high of 39.675 that she earned against Utah is tied for the 10th-best all-around mark in program history. She has 19 scores of 9.9-plus (five are 9.95-plus), eight of those coming from floor. Of 56 routines, she scored below a 9.800 just seven times. She will return to Tempe for 2023.
White solidified herself as a cornerstone for the Arizona State program. The junior competed in the all-around in all but one meet this season, scoring a 39.4-plus in five meets. Consistency was key, as on beam and floor, she scored a 9.825 or better in all but one meet. On vault and bars, she scored a 9.8-plus in all but two meets. Overall, she had 16 scores of 9.9-plus, including two 9.95s. She won seven event titles, at least one in each event. At the NCAA Regional Finals, she tied her season high on bars with a 9.925 and finished third in the all-around with a 39.550, a new season high for her. At the Pac-12 Championships, she placed second overall on beam with a career-high 9.950.
Junior Anaya Smith brought some flash to vault for Arizona State after missing almost all of the 2022 season. She competed on vault in every meet, scoring a 9.825 or better in all but four meets. She notched a 9.9-plus six times, including two 9.95s. Her 9.950 against Arizona was the best score on vault by ASU since Ashley Hinkle on March 7, 2008.
Juniors Jada Mangahas and Sarah Clark competed in three of four events for a majority of the season. Clark competed in every meet on bars and beam, making the floor lineup for all but three meets. Mangahas scored a 9.8 or better in all but one meet on all three events. She also scored a 9.9-plus five times. Clark did not score below a 9.800 on any event from February until the end of the season. She won four event titles, all on bars. At NCAA Regional Finals, Clark scored a 9.950 on bars, which was tied for second in that event at the regional finals. In the win against No. 4 Utah, Clark hit a 9.975 on bars to set her career high and tied with Scharf for the highest score by any Gym Devil this season. Mangahas set her season high and tied her career high on vault at the NCAA Regional Finals, scoring a 9.900. She reached a career high on bars at No. 6 UCLA with a 9.925.
Seniors Gracie Reeves and Jordyn Jaslow finished their Gym Devil careers strong. Reeves competed in every meet in her final season, seeing time on all four events, but primarily making vault, bars and beam lineups. Reeves had a season high of 9.875 on bars. Jaslow competed in every meet this season on floor, only scoring below a 9.825 twice. Her career high on the event is a 9.900, which she scored four times. Jaslow posted a season high of 9.850 on vault against Washington.
Freshman Kayla Lee was the only freshman to see consistent action for the Gym Devils. She competed in every meet this season, leading off on beam in all but one meet. She also competed on floor in all but three meets. Lee posted seven scores of 9.8 or better on beam, and six on floor. Her season best was a 9.875 in both events.
Juniors Skye Harper and Cienna Samiley and sophomore Alex Theodorou round out the gymnasts who saw the most action for ASU. Theodorou, who battled back from an injury in the fall to be ready for the season, competed in all but one meet this season, primarily on vault. She also made four bars lineups and was in the floor lineup in the last six meets. The sophomore scored a 9.8-plus on vault in all but one meet, including four scores of 9.9 or better. On floor, she scored a 9.825-plus in five of her six routines. Harper competed in all but one meet as a beam specialist. She scored a 9.8-plus seven times, including a career-high 9.900. At NCAAs on beam, Harper was strong, scoring a 9.875 at regionals and a 9.850 at the regional finals. Samiley was a bars specialist for the squad, scoring a 9.875-plus five times, including two scores of 9.9 or better. Her career high was a 9.925 which she scored at Washington.
Awards
Head coach Jay Santos took home the 2023 Pac-12 Coach of the Year Award. He previously won the award in 2018. The Gym Devils had another strong season for Santos' seventh season, which was particularly impressive with only two full-time coaches on the staff with Santos and assistant coach Lacey Rubin in her first season as a full-time coach.
Scharf continued to stack her trophy case in her senior campaign. For the third-straight year she was named All-Pac-12 First Team in the all-around. She also made first team on floor. Additionally, Scharf was named the Pac-12 Coaches Choice of the Week two times. Emily White earned the Pac-12 Coaches Choice of the Week as well, earlier in February.
Coming in 2024
The Gym Devils will lose three seniors in Juliette Boyer, Reeves, and Jaslow. Scharf, a senior as well, will return for the Gym Devils for her fifth season, ready to build upon her strong 2023 showing. With a freshman class of three that looks to immediately be ready to contribute, they will look to keep improving next season. ASU has a lot to look forward to next season, as Halle Gregoire, Chloe Seaga and Chavala Shepard will look to take the program to the next level.