TEMPE – In its 50th season, the 2026 Sun Devil Gymnastics team had another solid year with the help of seniors and younger Gym Devils, making its eighth-straight postseason appearance under head coach Jay Santos.
Season summary
In the second season in the Big 12 Conference and 10th year with Santos as head coach, Arizona State finished 11-8. ASU continued its streak of not having a losing season since 2017.
The Gym Devils qualified for NCAA Regionals, which ASU hosted. This marked the ninth season in a row that the team qualified, dating back to the 2017 season. The team advanced to the second round with a score of 195.425 but ultimately finished fourth in the second round after earning a 196.050. The second round’s score tied for the second-best team total of the year.
At the Big 12 Championship, the Sun Devils placed fourth, which was ASU's best finish at a conference championship since 2021. In conference play, the Maroon and Gold went 2-3, earning victories over BYU and West Virginia.
Throughout the year, the Gym Devils had four scores of 196.000 or better. The season best was a 196.500, which they earned on senior day in the tri-meet win over SEMO and Utah State.
Awards
Senior Kimberly Smith was named to the All-Big 12 Teams for the all-around and bars. Newcomers Kylee Bromley and Safia El Mammann were both named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
There were three weekly award winners this season for ASU. Junior Reese Grolla earned Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week following her Gym Devil debut on January 14. El Mammann was recognized as Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week on February 17 after winning two event titles. Smith was honored with the Big 12 Gymnast of the Week award on January 27.
Individual success
Smith anchored the team, competing in the all-around in all 11 regular season meets and in the Big 12 Championship. She had a season and career high of 39.475, which came against BYU. Smith also won 15 event titles this season: six in all-around, four on floor, four on bars and one on vault. Her most consistent events were bars and floor, earning a 9.800 or higher in every meet except for two. Smith scored a 9.900 or better five times, four of which came on floor.
Grolla found her place as a transfer on bars and beam, competing in both events in all 14 meets. She had a season high of 9.950 on bars, one of her three scores higher than a 9.000. That was the highest score by a Gym Devil this season. Grolla earned four event titles, two on beam and two on bars.
Senior Kayla Lee finished her final season as a Gym Devil well, competing in every beam lineup of the season. Her best score on beam was a 9.875, which she earned at the TWU Quad meet and earned again during the second round of regionals. Lee also won two beam event titles.
Junior Halle Gregoire had a successful season, serving as a key contributor on vault and floor. Her season high of 9.900 came on floor against BYU, but she earned another 9.900 during the SJSU Quad meet. She earned two vault titles and two floor titles this season.
Bromley emerged as a shining newcomer, winning six event titles in her first season as a Gym Devil. Her most consistent event was bars, where she competed in all 14 meets and earned a score of 9.800 or higher in all but three meets. She competed in the all-around seven times.
Fellow newcomer Mammann also made an impressive debut, earning her personal best of 9.850 three times throughout the season. She competed in all but two beam events but made the biggest impact while competing in every vault event. Mammann earned three event titles, two on vault and another on beam.
Three other Gym Devils earned event titles: senior Isabella Kowan, freshman Delanie Kelly and junior Lilia Purler. Senior Caroline Lichtman played a role in the Sun Devils’ success, as well as sophomores Halle Braaflat, Tiara Platkin and Nina Laurito. The large freshmen class also had key contributors in Adele Ossi, Jessica Rosenberg and Robyn Wilson.
Looking ahead
With four seniors leaving the program, ASU will look to fill the gaps the graduating Gym Devils will leave behind. However, the team returns 17 of the 24 routines from Big 12s.
Arizona State has also signed four incoming freshmen to join the team: Liberty Andrews, Brynley Hall, Avery Schwarz and Adelle Speck. All four are DP Nationals qualifiers.
Follow us
For exclusive content, the latest updates and more information on the Sun Devil Gymnastics team, follow @sundevilgymnastics on Instagram, @SunDevilGym on X, Sun Devil Gymnastics on Facebook and visit sundevils.com.