TEMPE, Ariz.—The Arizona State women's gymnastics team (2-2) will compete in Wells Fargo Arena for the first time in the 2017 season when they face the UC Davis Aggies (3-4) on Saturday, Jan. 21.
The meet is slated for a 4 p.m. MT start and will be live streamed on TheSunDevils.com. The meet will be a double dual style meet with the men's gymnastics team facing Illinois.
Fans can follow along on Twitter by following @ASUGymnastics. Fans are encouraged to tweet with #WeWill in support of the 2017 Gym Devils.
The meet is slated to be broadcast live on Twitter via Pac-12 Plus.
ABOUT UC DAVIS
The Aggies placed third in their home opener with a 193.275 in a quadrangular match-up with then-No. 15 Boise State, Stanford and Yale.
UC Davis opened the meet on vault with a 48.575, led by senior Katy Nogaki's 9.825 and followed by junior Alexis Brown's 9.800. On bars the Aggies hit a 48.750 led by senior Yonni Michovska's career-high 9.875. The Aggies struggled on beam with three falls and a team total 47.250. Rallying back on floor, they posted a 48.700 total with sophomore Yasmine Yektaparast's 9.800 leading the way. Brown placed third in the all-around with a 38.675.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gym Devils continued the 2017 season on the road in week two, hitting new season highs on three events and finishing second in the Denver Quad Meet with a total 193.275 behind No. 7 Denver's 196.350. Texas Women's University finished in third with a 192.125 while Air Force came in fourth with a 189.900.
Junior Nichelle Christopherson posted two team-highs for the Gym Devils with season highs on bars and beam scoring 9.825 and 9.850, respectively. Freshman Ashley Szafranski recorded a career best 9.775 on bars to contribute to the Sun Devil's 48.550 event total.
The Gym Devils saw huge improvement and lots of stuck landings on beam for a team total 48.575. Senior Beka Conrad posted a season best 9.775 while sophomores Heather Udowitch and Justine Callis each posted scores of 9.750..
On vault the Gym Devils posted a season high 48.600, led by freshman Jessica Ginn's career high 9.800. Sophomore Kaelyn Lentz followed with a 9.750 and freshman Morgan Hart recorded a season best 9.700.
Hart led the team on floor with a career high 9.800 to contribute to the 47.550 event total.
Christopherson scored a 38.250 in her first all-around appearance for the Sun Devils.
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil will open Pac-12 competition on the road in Berkeley, Calif., facing the No. 13 California Bears on Saturday, Jan. 28.
The meet is slated for a 7 p.m. MT start, and will be televised on the Pac-12 Network.
ASU'S 2017 EVENT LEADERS
Vault
Freshman Jessica Ginn scored a career high 9.800 in the Denver Quad Meet to lead the Gym Devils. Sophomore Katelyn Lentz posted a season high 9.750 in Denver.
Bars
Junior transfer Nichelle Christopherson recorded a season high 9.825 in Denver. Freshman Ashley Szafranski stayed consistent in Denver and bested her score from her debut with a new career high 9.775.
Beam
Junior transfer Nichelle Christopherson led the Gym Devils in Denver with a career high 9.850 on beam. Senior Beka Conrad posted a season best 9.775 in the Denver Quad Meet.
Floor
Freshman Morgan Hart scored a career best 9.800 in Denver to lead the Gym Devils. Sophomore Katelyn Lentz and junior transfer Nichelle Christopherson have the second-highest floor scores of 9.725.
THE 2017 RETURNERS
ASU returns seven gymnasts from last year's lineup, with senior Beka Conrad ready to lead the program. Also back are six sophomores who made immediate impact in last season's squad: Corinne Belkoff, Justine Callis, Eileen Imbus, Katelyn Lentz, Heather Udowitch, and Morgan Wilson.
THE 2017 NEWCOMERS
The Gym Devils will field another young roster in 2017 with seven freshman expected to contribute to the lineup: Averie Brook (Houston, Texas/World Champions Centre), Jessica Ginn (Chandler, Ariz./Desert Lights Gymnastics), Morgan Hart (Las Vegas, Nev./Browns Gymnastics), Mekayla Jones (Birmingham, Ala./JamJev Gymnastics), Graycee Rushton (Gilbert, Ariz./Arizona Dynamics Gymnastics), Ashley Szafranski (Orefield, Pa./Parkettes), and Alex Wilson (Denver, Colo./Tigar Gymnastics). The 2017 squad will also feature junior transfer Nichelle Christopherson (Michigan), who brings high-level experience from both club and college.
THE 2017 SCHEDULE
ASU is set for another rigorous schedule this year, which will include nine teams that finished in the top-25 in 2016.
The Gym Devils open the 2017 season on the road for the first two weeks at Iowa State on Friday, Jan. 6 and at Denver on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. MT.
The Sun Devils will compete at home five times this season, opening on Saturday, Jan. 21 against UC Davis. ASU will also host meets against three Pac-12 foes in February: reigning conference champion UCLA on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 1:30 p.m. MT, Stanford on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m. MT, and Utah on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 5 p.m. MT.
Other 2017 road matches include the Pac-12 opener at California on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. MT, at Washington on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. MT, and the annual rivalry match at Arizona on Sunday, March 5 at 1 p.m. MT.
ASU will cap the home slate and the regular season on Friday, March 10, hosting a tri-meet with Bridgeport and Sacramento State before traveling to Stanford, Calif. for the 2017 Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships on March 18.
GYM DEVILS ON THE PAC-12 NETWORK
Each of ASU's six conference match-ups during the regular season (at California, vs. UCLA, at Washington, vs. Stanford, vs. Utah, at Arizona) will air on the Pac-12 Network. The sessions of the 2017 Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships in Stanford, Calif. will also be televised on the Pac-12 Network.
THE 2016 CAMPAIGN
Despite injuries through most of the 2016 season, the Gym Devils finished their season at the Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships. Their season-high team score of 194.725 was posted against then-No. 15 California on Feb. 16.
Following the conference championship, the then-senior duo of Taylor Allex (vault, floor) and Allie Salas (all-around) qualified to compete as individuals at the NCAA Regional championships. Allex won the vault NCAA Regional title and finished her career at the NCAA Championship.
The meet is slated for a 4 p.m. MT start and will be live streamed on TheSunDevils.com. The meet will be a double dual style meet with the men's gymnastics team facing Illinois.
Fans can follow along on Twitter by following @ASUGymnastics. Fans are encouraged to tweet with #WeWill in support of the 2017 Gym Devils.
The meet is slated to be broadcast live on Twitter via Pac-12 Plus.
ABOUT UC DAVIS
The Aggies placed third in their home opener with a 193.275 in a quadrangular match-up with then-No. 15 Boise State, Stanford and Yale.
UC Davis opened the meet on vault with a 48.575, led by senior Katy Nogaki's 9.825 and followed by junior Alexis Brown's 9.800. On bars the Aggies hit a 48.750 led by senior Yonni Michovska's career-high 9.875. The Aggies struggled on beam with three falls and a team total 47.250. Rallying back on floor, they posted a 48.700 total with sophomore Yasmine Yektaparast's 9.800 leading the way. Brown placed third in the all-around with a 38.675.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gym Devils continued the 2017 season on the road in week two, hitting new season highs on three events and finishing second in the Denver Quad Meet with a total 193.275 behind No. 7 Denver's 196.350. Texas Women's University finished in third with a 192.125 while Air Force came in fourth with a 189.900.
Junior Nichelle Christopherson posted two team-highs for the Gym Devils with season highs on bars and beam scoring 9.825 and 9.850, respectively. Freshman Ashley Szafranski recorded a career best 9.775 on bars to contribute to the Sun Devil's 48.550 event total.
The Gym Devils saw huge improvement and lots of stuck landings on beam for a team total 48.575. Senior Beka Conrad posted a season best 9.775 while sophomores Heather Udowitch and Justine Callis each posted scores of 9.750..
On vault the Gym Devils posted a season high 48.600, led by freshman Jessica Ginn's career high 9.800. Sophomore Kaelyn Lentz followed with a 9.750 and freshman Morgan Hart recorded a season best 9.700.
Hart led the team on floor with a career high 9.800 to contribute to the 47.550 event total.
Christopherson scored a 38.250 in her first all-around appearance for the Sun Devils.
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil will open Pac-12 competition on the road in Berkeley, Calif., facing the No. 13 California Bears on Saturday, Jan. 28.
The meet is slated for a 7 p.m. MT start, and will be televised on the Pac-12 Network.
ASU'S 2017 EVENT LEADERS
Vault
Freshman Jessica Ginn scored a career high 9.800 in the Denver Quad Meet to lead the Gym Devils. Sophomore Katelyn Lentz posted a season high 9.750 in Denver.
Bars
Junior transfer Nichelle Christopherson recorded a season high 9.825 in Denver. Freshman Ashley Szafranski stayed consistent in Denver and bested her score from her debut with a new career high 9.775.
Beam
Junior transfer Nichelle Christopherson led the Gym Devils in Denver with a career high 9.850 on beam. Senior Beka Conrad posted a season best 9.775 in the Denver Quad Meet.
Floor
Freshman Morgan Hart scored a career best 9.800 in Denver to lead the Gym Devils. Sophomore Katelyn Lentz and junior transfer Nichelle Christopherson have the second-highest floor scores of 9.725.
THE 2017 RETURNERS
ASU returns seven gymnasts from last year's lineup, with senior Beka Conrad ready to lead the program. Also back are six sophomores who made immediate impact in last season's squad: Corinne Belkoff, Justine Callis, Eileen Imbus, Katelyn Lentz, Heather Udowitch, and Morgan Wilson.
THE 2017 NEWCOMERS
The Gym Devils will field another young roster in 2017 with seven freshman expected to contribute to the lineup: Averie Brook (Houston, Texas/World Champions Centre), Jessica Ginn (Chandler, Ariz./Desert Lights Gymnastics), Morgan Hart (Las Vegas, Nev./Browns Gymnastics), Mekayla Jones (Birmingham, Ala./JamJev Gymnastics), Graycee Rushton (Gilbert, Ariz./Arizona Dynamics Gymnastics), Ashley Szafranski (Orefield, Pa./Parkettes), and Alex Wilson (Denver, Colo./Tigar Gymnastics). The 2017 squad will also feature junior transfer Nichelle Christopherson (Michigan), who brings high-level experience from both club and college.
THE 2017 SCHEDULE
ASU is set for another rigorous schedule this year, which will include nine teams that finished in the top-25 in 2016.
The Gym Devils open the 2017 season on the road for the first two weeks at Iowa State on Friday, Jan. 6 and at Denver on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. MT.
The Sun Devils will compete at home five times this season, opening on Saturday, Jan. 21 against UC Davis. ASU will also host meets against three Pac-12 foes in February: reigning conference champion UCLA on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 1:30 p.m. MT, Stanford on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m. MT, and Utah on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 5 p.m. MT.
Other 2017 road matches include the Pac-12 opener at California on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. MT, at Washington on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. MT, and the annual rivalry match at Arizona on Sunday, March 5 at 1 p.m. MT.
ASU will cap the home slate and the regular season on Friday, March 10, hosting a tri-meet with Bridgeport and Sacramento State before traveling to Stanford, Calif. for the 2017 Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships on March 18.
GYM DEVILS ON THE PAC-12 NETWORK
Each of ASU's six conference match-ups during the regular season (at California, vs. UCLA, at Washington, vs. Stanford, vs. Utah, at Arizona) will air on the Pac-12 Network. The sessions of the 2017 Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships in Stanford, Calif. will also be televised on the Pac-12 Network.
THE 2016 CAMPAIGN
Despite injuries through most of the 2016 season, the Gym Devils finished their season at the Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships. Their season-high team score of 194.725 was posted against then-No. 15 California on Feb. 16.
Following the conference championship, the then-senior duo of Taylor Allex (vault, floor) and Allie Salas (all-around) qualified to compete as individuals at the NCAA Regional championships. Allex won the vault NCAA Regional title and finished her career at the NCAA Championship.