(San Antonio, TX) To open the season, Sun Devil Gymnastics scored a 194.750 and took fourth place at the Lone Star Collegiate Invitational at the Freeman Coliseum on Saturday afternoon, beating Temple in the five-team meet.
Notable Stats
Arizona State (1-3) scored a 194.750 to start the year. Despite the team score not being stellar, Gym Devils are known to build their scores. The last time ASU started the season with a 194 was in 2021 when the team went on to make the NCAA Regional Finals and scored four scores of 197-plus during the year.
Junior Kimberly Smith competed in the all-around for the first time in her career, making her collegiate debuts on vault and bars. She had the second-highest floor score of the meet with a 9.900, which is her second score of 9.900 or better in her career. In the all-around, she earned a 38.850.
Graduate Emily White had a strong outing, competing on bars (9.825), beam (9.875) and floor (9.750). Her bars and beam scores were team highs.
On vault, senior Alex Theodorou led the way with a 9.875 in the anchor spot.
Three Gym Devils made their collegiate debuts today: Halle Braaflat (vault, bars, floor), Caroline Lichtman (beam) and Tiara Platkin (bars). Lilia Purler competed on beam in the first time in her career as well. Additionally, senior transfer Jenna Blair made her debut as a Sun Devil on vault and floor.
Final Results
- Auburn, 196.775
- Penn State, 196.100
- Maryland, 195.400
- ASU, 194.750
- Temple, 192.350
Rotation One: Off
The Sun Devils were off in the first rotation.
Rotation Two: Bars, 48.875
Scores grew down the lineup in ASU’s first rotation on bars. White scored the highest score of 9.825 in the penultimate spot, followed by Clark 9.800 in the anchor. Freshmen Braaflat and Platkin made their collegiate debuts, scoring a 9.600 and 9.775, respectively. This was also Smith’s first collegiate bars routine, earning a 9.775.
Rotation Three: Beam, 48.075
Beam was rocky for Arizona State. There was only one score higher than Clark’s 9.700, which was White’s 9.875 in the anchor spot. Lichtman’s collegiate debut scored a 9.600.
Rotation Four: Floor, 48.925
The Gym Devils got back on track on floor. Smith was the highlight of this rotation, scoring the team’s first 9.900 of the year. Purler earned a solid 9.800 for the second-highest score. The three other counting scores were in the 9.700 to 9.775 range.
Rotation Five: Vault, 48.875
In the final rotation, Theodorou’s 9.875 in the anchor position was the best score. Purler set up a great score by notching a 9.825, a career high for her. Smith, making her vault debut, brought in a 9.800. Braaflat and Lichtman competed on vault for the first time as well, scoring a 9.675 and 9.575, respectively.
Up Next
The Gym Devils will head to Utah for the Wasatch Classic on January 20 at the Maverik Center in West Valley City.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Kimberlie Haner
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