STANFORD LEADS AFTER SESSION 1 OF PAC-12 GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Session 2 will begin at 6pm PT on Pac-12 Network

STANFORD, Calif. – The 2017 Pac-12 Women’s Gymnastics Championships got underway this afternoon with lower seeds No. 5 CALIFORNIA, No. 6 ARIZONA, No. 7 STANFORD, and No. 8 ARIZONA STATE competing in the first session in Maples Pavilion on campus at Stanford University.

Host and 7-seed STANFORD (196.625) came out on top at the end of Session 1, followed by ARIZONA (196.300), CALIFORNIA (196.275), and ARIZONA STATE (195.600).

Last season, the Cardinal were also leading at the end of Session 1 of the Championship. STANFORD senior Rachel Daum won the all-around in the first session with a 39.300. Cardinal gymnasts won or tied on vault, beam, and floor. Junior Elizabeth Price won the floor exercise with a 9.925 and tied with CALIFORNIA’s Mariah Peterson for first place on vault with a score of 9.900. Senior Nicolette McNair tied with CALIFORNIA’s Alicia Gallarzo for first place on the balance beam with a score of 9.925. The Cardinal’s 196.625 is a season-high team score. STANFORD also performed best on vault, with a team score of 49.275.

In second place of Session 1, was CALIFORNIA with a team score of 196.275. The Golden Bears were led by Peterson, Gallarzo, and sophomore Chelsea Shu – each of whom tied for first on an event. Shu’s 9.875 on bars tied with ARIZONA’s Christina Berg for first place on the uneven bars. The Bears also claimed the team title on the floor, with a score of 49.300.

ARIZONA ended with a season-high tying score of 196.275 to get third place in Session 1. The Gym Cats also came away with a win on bars, earning a team score of 49.275 in the event, thanks in large part to Berg’s session-best 9.875.

ARIZONA STATE rounded out Session 1 with a total team score of 195.600, their second-best team score this season. The Gym Devils had the best team score on beam with a 49.275. Sun Devil gymnasts Katelyn Lentz and Nichelle Christopherson also came in second and third place, respectively, in the all-around: Lentz ended with a 39.075 on the day and Christopherson earned a 38.875.

In a truly competitive session, each of the four competing teams won one of the four events as a team and both STANFORD and ARIZONA earned season-high team scores.

Session 2 will feature the four higher seeds, including defending champion and top seed UCLA. Also showcased in Session 2 will be seed No. 2 UTAH, No. 3 OREGON STATE, and No. 4 WASHINGTON. The action will resume at 6:00 p.m. PT and will be shown live on Pac-12 Network, Pac-12 Mountain, Pac-12 Los Angeles, Pac-12 Oregon, and Pac-12 Washington.

Session One Standings:

1.      STANFORD             196.625
2.      CALIFORNIA           196.300
3.      ARIZONA                 196.275
4.      ARIZONA STATE     195.600