Beavers Host Tri-Meet Saturday for Season Opener
CORVALLIS, Ore. - With last week's meet at the Collegiate Challenge being canceled due to COVID-19 protocols, the preseason No. 17-ranked Oregon State gymnastics team now opens the 2022 season with the Beaver Tri-Meet on Saturday, Jan. 15 - hosting San Jose State and Pac-12 opponent Washington.
Originally No. 24 Boise State was scheduled to compete this weekend but due to COVID protocols the Broncos had to cancel, Tuesday. The remaining three teams will compete at 7:00 p.m. inside Gill Coliseum, while introductions are set to begin at 6:47 p.m. The meet will be streamed on OSU's Live Stream with Heather Humphrey and Stephanie McGregor on the call.
FOR THE FANS
The home opener requires all fans in attendance to wear a mask inside Gill Coliseum as doors will open at 6:00 p.m. Oregon State requires all attendees at designated university events to provide proof of vaccination or show proof of a (-) COVID test within the prior three days of the event. Official 2022 Oregon State gymnastics posters will be available for fans to pickup in the concourse pre-meet.
DIGITAL TICKETS
Oregon State has simplified and enhanced the fan experience, while making mmetay safer for fans with the introduction of its new app OSU Beavers Mobile, presented by Toyota. Tickets will be scanned on game day using the app on a mobile device. Fans are encouraged to have their tickets downloaded to their wallet on either iPhone or Android devices, and ready to present upon arrival to help expedite the entry process. Step-by-step instructions for the process may be accessed online, CLICK HERE. Beaver fans are also encouraged to purchase their 2022 Pac-12 Championship tickets now in order to reserve seats with other OSU fans. Visit osubeavers.com to claim tickets today!
YOUTH GYM CLUB TICKETS
Oregon State gymnastics invites all gymnastics clubs out to a Beavers home meet this season for free. Complimentary tickets will be provided to coaches and athletes in the general admissions sections of Gill Coliseum. Guests of coaches and athletes may purchase discounted meet tickets using a promo code. For more information or to request tickets, CLICK HERE.
QUICK STICKS
Oregon State kicks off the campaign at home for just the second time in five years after the Collegiate Challenge cancellation. OSU fell to Boise State, 194.300-191.950, in the 2021 opener … The Beavers remain home next week, welcoming No. 8 UCLA on Sunday, Jan. 23 at 2 p.m. for the annual DAM Worth It meet … Head coach Tanya Chaplin returns to lead the 2022 squad in her 25th season in Corvallis ... Oregon State returns one All-American, Madi Dagen, who earned WCGA Regular Season second team accolades on vault in 2021.
RETURNING FOR 2022
• The Beavers return 17 out of 24 routines from the 2021 NCAA Regionals lineup, losing routines by Lacy Dagen on vault, Lexie Gonzales on beam and Savanna Force on the floor. Meanwhile, Kristina Peterson who was a consistent all-arounder for the Beavers last year, will not compete this season due to a season-ending injury.
• OSU had three gymnasts perform as all-arounders at various times in 2021 as Madi Dagen and Kayla Bird return despite the loss of Peterson.
• In addition, to eight contributors returning this season, two – Alexa McClung and Julia Melchert - performed a total of four exhibitions for the Beavers in 2021.
• Kaitlyn Yanish earned Pac-12 honorable mention honors on the floor exercise in the 2021 campaign and was named 2019 WCGA Regular Season All-American second team with her floor routine.
• There were several notable improvements by previously unsung gymnasts in 2021 ... Jenna Domingo, contributed eight balance beam routines as a freshman in 2020, working her way into three bar lineups with eight beam routines last season hitting 10-12 … Kaitlyn Hoiland, who jumped into the bars lineup in the season opener against Boise State finishing with a career-best 9.775 at the Athens Regional.
• Last year's top contributors in Sydney Gonzales and Ariana Young return to make a splash this season.
NEWBIES
• Oregon State mixes in nine new faces that look to make a big impact during the 2022 campaign – led by Olympic gold medalist Jade Carey. Other freshmen in training include Carley Beeman, Natalie Briones, Karlie Chavez, Kaitlin Garcia, Phoebe Jakubczyk, Lauren Letzsch Trinity Pyle and Brianna Yamamoto.
A LOOK BACK AT 2021
• OSU advanced to the postseason for the 46th consecutive season. (Does not consider the cancelation of the 2020 postseason due to Covid-19)
• The Beavers traveled to Athens, Ga. for the NCAA Regionals in April as the sixth seed and competed with No. 8 Minnesota, No. 9 Denver and Georgia in the second session of the second round. Oregon State started strong with a second-place finish on the vault with a 49.175 but took fourth in the round. OSU's final ranking was No. 22.
• Three of OSU's lineups were ranked among the top 25 in the nation. The vault lineup was the highest ranked for the beavers at No. 10, floor was also ranked 14th and beam finished at No. 18.
• Not including Peterson who 'hit' 32 out of 35, Oregon State as a team 'hit' 181 out of 203 (89.2%) routines in 2021.
• Madi Dagen (V) earned NACGC/W Regular Season Second Team All-America. Dagen was also named to the Pac-12 All-Conference First Team on the vault and balance beam.
• Lena Greene was named one of four semifinalists for the Diverse: Issues in Higher Education's Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars. Greene became the first Beaver to be named a semi-finalist for the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar of the Year award and was also selected as the Women's Gymnastics Individual Sport Category winner.
• Eleven OSU gymnasts received Pac-12 All-Academic honors; Kayla Bird, Lacy Dagen, Madi Dagen, Jenna Domingo, Savanna Force, Lexi Gonzales, Lena Greene, Alexa McClung, Kristina Peterson, Jane Poniewaz, and Colette Yamaoka.
THE ROSTER
Here are some quick hitters about the 2022 Oregon State gymnastics roster:
• The Beavers have three seniors (Alexa McClung, Kristina Peterson and Madi Dagen) and two graduate seniors on the team (Colette Yamaoka and Kaitlyn Yanish). The fab-five has combined to perform 295 routines in their career entering the season.
• Nine of the 21 gymnasts on the 2021 team competed in at least one meet for the Beavers last season. Grace Johnson, Alexa McClung, and Julia Melchert are all seeking their first competition routines at OSU, in addition to the nine freshmen.
• The Beavers have just one gymnast that hails from the state of Oregon - Alexa McClung (Salem).
• The remaining Beavers in the United States come from Arizona (4) California (6), Colorado (2), Georgia (1), Hawaii (2), and Washington (4).
• OSU also has one gymnast from outside the United State - Phoebe Jakubczyk (Portishead, United Kingdom).
• The Beavers return 17 out of 24 routines from the 2021 NCAA Regionals lineup, losing routines by Lacy Dagen on vault, Lexie Gonzales on beam and Savanna Force on the floor. Meanwhile, Kristina Peterson who was a consistent all-arounder for the Beavers last year, will not compete this season due to a season-ending injury.
LOADING UP FOR 2023
In November, four gymnasts signed the National Letters of Intent to join the Oregon State gymnastics program for the 2022-23 academic year. Francesca Caso (Santa Monica, Calif.), Jennifer McMillan (Charlotte, N.C.), Savannah Miller (Waterford, Mich.) and Ellison Weaver (Vancouver, Wash.) are all scheduled to enroll at Oregon State this coming academic year.