Women's Gymnastics Pac-12 Conference

Pac-12 Women’s Gymnastics Weekly Rundown - January 11, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO - Pac-12 womens gymnastics heads into the second week of action on a high note after a stellar opening weekend for all eight programs. Six Pac-12 squads posted team scores in the top 25 in the country while all eight sit in the top 28 in the first Road To Nationals rankings, which tracks team and individual event scores throughout the season. Week two kicks off with another full slate as all eight teams are set to take the stage, including five programs competing Friday and Saturday at the Maverik Center in Salt Lake City, the site of the 2023 Pac-12 Womens Gymnastics Championships on March 18.

THIS WEEK

  • Two-time defending Pac-12 champion and No. 6 Utah , coming off its top-10 home win over LSU to open 2023, will face a trio of in-state rivals at the fourth annual Rio Tinto Best of Utah event. In addition to the No. 6 Utes, the quad meet features No. 22 Southern Utah, No. 27 BYU and Utah State and takes place at the Maverik Center in West Valley, Utah on Friday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. MT live on BYUtv. The Utes have won all three of the previous events and are a dominating 223-5 against in-state foes in their history.
  • Four more Pac-12 squads will be in the state of Utah this weekend as No. 3 Cal , No. 6 UCLA , No. 25 Washington and No. 26 Oregon State are competing at the inaugural Wasatch Classic, also taking place at the Maverik Center, on Saturday, Jan. 14. The afternoon session begins at 3 p.m. MT with the Bruins and Huskies joined by No. 19 Minnesota and Boise State. The evening session includes four teams all ranked in the top 26 in the nation, led by the third-ranked Bears, No. 16 Iowa, No. 20 Pittsburgh and 26th-ranked Oregon State, and gets underway at 8 p.m. MT.
  • No. 18 Stanford will look to carry the momentum from its season-opening win in the Cardinals session at the Super 16 event in Las Vegas last Friday into their first dual meet of the year. Hosting neighbor San Jose State in the first head-to-head matchup between the schools since 2015, the Cardinal own a 2-0 record in dual meets over their Bay Area foes. Action gets underway Saturday at 1 p.m. PT.
  • No. 23 Arizona State returns to Tempe for its home-opener as the Sun Devils host Eastern Michigan and UC Davis in a tri-meet on Friday at 7 p.m. MT at Desert Financial Arena. The Gym Devils enter the meet having gone a combined 8-1 all-time against the Eagles (2-0) and the Aggies (6-1). ASU shares a close connection to EMU as head coach Jay Santos used to coach the Eagles and led them to their first-ever NCAA Regional appearance in 2016 while assistant coach Lacey Rubin is a former EMU gymnast. The event can be watched on ASUs Live Stream.
  • No. 28 Arizona will also be staying in the state and hosting its home opener as the Wildcats welcome No. 16 Illinois, Texas Womans University, and Bowling Green in a quad meet in the McKale Center at 2 p.m. MT. The meet will be available to watch on the Arizona Live Stream.

OPENING WEEKEND ROUNDUP

  • The strength of Pac-12 womens gymnastics was on display in the opening weekend of the 2023 season as all eight teams posted team scores in the top 28 in the country, which included three in the top 10. California had the leagues best score of 197.475, which ranked third overall, followed by UCLA and Utah in a tie for sixth overall at 197.275. Stanford checked in at No. 18 with a 196.175, while Arizona State was 23rd at 195.775, Washington was 25th at 195.475, Oregon State was 26th at 195.450 and Arizona was 28th at 194.950.
  • After losing the dual meet in Baton Rouge a year ago, the Utes avenged their loss to the Tigers with a 197.275-196.775 victory over visiting LSU in front of a packed house of over 11,000 fans at the Huntsman Center in an event that aired live on ESPN2. It was Utahs highest season-opening score since 2005 and the third-best in program history. The Utes improved to 62-6 all-time in season openers.
  • No. 3 Cal turned in a historical performance, kicking off the new campaign with its best overall score in a season-opening meet in program history. The Bears 197.457 was the 11th-best team score all-time and secured them the first-place finish in their session at the Super 16 event in Vegas that featured then-No. 18 Iowa, No. 24 Arizona State and No. 22 BYU. The Bears won three of four individual events as a team and took home the individual title in all four.
  • The Huskies and the Bruins also recorded their highest opening scores in more than a decade as Washington posted its best since 2004 and UCLA its best since 2005. Washingtons score was good for second in its session at the Super 16 event, while the Bruins took fourth in a loaded session that featured four top 10 teams and three in the top five.
  • Stanford couldnt have asked for a better start to the year after winning their quad session in Las Vegas, topping then-No. 14 and conference foe Oregon State, No. 20 Georgia and Rutgers. Senior Chloe Widner led the way with titles in beam (9.875), floor (9.950 career high) and the all-around with a 39.525, which was .200 better than her previous personal best.
  • For the weekend, three squads earned team titles (Utah - vs. #6 LSU; Stanford - Session 2 Super 16; California - Session 3 Super 16) and a total of 10 athletes earned event titles ( Widner, STAN - AA, BB, FL; Amara Cunningham, WASH - FL; Skylar Killough-Wilhelm, WASH - BB; Jordan Chiles, UCLA - UB; Chae Campbell, UCLA - FL; Andi Li, CAL - AA; Mya Lauzon, CAL - VA; Mckenna Smith, UTAH - VA; Grace McCallum, UTAH - UB; Maile OKeefe, UTAH - BB).

ROAD TO NATIONALS RANKINGS

  • The Road to Nationals rankings serve as the official rankings for NCAA gymnastics as it tracks team and individual scores and averages on the events throughout the season. With the first week of competition in the books, the eight Pac-12 programs posted scores that landed them in the top 28 in the country, led by No. 3 Cal and UCLA and Utah, who are tied at No. 6.
  • Several individual gymnasts rank among the top performers in the country on individual events:
    • In the all-around, reigning Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week and Olympic medalist Jordan Chiles of UCLA is tied for second in the country after her 39.650 to open the season. Stanford senior Chloe Widner , who won the all-around and two additional events in session two at the Super 16 in Las Vegas, is tied for fifth (39.525). Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Week Selena Harris of UCLA, the No. 1 ranked recruit in the country last year, is tied for seventh (39.500) overall.
    • In vault, UCLAs Chae Campbell and Cals Maya Lauzon , the Pac-12 Specialist of the Week, are tied for fourth overall with a 9.925.
    • In bars, Cals Andi Li and UCLA's Chiles each turned in 9.975 on the event to sit tied for first in the nation. Fellow Bruin Margzetta Frazier is tied for fourth in bars at 9.950.
    • On the floor, Stanfords Widner , UCLAs Campbell and California freshman and sister of Bruin Margzetta, eMjae Frazier , are all tied for first in the event at 9.950. Californias Lauzon is also in the top 10 in a tie for ninth at 9.925.
    • On the balance beam, Cals Frazier and Utahs Maile OKeefe are tied for third at 9.950.

PRESEASON RANKINGS

  • All 8 Pac-12 women's gymnastics teams were ranked in the top 25 of the 2023 Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Preseason Poll . The annual preseason poll, which is voted on by Division I women's gymnastics coaches, featured every Pac-12 program in the top 25 for the first time since 2014. The eight teams in the top 25 were tied for the most with the SEC.
  • Utah, which finished third at the national championships and won its second consecutive Pac-12 title in 2022, was the Conference's top-ranked team coming in at No. 3 with a pair of first-place votes. It was the Utes' highest preseason ranking since they were picked second overall in the national poll in 2010.
  • Joining Utah in the top 10 was California at No. 8 and UCLA at No. 10. Oregon State checks in at No. 14, followed by Stanford at No. 17, Washington at No. 21, Arizona State at No. 24 and Arizona at No. 25.

OLYMPIC STRENGTH

  • Pac-12 lineups this season feature four Olympic medalists from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Reigning Pac-12 Gymnast and Freshman of the Year, Oregon State's Jade Carey (USA) won an individual gold medal in the floor exercise, All-American, UCLA's Jordan Chiles, and Utah's Grace McCallum were silver medalists in the team competition with the United States, and Utah's Amelie Morgan helped Great Britain to team bronze, which was its first gymnastics medal since 1928.
  • Rounding out the Pac-12 with Olympic ties are UCLA's Brooklyn Moors, who competed for Canada in Tokyo, and Utah's Kara Eaker and UCLA's Emma Malabuyo, who were alternates for the United States.
  • Carey and Chiles recently also won individual medals at the recent 2022 World Championships and a silver medal team championship. Bruin freshman Ciena Alipio also competed at the World Championships, winning a silver medal on the balance beam.

ALL-AMERICAN PARTY

  • The Pac-12 has 17 All-Americans returning that have won over 50 career All-American honors, including reigning USA Gymnastics Athlete of the Year Jade Carey, who was an eight-time All-American during her freshman campaign at Oregon State last year.
  • Other returning All-Americans include: Abby Brenner, UTAH; Chae Campbell (4-time), UCLA; Jordan Chiles, UCLA; Kara Eaker, UTAH; Margzetta Frazier (3-time), UCLA; Madi Dagen, OSU; Nevaeh DeSouza (3-time), CAL; Cristal Isa (5-time), UTAH; Andi Li (3-time), CAL; Sirena Linton, ARIZ; Grace McCallum (5-time), UTAH; Maile O'Keefe (11-time), UTAH; Abby Paulson (4-time), UTAH; Jaedyn Rucker, UTAH; Hannah Scharf (3-time) ASU; Sage Thompson, UTAH.

PAC-12 PRESEASON POLL & WATCH LISTS

  • In the Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll defending Pac-12 champion Utah was selected as the preseason favorite to claim a third straight Conference title in 2023. UCLA checked in at second place in the poll. The two teams have taken turns capturing Conference titles since 2014, with UCLA winning in 2016, 2018 and 2019, and Utah in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021 and 2022. California finished third in the poll followed by Oregon State in fourth, Stanford in fifth, Washington in sixth, Arizona State in seventh and Arizona in eighth.
  • In December, the Pac-12 introduced the inaugural preseason watch lists for the 2023 season , which were nominated by the eight Pac-12 coaches. The 12-member Preseason Watch List included: Brenna Brooks, WASH; Jade Carey, OSU; Jordan Chiles, UCLA; Madi Dagen, OSU; Malia Hargrove, ARIZ; Caroline Herry, ARIZ; Skylar Killough-Wilhelm, WASH; Andi Li, CAL; Grace McCallum, UTAH; Hannah Scharf, ASU; Emily White, ASU; and Chloe Widner, STAN. The 4-member Newcomer Watch List included: eMjae Frazier, CAL; Selena Harris, UCLA; Anna Roberts, STAN; and Makenna Smith, UTAH.

BEST IN THE WEST

  • For the first time in Pac-12 history, every Pac-12 Womens Gymnastics program was selected to compete at the NCAA Womens Gymnastics Regionals last season. (All eight current programs were selected).
  • Utah advanced to its 46th-consecutive national championship after winning the Seattle Regional and is the only program in the nation to qualify to every national championship, including all 40 NCAA Championships (began in 1982). Several individuals from the conference also advanced to compete at nationals.
  • Utah advanced to the NCAA Finals and finished third overall for the second consecutive year.
  • All eight teams finished in the Top 26 in the final rankings - #3 Utah, #11 California, #12 UCLA, #14 Stanford, #17 Oregon State, #21 Washington, #22 Arizona State, #26 Arizona.

ON TV

  • Pac-12 Networks will broadcast 22 womens gymnastics meets this season as well as the 2023 Pac-12 Womens Gymnastics Championships, presented by Sprouts, on Saturday, March 18. Utahs battle with LSU on Friday, Jan. 6 aired lived on ESPN2 and ESPN will also carry the league matchup between Utah and UCLA on Friday, Feb. 3.

2023 PAC-12 WOMENS GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIP

  • Tickets for the 2023 Pac-12 Womens Gymnastics Championships, presented by Sprouts, are on sale now at Pac-12.com/tickets . The one-day, two-session event returns to the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah on Saturday, March 18.

2023 PAC-12 GYMNASTS OF THE WEEK

Gymnast Specialist Freshman/Newcomer Coaches Choice
Jan. 10 Jordan Chiles, UCLA Mya Lauzon, Cal Selena Harris, UCLA Ella Cesario, Cal

UPCOMING SCHEDULE ( Full Schedule )

Friday, Jan. 13 TV/Stream Time
Rio Tinto Best Of Utah (Maverik Center; West Valley City, Utah): #6 Utah, #22 Southern Utah, #27 BYU, Utah State BYUtv 6 p.m. PT
ASU Tri-Meet (Tempe, Ariz.): #23 Arizona State, Eastern Michigan, UC Davis ASU Live Stream 6 p.m. PT
Saturday, Jan. 14
San Jose State at Stanford STAN Live Stream 1 p.m. PT
Arizona Quad Meet: #28 Arizona, No. 16 Illinois, Bowling Green, Texas Woman's University ARIZ Live Stream 1 p.m. PT
Wasatch Classic (Maverik Center; West Valley City, Utah): No. 6 UCLA, No. 19 Minnesota, No. 25 Washington, Boise State 2 p.m. PT
Wasatch Classic (Maverik Center; West Valley City, Utah): No. 3 Cal, No. 16 Iowa, No. 20 Pittsburgh, No. 26 Oregon State 7 p.m. PT