ASU Gymnastics: 25th Ranked Gym Devils Open Season Jan. 11

Photo courtesy of statepress.com
 
The Arizona State women’s gymnastics team, ranked 25th nationally in the GymInfo Preseason Coaches’ poll, will open its 2014 season on Jan. 11 at Wells Fargo Arena in a tri-meet against San Jose State and Sacramento State.

ASU is coming off its best NCAA Regional finish since 2006, placing third at the Corvallis Regional and Pac-12 Champion and Regional host Oregon State to finish the 2013 season. For the first time since 2009, the Gym Devils closed out the season ranked 24th in the final GymInfo rankings.

All eight gymnastics teams in the Pac-12 are ranked in the 2014 preseason poll.

Arizona State returns 20 of its 24 line-up spots from 2013, including Pac-12 Specialist of the Week Natasha Sundby. Senior Samantha Seaman, the team’s top all around gymnast who was sidelined for most of last year, also returns to provide depth on vault and floor. Two other veteran performers, juniors Brianna Gades and Morgan Steigerwalt, round out the Gym Devil squad.

Following the Jan. 11 opening, ASU will have five additional home meets: Jan. 24 (California), Feb. 1 (Utah), Feb. 15 (BYU), Feb. 22 (Arizona) and Mar. 14 (Northern Illinois).

The 2014 GymInfo Gymnastics Preseason Coaches Poll included:

Rank, Team, Points (First-Place Votes)

1. Florida 755 (21)
2. Alabama 739
3. Oklahoma 728 (7)
4. UCLA 648 (1)
5. LSU 636
6. Utah 596 (2)
7. Michigan 570
8. Georgia 552
9. Stanford 508
10. Nebraska 472
11. Arkansas 440
12. Oregon State 438
13. Auburn 426
14. Minnesota 360
15. Penn State 251
16. Illinois 236
17. Arizona 224
18. Denver 220
19. Ohio State 209
20. Washington 201
21. Kentucky 198
22. California 152
23. Boise State 135
24. Maryland 103
25. Arizona State 74