ASU Gymnastics: Gym Devils to host UC Davis in home opener

(Photo: Tyler Paley/WCSN)

After two weeks on the road, the Arizona State Gym Devils will return home to Wells Fargo Arena for the first time this year.

Arizona State (2-2) will take on the UC Davis Aggies (3-4) Saturday evening in a double dual style meet with the ASU men’s club gymnastics team competing against Illinois.

“This weekend should be a pretty good match up, we’re pretty evenly matched, so hopefully we’ll see them compete and really fight for the win,” ASU associate head coach Jessica Santos said.

The Gym Devils are looking for another victory after finishing second to then-No. 7 Denver in a quad meet last week. ASU improved its total score from week one, finishing with a 193.275.

ASU junior Nichelle Christopherson competed in the all-around and earned two team-highs for the Gym Devils. Christopherson scored season highs on bars and beam posting a 9.825 and 9.850, respectively. She earned a 38.250 in her first all-around completion as a Gym Devil.

UC Davis placed third in its quad meet against then-No. 15 Boise State, Stanford and Yale. The Aggies posted a 193.275 in their meet last week as well.

UC Davis junior Alexis Brown placed third in the all-around competition for the Aggies with a 38.675 and a team-high 9.825 on the floor exercise. The Aggies had a tough time on beam, recording three falls and a team total 47.250, but they bounced back on the floor exercise, posting a 48.700 total.

ASU head coach Jay Santos said his team’s record isn’t what he’s focused on.

“Our national ranks are based off of scores,” Santos said. “The performance and the score right now are really what’s going to help us move up.”

The meet is slated to start at 4 p.m. Arizona time on Saturday, Jan. 21. It will be lived streamed on Pac-12 Plus and Twitter.