Arizona State Women s Gymnastics

Arizona State Women s Gymnastics No. 24 Sun Devils vs. Missouri Friday January 16 - Tempe, AZ 2009 Sun Devil Schedule/Results 1/16 Missouri 7:30 p.m. 1/22 at Stanford 7:00 p.m. 1/30 UCLA 7:30 p.m. 2/6 at Oregon State 7:00 p.m. 2/13 California 7:00 p.m. 2/20 at Arizona 7:00 p.m. 2/27 Washington 7:30 p.m. 3/6 Utah 7:00 p.m. 3/13 UNO s Classic 7:00 p.m. 3/21 Pac-10 Championships 5:00 p.m. 4/4 NCAA Regional TBA 4/16-18 NCAA Championships TBA * All times local to site Gym Devils Spring Into 2009 Season Hosting Missouri Sun Devils... 2009 Overall Record: 0-0 vs. Pac-10 Opponents: 0-0 vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0 Head Coach John Spini -- One of the winningest coaches in the history of Sun Devil athletics, John Spini is in his 29th year at ASU. His Sun Devil teams have won four conference titles, placed among the top-six at the NCAA Championships nine times and finished runner-up to a national crown on four occasions. In 1982 and 1983 he was named the WCAA Coach of the Year, and in 1996 and 2006 was the Pac-10 s co-winner. Spini is assisted by Jean-Luc Cairon (1st year) and Jamie Dantzscher. Reg. Season Record: 323-146-2 Reg. Season Home Rec.: 173-42-1 Media Information -- Media in need of information regarding ASU women s gymnastics, or those wishing to schedule an interview, should contact Jennifer Jaeckels, assistant sports information director and gymnastics contact Phone: (480) 584-9591 Fax: (480) 965-5408 E-Mail: jjaeckel@asu.edu Website: www.thesundevils.com This Week -- The Arizona State women s gymnastics team will begin their 2009 season hosting Missouri on January 16. This is the first time the Sun Devils will open their season at home since 2004. Head Coach John Spini is currently ASU s longest-tenured head coach, and is second on the all-time Sun Devil head coaching list. Former Sun Devil women s tennis coaching legend Anne Pittman holds the distinction as the longest-tenured ASU head coach at 31 seasons. Promotions This Week -- Friday s meet marks Sparky s Kids to College Night as well as Staff Appreciation Night. Forms for Sparky s Kids to College and for Staff Appreciation are available on www.thesundevils. com. The team will also be available for post-meet autograph sessions. ASU In The Rankings -- The Sun Devils enter the season ranked 24th in the Preseason Coaches Poll. They are not ranked in this week s poll due to the fact they have not competed yet this season. Scouting the Competition -- The Sun Devils narrowly lost to the Tigers last season in Colombia, Mo. The Tigers enter this season ranked 19th. They return senior Big 12 all-around Champion Adrienne Perry to their squad this season. Welcome Freshmen -- The 2009 roster boasts seven freshmen. ASU welcomes Nicole Ferrandino (East Norwich, N.Y.), Ellen Gebhardt (Carol Stream, Ill.), Amber Hammerschmidt (Rosemount, Minn.), Stephanie Hangartner (Chandler, Ariz.), Kahoku Palafox (Kailua, Hawaii), Callie Price (Mesa, Ariz.) and Kelly Reilly (Phoenix, Ariz.). These freshmen are expected to make an immediate impact. Aye Aye Captain-- Tiana Jean will lead the Sun Devils as captain this season. The senior all-arounder was honored by the Pac-10 last season for her consistent performance in the all-around. Jean, who earned a career-best of 39.225 in the all-around last season, either raised or tied her career-high in every event last season. Jean tallied career-highs of 9.750 on vault, 9.875 on bars, 9.9 on beam and 9.875 on floor. -- page one of four -- www.thesundevils.com

Arizona State Women s Gymnastics -- Page 2-4 ASU All-Time Team High Scores 1. vs. Eastern Michigan (3/5/04) 198.450 2. vs. Kentucky (3/21/03) 198.275 3. vs. UCLA (2/16/03) 198.150 4. vs. Minnesota (3/12/04) 198.125 5. vs. Arizona (3/1/02) 197.850 6. UNO s Classic (2/28/03) 197.825 7. vs. Iowa State (3/10/06) 197.750 8. vs. Arizona (2/27/04) 197.700 9t. @ Utah (1/24/03) 197.450 @ Arizona (3/2/01) 197.450 ASU All-Time Event Records Vault: vs. Kentucky (3/21/03) 49.650 vs. Arizona (2/27/04) 49.650 Bars: vs. Eastern Michigan (3/5/04) 49.600 Beam: vs. UCLA (2/16/03) 49.875 Floor: vs. Arizona (2/27/04) 49.825 All-A: Ashley Kelly 2x (3/21/03, 2/27/04) 39.875 ASU All-Time Perfect-10 Scores Vault -- (10) Ashley Kelly (3)......2003, 2004(x2) Tina Brinkman...1994 Carie Courtney (2)...1997, 1998 Maggie Germaine (2)...2003, 2004 Cassandra Jusino...2004 April Boone...2006 Bars -- (4) Ashley Kelly...2003 Jenny Ester...1993 Laura Moon (2)... 2001(x2) Beam -- (13) Danna Lister (4)... 1993, 1994(x2), 1995 Lisa Vincijanovic...1997 Rhonda Robinette...2002 Ashley Ellsberry, Maggie Germaine...2003 Ashley Kelly (3)...2004(x2), 2006 Kari Muth...2004 April Boone... 2007 Floor -- (13) Tina Brinkman...1992 Meagan Wright... 1997 Elizabeth Reid...1998 Elizabeth McNabb...1999 Maggie Germaine (5)...2003 (x2), 2004 (x4) Cassidy Vreeke...2003 Ashley Kelly, Kari Muth...2004 ASU Perfect-10 Scores By Year 2007... (Boone 1)1 2006...(Kelly 1, Boone 1) 2 2005... 0 2004...(Germaine 5, Kelly 5, Jusino, Muth 2) 13 2003...(Germaine 4, Kelly 2, Ellsberry, Vreeke) 8 2002...(Robinette) 1 2001... (Moon, Moon) 2 1999... (McNabb) 1 1998...(Courtney, Reid) 2 1997...(Courtney, Vincijanovic, Wright) 3 1995... (Lister) 1 1994... (Brinkman, Lister, Lister) 3 1993...(Ester, Lister) 2 1992... (Brinkman) 1 Fantastic Fran --- Francesca Mercurio enters her sophomore season after a fabulous freshman one. Mercurio became the tenth Sun Devil to be named Pac-10 Gymnast of the Week. Mercurio earned the honor by earning her first all-around win against Ohio State. Mercurio finished her freshman campaign with career-high marks of 39.250 in the all-around, 9.875 on vault, 9.825 on bars and beam, and 9.750 on floor. Beaming Bormann --- Kaitlynn Bormann was a rock last season on beam for the Devils and looks to do the same this season. Hitting 92.3 percent of her beam routines last season, Bormann earned a career-best 9.825 to win the apparatus at the UNO s Flip for the Cure. The junior looks to pick up where she left off in the 2009 season. Keeping Up with the Jones --- Beaté Jones comes back to the Sun Devils after a successful debut season. The explosive vaulter competed in all four events last season, something Coach Spini did not anticipate at the beginning of the season. Jones will look to compete in the all-around again this season and will likely lead-off on bars and anchor vault. Miss Mary --- Last season s Scholar Athlete recipient Mary Atkinson comes into the 2009 season looking stronger and leaner than ever. Atkinson has been working on all four events for the Sun Devils and is expected to especially make an impact on the vault and floor lineup. Reinstated --- Nicole Harris was reinstated in November after leaving the team last season due to personal reasons. The 2006 All-American is expected to provide the Sun Devils with a solid score in the all-around each meet. Out for the Season --- The Sun Devils lost two gymnasts for the season before the year even began. Due to non-gymnastics-related injuries, the Sun Devils will be without the services of senior Ashlee Hinkle and transfer Madison Snowden for the year. Snowden is expected to compete next season while Hinkle has retired from gymnastics. New Staff --- 2009 welcomes two new assistant coaches. Jean-Luc Cairon and Jamie Dantzscher have both joined the Sun Devil gymnastics staff. Maggie Ethier will remain on staff as a volunteer coach. Cairon comes to ASU after being one of the country s top club coaches. A native of Forbach, France, Cairon has been involved in gymnastics since he was seven years old. He was a member of the French Olympic team for the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympic Games and holds three national titles (1983, 1984, 1987). Cairon has been a co-owner and coach at Krafft Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma since 1990. Cairon owns a degree in accounting from Forbach University and a first and secondary degree in physical education from French Ministry of Athletics in Antibes. Dantzscher comes to Tempe with an impressive gymnastics resume. After competing in the 2000 Olympic Games as a member of Team USA, Dantzscher moved on ASU Pronunciation Guide -- Skye Gentile-- Sky Gen-till -EE Stephanie Hangartner --- Han-Gart-ner Tiana Jean -- TEE-ah-na Beate Jones -- BEE-ah-ta Francesca Mercurio -- Fran-shes-ca Mur-cer-eeo Kahoku Palafox -- Kah-HO-koo Pal-a-fox John Spini -- SPEE-nee Brittany Schuett -- Shoe - ett www.thesundevils.com

Arizona State Women s Gymnastics -- Page 3-4 2008 Team/Individual Bests Vault vs. Oregon State (1/30)...49.150 Ashlee Hinkle (3/7)...9.950 Bars vs. Arizona (2/15)...49.250 Tiana Jean (2/15)...9.875 Beam at Missouri (3/21)...49.250 Tia Orlando...9.925 Floor vs. Oregon State (1/30)... 49.175 Tiana Jean/Ashlee Hinkle/Tia Orlando... 9.875 Total/All-Around vs. Ohio State (3/14)... 196.175 Francesca Mercurio (3/14)... 39.250 to have a stellar career at UCLA. Dantzscher was a four-time individual NCAA National Champion while at UCLA and helped lead the Bruins to three NCAA Championships in four years. Dantzscher won the all-around, vault and floor at NCAAs in her sophomore season at UCLA and was the 2003 co-bars champion. She holds the NCAA record of 28 perfect 10s and is the first and only gymnast to have scored a 10.0 in her first-ever collegiate routine. She also has seven years experience of working in club gymnastics. Top Wells Fargo Crowds -- 1996-present Regular Season ONLY! 1. UCLA (1/26/01)...2,108 2. Washington (3/2/07)...2,008 3. Utah (1/25/08)...1,931 4. Arizona (2/15/08)...1,929 5. UCLA (1/26/07)...1,834 6. California (2/21/97)...1,542 7. Utah (2/3/06)... 1,521 8. UNO s Classic (2/23/01)...1,508 9. UCLA (1/24/97)...1,477 10. UCLA (2/12/99)...1,376 11. Washington (1/31/97)...1,339 12. UNO s Classic (2/24/06)... 1,321 13. Stanford (1/25/02)...1,320 14. Stanford (1/23/98)...1,238 15. UNO s Classic (2/18/00)...1,183 Post-Season Crowds (1996-present) 1. Pac-10 Championships (3/29/03)...3,070 2. NCAA Central Championships (4/2/04)...3,000 2008 Regular Season Breakdown ASU Record... 0-0 Home... 0-0 Road... 0-0 Neutral... 0-0 vs. Pac-10 Opponents... 0-0 vs. Ranked Teams... 0-0 As Underdog... 0-0 As Favorite... 0-0 ASU Record When... win the vault... 0-0 lose the vault... 0-0 win the bars... 0-0 lose the bars... 0-0 win the beam... 0-0 lose the beam... 0-0 win the floor... 0-0 lose the floor... 0-0 win two or fewer events... 0-0 score less than 193.0... 0-0 score 193.0 or above....0-0 score 194.0 or above... 0-0 score 195.0 or above... 0-0 score 196.0 or above... 0-0 score 197.0 or above... 0-0 www.thesundevils.com

Arizona State Women s Gymnastics -- Page 4-4 GymInfo Poll Rk. Team RQS 1. Georgia 814 2. Utah 770 3. Florida 742 4. UCLA 699 5. Stanford 675 6. Alabama 640 7. LSU 634 8. Michigan 579 9. Oregon State 526 10. Oklahoma 525 11. Nebraska 487 12. Arkansas 467 13. Penn State 382 14. Denver 370 15. Auburn 323 16. Illinois 230 17. Michigan State 228 18. Arizona 218 19. Boise State 216 19. Missouri 216 21. Ohio State 165 22. Minnesota 135 23. West Virginia 106 24. Arizona State 95 25. Kentucky 84 ASU Week-by-Week Date Rank Score 12/16 24th 95 Note about the rankings: 1/2 -- Ranked by Vote of Coaches 1/9, 1/16 -- Ranked by Highest Score 1/23-2/13 -- Ranked by Total Season Avg. 2/20 -- Ranked by Regional Qualifying Score RQS Defined Beginning in 2002, team and individual rankings were determined by a Regional Qualifying Score (RQS). To compute RQS, gather the top six scores of the season, of which at least three must be away-scores (no more than three home scores). Of those six scores, drop the highest mark, add the remaining scores and then divide the sum by five. The RQS system helps seed the Top 18 teams into NCAA Regionals. 2009 Arizona State Women s Gymnastics Roster Name Ht Yr/Ex Hometown (High School/Club Team/Prev. Univ.) Mary Atkinson 5-2 So/1V Chesapeake, Va. (Bishop Sullivan Catholic/Ocean Tumblers) Kaitlynn Bormann 4-11 Jr/2V Huntington, NY (Laurel Springs/Parkettes Gymnastics) Nicole Ferrandino 5-2 Fr/HS East Norwich, NY (Our Lady of Mercy/Gymnastique) Carrie Finley 5-2 Sr/2V Doylestown, Pa. (Central Bucks West/Will-Moor Gymnastics) Ellen Gebhardt 5-1 Fr/HS Carol Stream, Ill. (West Chicago Community/IGI) Skye Gentile 5-4 So/1V Trabuco Canyon, Calif. (Tesoro/Wildfire Gymnastics) Amber Hammerschmidt 5-4 Fr/HS Rosemount, Minn. (Rosemount/Twin City Twister) Stephanie Hangartner 5-1 Fr/HS Chandler, Ariz. (Desert Hills/Desert Devils) Nicole Harris 5-3 Sr/3V Long Beach, N.Y. (Long Beach/Parkettes) Ashlee Hinkle 5-1 Sr/3V Glendale, Ariz. (Mountain Ridge HS/Phx. Gym Academy) Tiana Jean 5-2 Sr/3V Puyallup, Wash. (Mountain View/Desert Devils/Desert Lights) Beaté Jones 4-10 So/1V Neptune, N.J. (Red Bank Catholic/Will-Moor Gymnastics) Francesca Mercurio 5-4 So/1V San Mateo, Calif. (Hillsdale/Byers Gymnastics) Kahoku Palafox 5-1 Fr/HS Kailua, Hawaii 9Maryknoll/Kokokani Gymnastics) Callie Price 5-3 Fr/HS Mesa, Ariz. (Westwood/Arizona Dynamics) Kelly Reilly 5-5 Fr/HS Phoenix, Ariz. (Thunderbird/Oasis Gymnastics) Brittany Schuett 4-11 Fr/HS Cambridge, Ont. (Jacob Hespeler/Cambridge Kips Gymnastics) Madison Snowden 5-4 So/TR Lexington, Ky. (Kentucky/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy) Head Coach: John Spini (28th year) Assistant Coach: Jean-Luc Cairon (1st year); Jamie Dantzscher (1st year) www.thesundevils.com

Arizona State Women s Gymnastics Meet-by-Meet -- Page 1-5 -- 2009 Individual Meet-by-Meet Results -- Mary Atkinson -- So. (9.825) (9.825) (--) (9.675) (--) Kaitlynn Bormann -- So. (9.725) (9.725) (9.825) (--) (--) Nicole Ferrandino -- Fr. Carrie Finley -- Sr. (9.650) (--) (--) (9.525) (--)

Arizona State Women s Gymnastics Meet-by-Meet -- Page 2-5 -- 2009 Individual Meet-by-Meet Results -- Ellen Gebhardt -- Fr. Skye Gentile -- So. Amber Hammerschmidt -- Fr. Stephanie Hangartner -- Fr.

-- 2009 Individual Meet-by-Meet Results -- Arizona State Women s Gymnastics Meet-by-Meet -- Page 3-5 Nicole Harris -- Sr. (9.900) (9.925) (9.950) (9.900) (36.575) Tiana Jean -- Jr. (9.750) (9.875x2)(9.900x2) (9.875) (39.225) Beaté Jones -- So. (9.900) (9.800) (9.750) (9.825x4) (39.075) Francesca Mercurio -- So. (9.875) (9.825x2) (9.825) (9.750) (39.250)

-- 2009 Individual Meet-by-Meet Results -- Arizona State Women s Gymnastics Meet-by-Meet -- Page 4-5 Kahoku Palafox -- Fr. Callie Price -- Fr. Kelly Reilly -- Fr. Brittany Schuett -- Fr. (9.675) (--) (9.200) (9.825) (--)

Arizona State Women s Gymnastics Meet-by-Meet -- Page 5-5 -- 2009 Individual/Team Meet-by-Meet Results -- 2009 Team Att