Monday, Jan. 19 - 1:00 pm PT @ Pauley Pavilion
TV: Pac-12 Networks (Jim Watson, Amanda Pflugrad)
Live Stats - uclabruins.com
Home Opener Monday
UCLA will host No. 18 Arizona in its home opener on Monday, Jan. 19 at Pauley Pavilion. The meet will begin at 1pm and will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks, with Jim Watson and Amanda Pflugrad on the call.
Tickets
Tickets for the UCLA-Arizona meet are on sale now at the UCLA Central Ticket Office. For the best value, season tickets are on sale for $49 and include reserved seating to all five home meets. Single-meet general admission tickets are also on sale at the UCLA Central Ticket Office and at Ticketmaster for $8 for adults and $5 for youth (16 and under). UCLA students are free with ID. Parking is free on campus Monday due to the holiday.
Promotions
The 2015 UCLA Gymnastics poster will be distributed to the first 1,000 fans in attendance. A formal autograph session for all fans will take place following the meet. UCLA students are eligible to win a raffle item each week. This week's giveaway is an iPad Air.
Don't Be Late!
Due to the live television broadcast, pre-meet introductions will take place at approximately 12:50pm, with the first routine slated to start at 1:06pm. Pauley Pavilion doors open at 12pm.
Follow Live
Live stats will be available at uclabruins.com. Live updates can be found on Twitter: @UCLAGymnastics.
In the Rankings
Due to UCLA's first meet taking place on a Monday, the day after scores must be submitted, the Bruins are currently unranked. However, if their season opening score of 196.0 had counted in this week's rankings, the Bruins would be ranked No. 7. UCLA was ranked No. 5 in the preseason coaches poll. Arizona posted a score of 194.375 in its first meet last weekend and is ranked No. 18.
UCLA vs. Arizona
UCLA holds a 64-10 series advantage over Arizona and won both matchups a year ago, at Arizona on Mar. 1 (197.5-196.25) and at the Pac-12 Championships. UCLA has won the last 15 matchups with Arizona, with the Wildcats' last win coming in 2006 in Tucson.
Williams Reunites with Former Teammates
Graduate student Jordan Williams will be reunited with her former Arizona teammates on Monday when the Wildcats come to town. Williams transfered to UCLA for graduate school and will finish up her eligibility as a Bruin after competing from 2011-13 at Arizona and redshirting due to injury in 2014.
Pauley Debuts
UCLA's seven-member freshman class and redshirt sophomore Christine Peng-Peng Lee are set to make their Pauley Pavilion debuts on Monday. Graduate transfer student Jordan Williams competed in Pauley Pavilion three times in 2011 as a freshman on the Arizona team, scoring 9.8 or higher on vault on each occasion. Williams also scored a career-best 9.85 on beam at the 2011 Pac-10 Championships in Pauley Pavilion.
Bruins Beat Beavers in Season Opener
UCLA opened the 2015 season with a road win over Oregon State Jan. 12, defeating the Beavers, 196.000-195.450. Senior Samantha Peszek won the all-around with a score of 39.550 and captured first place on vault with a 9.950 and floor exercise with a 9.875. Redshirt sophomore Christine Peng-Peng Lee made a stunning collegiate debut after sitting out nearly three years with a knee injury, winning the uneven bars with a 9.900 and balance beam with a 9.875. UCLA led from start to finish and recorded meet-high scores of 49.3 on vault and 49.075 on bars.
Peszek in Primetime Form
Fifth-year senior Samantha Peszek looks to be in midseason form after a spectacular performance in the season opener. Peszek's all-around score of 39.55 tied for the highest mark in the country and was UCLA's highest in a season opener since Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs also scored 39.55 in 2011.
Lee Makes Long-Awaited Return
Nearly three years after her last competition, redshirt sophomore Christine Peng-Peng Lee made her highly-anticipated collegiate debut and showed zero signs of rust, winning two events and placing fourth in another. Lee stuck every dismount and hit every skill in her difficult routines, scoring 9.9 to win bars, 9.825 on a stuck Yurchenko full vault, and 9.875 to tie for first on beam. Lee tore ligaments in her knee in 2012 just before the Canadian National Championships and had two surgeries, one in 2012 and another in 2013..
Newcomers Shine in Season Opener
UCLA's newcomers had a successful showing in the team's season opener. In addition to Lee, Janay Honest and Jordan Williams each performed well on vault, tying for fourth with a score of 9.825. Sonya Meraz earned a 9.775 on bars to tie for fifth and also earned 9.775 in a beam exhibition. Napualani Hall scored 9.675 on floor and 9.775 on a vault exhibition.
Gerber Enjoys Breakout Meet
Sophomore Mikaela Gerber had a breakout meet at Oregon State. Competing on floor for the very first time as a collegiate gymnast, Gerber scored 9.725 to record the Bruins' second-highest mark of the night and tie for fifth place. In the final rotation on beam, with the pressure of having a fall ahead of her, Gerber was nails, scoring 9.8 on just her second counting beam routine of her career.
Looking Ahead
UCLA travels to Utah for a Friday, Jan. 23 meet that will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks at 5pm PT.