UCLA Gymnastics Hosts Arizona State Monday at 2pm
January 20, 2019 | Gymnastics
No. 19 Arizona State at No. 2 UCLA
Monday, Jan. 21, 2019 โ 2 p.m. (PT)
Los Angeles, Calif.
MEET INFORMATION
Venue: Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom (13,659)
Time: 2 p.m. PT
Television: Pac-12 Networks
TV Talent: Jim Watson, Samantha Peszek
Live Stats: uclabruins.com
Tickets: $20 reserved/$12 general admission (UCLA students are free)
Pre-Meet Giveaway: Mint Tins (1,000)
Post-Meet Activities: Senior class trading cards + photo opp; Valorie Kondos Field book signing
BRUINS RETURN TO COMPETITION MONDAY
No. 2-ranked UCLA (4-0) returns to competition on Monday, Jan. 21 against No. 19 Arizona State (3-1). The meet will take place in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom at 2 p.m. and will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks. Doors open at 1 p.m.
TICKETS/PROMOTIONS
Tickets for the UCLA-Arizona State meet, as well as tickets for the Bruins' remaining home schedule, are on sale now at the UCLA Central Ticket Office and at Ticketmaster. UCLA students are free with ID and eligible to win a raffle prize each home meet. Monday's giveaway item is the first Miss Val-themed giveaway of the season. The first 1,000 fans will receive a Miss Val mint tin to replace your gum. Following the meet, the senior class of Brielle Nguyen, Katelyn Ohashi, Stella Savvidou and Macy Toronjo will be available for photos on the concourse, and head coach Valorie Kondos Field will sign copies of her book Life is Short, Don't Wait to Dance.
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Pauley Pavilion continues to implement a clear bag policy which limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into the arena. One large clear bag, either a one gallon Ziploc style bag or a 12' by 6" by 12" clear bag, or a small clutch may be allowed into the arena. Increased screening through the use of electronic security equipment will be used at all entry gates. For more information, visit uclabruins.com/pauleygamedayinfo.
OHASHI GOES MEGA-VIRAL WORLD-WIDE
Senior Katelyn Ohashi went mega-viral this week, totaling nearly 100 million views of her perfect 10 floor exercise routine from Jan. 12 (41.5M on Twitter, 31M on Facebook and 21M on YouTube). The reach of her routine extended world-wide, and her video was shared by celebrities such as Janet Jackson, Sara Bareilles, and Sophia Bush; politicians like Kamala Harris, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jesse Jackson; and athletes like Troy Aikman and Laurie Hernandez. Her routine was also imitated by comedienne Ali Wong and talk show host Stephen Colbert. Ohashi was interviewed on the Ryan Seacrest Show, where she discussed her dream of being on Dancing with the Stars and was surprised with a phone call on-air with the show's casting director. Ohashi and UCLA head coach Valorie Kondos Field also made an appearance on Good Morning America, where Ohashi recited some of her poetry and talked about rediscovering her joy in gymnastics.
DOUBLE DOSE OF PERFECTION
UCLA scored its first two perfect 10s of the season on Jan. 12 at the Collegiate Challenge. Kyla Ross notched her sixth career 10.0 with a perfectly-executed uneven bars routine. The 10 was her fourth on bars in her career. Katelyn Ohashi closed the meet with a perfect 10 on floor exercise, also her fourth on the event and sixth overall in her career. UCLA gymnasts have totaled 128 perfect 10s all-time. Ross and Ohashi are tied for seventh-most in school history.
LAST TIME OUT
Kyla Ross and Katelyn Ohashi scored perfect 10s to lead No. 2 UCLA to a first-place finish at the Collegiate Challenge powered by Under Armour. The Bruins totaled 197.700, highlighted by a team floor total of 49.700, the fifth-highest mark in school history. No. 9 California was second with a 196.075, followed by No. 33 Michigan State with a 194.900 and No. 14 UC Davis with a 194.125. Ross won the all-around with a career-high-tying 39.700 and also took first place on uneven bars with a perfect 10. She was also second on vault, beam and floor. Ohashi nearly had a perfect meet, scoring 9.975 on beam and 10.0 on floor.
FRESH FACES
Some of UCLA's fresh faces shined last week at the Collegiate Challenge. Freshman Margzetta Frazier made a big splash, scoring 9.925 on her season debut on floor and 9.825 on her vault debut. She also led off on uneven bars with a second-place mark of 9.925. Freshman Norah Flatley placed second in her all-around debut, scoring 39.275, and also hit a career-high on bars with a 9.9. Sophomore Savannah Kooyman was a late sub into the uneven bars lineup and delivered a solid 9.775. Sophomore Kendal Poston was a revelation in her exhibition performances, nailing her pike front half vault for a 9.85 and delivering a secure 9.825 beam performance.
BRUINS SWEEP PAC-12 WEEKLY AWARDS
UCLA gymnasts swept the Pac-12 Gymnastics weekly awards for the week of Jan. 7-13, as junior Kyla Ross won Gymnast of the Week, senior Katelyn Ohashi repeated as Specialist of the Week, and Margzetta Frazier earned Freshman of the Week honors. The sweep was only the second ever in Pac-12 history. The first occurred on Feb. 9, 2016, when Sadiqua Bynum (Gymnast), Angi Cipra (Specialist) and Madison Preston (Freshman) won for UCLA.
STRONG START FOR BRUINS
UCLA recorded its highest score in a season opener in 14 years, kicking off the season with a 197.250-195.700 win over No. 11 Nebraska on Jan. 4. The Bruins improved upon that season-opening score in week two, scoring 197.700 to win the Collegiate Challenge powered by Under Armour. This is the only the second time in school history that UCLA has scored 197+ in its first two meets. The only other time it happened was in 2003. If the Bruins can surpass the 197 mark on Monday, it will be the first time in history that a UCLA team has scored 197 in its first three meets.
IN THE RANKINGS
UCLA remains ranked No. 2 in the national rankings with a season average of 197.475. The Bruins are ranked No. 1 on floor exercise, No. 2 on balance beam, No. 4 on uneven bars and No. 5 on vault. Six Bruins are ranked in the Top 25 on floor - No. 1 Katelyn Ohashi, No. 3 Kyla Ross and Gracie Kramer, No. 6 Margzetta Frazier and No. 24 Nia Dennis and Pauline Tratz. Ohashi leads four Bruins ranked on beam, standing at No. 2 while Ross, Grace Glenn and Norah Flatley are tied for 15th. Ross is No. 2 on bars and No. 6 on vault. Frazier ranks No. 11 on bars, and Felicia Hano is No. 9 on vault.
FLOORED BY FLOOR
UCLA's floor exercise squad has been exceptional so far this season, averaging 49.625, with a high of 49.700 set last week at the Collegiate Challenge. The 49.700 was the fifth-highest floor score in school history, and it was highlighted by Katelyn Ohashi's now-viral perfect 10 that was preceded by back-to-back-to-back-to-back 9.925s from Gracie Kramer, Kyla Ross, Margzetta Frazier and Pauline Tratz. The Bruins are ranked No. 1 in the nation on floor and have six athletes ranked in the Top 25 - defending NCAA floor champion Ohashi is No. 1, Ross and Kramer are No. 3, Frazier is No. 6, and Tratz and Nia Dennis are No. 24.
32 STRAIGHT
With the victory over Nebraska, UCLA has now outscored 32 straight opponents over its last 10 meets. The Bruins lost just two meets last season by a total of .225 points (.1 loss to Oklahoma Feb. 4, .125 loss to Utah Feb. 18).
MORE STREAKS
UCLA has scored 49+ in 67 straight rotations, the team's last sub-49 score coming in the first rotation of the 2018 season opener โฆ The Bruins scored 49.5 or better on 22 of those 67 rotations โฆ UCLA has scored 49+ on beam in its last 30 meets and 49+ on floor in its last 24 meets.
SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS
Arizona State ranks No. 21 in the nation and is coming off a dual meet win over Texas Woman's University, 195.675-193.550. The Sun Devils are led by 2018 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Cairo Leonard-Baker and 2012 French Olympian Anne Kuhm. UCLA holds a 62-23 regular season record against Arizona State and has won 34 consecutive matchups, including last season at the Pac-12 Championships. The two teams have not met in a dual meet since beating the Bruins beat the Sun Devils in Tempe in 2017, 197.150-194.600.
FAREWELL SEASON
The 2019 season will be the swan song for legendary head coach Valorie Kondos Field, who will retire from coaching at the conclusion of the season. Kondos Field has led UCLA to all seven of its NCAA Championships, along with 14 conference and 19 NCAA Regional championships. She enters her 29th and final season with a career record of 516-120-3. In 2010, Kondos Field became just the second active coach ever inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame, and she was also named the Pac-12 Gymnastics Coach of the Century and was selected by her peers as the National Coach of the Year four times in her career. Kondos Field recently wrote her first book, Life is Short, Don't Wait to Dance, which is available in bookstores nationwide, as well as digitally. Through personal stories and anecdotes, she shares insights and advice on how to use uniqueness and authenticity to achieve success.
ABOUT THE BRUINS
UCLA returns all but four routines from the NCAA Championships and has five All-Americans on the roster - 2018 NCAA floor champion Katelyn Ohashi, 2017 NCAA bars and beam champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Kyla Ross, 2016 Olympic gold and silver medalist Madison Kocian, Felicia Hano and Grace Glenn. The Bruins lose 10.0-caliber routines from Christine Peng-Peng Lee on bars and beam, consistent high marks from Napualani Hall on vault and JaNay Honest on bars, and all-around potential from Sonya Meraz but bring in national team freshmen Margzetta Frazier and Norah Flatley and three-time JO National vault champion Sekai Wright.
UCLA's strength lies in its depth. The Bruins have 19 gymnasts on the roster, including 10 who competed in at least 10 meets last season - Nia Dennis, Anna Glenn, Grace Glenn, Hano, Kocian, Gracie Kramer, Brielle Nguyen, Ohashi, Ross and Pauline Tratz. UCLA finished the 2018 regular season ranked in the Top 4 in the nation on all four events - No. 1 on floor, No. 2 on beam and No. 4 on vault and bars.
NO. 1 IN SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS
UCLA Gymnastics has the largest social media followings in all of women's collegiate sports, ranking No. 1 across all women's sports in combined followers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, a total over 549,000. The Bruins rank first among all NCAA gymnastics teams on Instagram (259k), Facebook (233k) and Twitter (57k). Among all UCLA teams, gymnastics ranks first on Instagram and Facebook, and UCLA Gymnastics is the most followed collegiate women's team Instagram account in the nation. Follow the Bruins at @UCLAGymnastics on Instagram and Twitter and on Facebook at facebook.com/uclagymnastics.
BRUIN BANTER
Bruin Banter has a new host for 2019 - junior Felicia Hano. The Bruins' weekly interview series releases every Friday on uclabruins.com. Guests so far this season have been Kyla Ross and Kendal Poston.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Bruins will travel to Stanford for a Sunday, Jan. 27 meet at Maples Pavilion at 4 p.m.
Players Mentioned
