TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona will face Oregon State on Friday night for senior night and their annual Think Pink Meet. The meet is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. MST on Friday, March 4 and will be live streamed
here.
"We are looking forward to being at home again on Friday," said head coach
John Court. "It's Kinzie's senior meet and our pink meet and both will be fun to celebrate. As a program, we had a very consistent February and the athletes and coaches want that to continue through March."
The GymCats earned their highest team score of the season of 196.850 to beat Utah for the first time in program history. Arizona posted season highs on vault and bars with five GymCats earning career best scores.
Senior
MacKinzie Kane will be celebrating her senior night on Friday during her final Pac-12 meet in McKale Center. "I'm excited for senior night because I was able to accomplish my dream of becoming a GymCat."
Following a standout performance against Utah, sophomore
Elena Deets earned the Pac-12 Coaches Choice award. Deets posted career high scores on bars and floor to help the GymCats take down the Utes. "I'm excited for the meet day energy and being at home with the best fans," said Deets. "We want to use that energy to show what Arizona Gymnastics is made of."
A complete preview of Friday's meet can be found below.
THINK PINK ON SENIOR NIGHT: The GymCats are back in McKale for another weekend to host Oregon State on Friday for senior night and their annual Think Pink meet. Arizona is fresh off its highest score of the season and the program's first win over Utah in history. The GymCats will be celebrating senior night for
MacKinzie Kane and their annual Think Pink meet.
LAST WEEK: Arizona earned its highest score of the season with a 196.850 against Utah. The GymCats beat Utah for the first time in program history and celebrated their first ever Pride night to cap off the program's historic night. Arizona posted season best scores on vault and bars to help push the team to a 196.850.
COACHES CHOICE: Sophomore
Elena Deets earned her first Pac-12 weekly honor with the Coaches Choice award following her standout performances on bars, beam, and floor against Utah.
FABULOUS FRESHMEN: Freshmen
Alysen Fears and
Emily Mueller have made huge impacts in the lineups for the GymCats. Fears holds season highs 9.80 on vault and 9.875 on bars, 9.85 on beam, 9.90 floor, and 39.350 in the all-around. Mueller has hit every routine so far this season and holds season highs of 9.850 on vault and 9.825 on bars, 9.85 on floor, 9.90 on beam, and 39.350 in the all-around.
FRESH FACES: The GymCats welcomed four newcomers to the team this season.
Alysen Fears,
Elizabeth LaRusso, and
Emily Mueller are all freshmen.
Lara Burhans transferred to the program from Utah State.
FAMILIAR FACES: Arizona returns 13 gymnasts from last season.
MacKinzie Kane enters her senior year and helped the GymCats finish the 2021 season ranked No. 35 on the uneven bars. Six juniors and seven sophomores will return for the Cats.
Malia Hargrove enters her junior season following her individual appearance on floor at the NCAA Championships.
G-PAC: Malia Hargrove and
Sirena Linton will represent Arizona in the student-athlete driven organzation "Gymnasts for Peace, Action, and Change." G-PAC's mission is to foster diversity and inclusion. Linton was a member of G-PAC during the 2021 season.
COACHING STAFF: The GymCats have a very accomplished coaching staff.
John Court enters his fourth year as head coach and 24th year on staff in Tucson.
Taylor Spears, the 2014 NCAA individual beam champion, is in her fourth season as assistant coach and has helped the beam team improve every year.
Peter Jansson enters his second season as an assistant with the GymCats, bringing his nearly 30 years of coaching experience.
PRESEASON POLLS: Arizona was picked to finish sixth in the preseason Pac-12 coaches poll. In the WGCA preseason poll, the GymCats were picked to finish 27th.
