TUCSON, Ariz. — The GymCats are ready to take on North Carolina in the first round of the Denver Regional on Thursday, March 30 at Magness Arena in Denver. The first round play-in meet is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. MST and will be streamed on ESPN+.

The winner of the first round will take on Denver, Michigan, and Minnesota in the second round of the Denver Regional on Friday, March 31 at 6 p.m. MST.

At the Pac-12 Championships, Arizona posted a 196.375 to tie for second place in Session 1 and sixth place overall. The beam team scored a 49.400 at the conference championships which ties the fourth highest beam score in program history. 

A complete preview of Thursday's meet can be found below.
 

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ARIZONA HEADS TO DENVER REGIONAL: The GymCats are set for the Denver Regional where they will take on North Carolina in a play-in meet on Thursday to determine which team advances to the second round of the Regional. 

PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS RECAP: Arizona tied for second place in Session 1 of the Pac-12 Championships and finished in a tie for sixth place overall with a 196.375. The GymCats posted a 49.400 on beam which ties for fourth-best beam score in program history. 

IN THE RANKINGS: Arizona is ranked No. 28 overall in the Road to Nationals rankings with a team NQS of 196.570 heading into Regionals.    

• Vault: No. 23
• Uneven Bars: No. 37
• Balance Beam: No. 15
• Floor Exercise: No. 38

CAREER HIGH TRACKER: 15 GymCats have set career highs this season.  

• Ohio State Quad Meet: 2
  • LaRusso [VT - 9.80] 
  • Mueller [BB - 9.90]
• Arizona Quad Meet: 2 
  • Fears [UB - 9.90]
  • LaRusso [UB - 9.60] 
• Arizona vs. Cal: 4 
  • Deets [UB - 9.90 & BB - 9.875]
  • Fears [BB - 9.85]
  • LaRusso [UB - 9.75] 
  • Mueller [FX - 9.90]
• Arizona at Arizona State: 4 
  • Castles [VT - 9.90 & BB - 9.90]
  • Deets [BB - 9.875]
  • Hargrove [VT - 9.95]
  • LaRusso [VT - 9.80, UB - 9.775, FX - 9.85] 
• Arizona at Stanford: 3 
  • Burhans [BB - 9.775]
  • LaRusso [VT - 9.800]
  • Strom [VT - 9.60 & FX - 9.675]
• Arizona vs. Washington: 3 
  • Castles [BB - 9.925]
  • LaRusso [VT - 9.85]
  • Raskin [UB - 9.775]
• Arizona vs. Oregon State: 3 
  • Hargrove [VT - 9.975; BB & FX - 9.925; AA - 39.550]
  • LaRusso [UB - 9.80]
  • Schultz [FX - 9.85]
• Arizona at Utah: 4 
  • Deets [BB - 9.875]
  • Fears [UB - 9.925]
  • LaRusso [VT - 9.875; FX - 9.85]
  • Nosek [VT - 9.85]
• Arizona vs. BYU: 7
  • Deets [FX - 9.925]
  • Fears [UB - 9.925; BB - 9.850]
  • Hargrove [BB - 9.925; FX - 9.925]
  • LaRusso [FX - 9.85]
  • McCabe [UB - 9.90]
  • Nosek [VT - 9.85]
  • Raskin [UB - 9.85]
• Arizona at Cal Quad Meet: 3
  • Fears [UB - 9.925; BB - 9.850]
  • LaRusso [VT - 9.875]
  • Strom [FX - 9.775]
• Arizona at Pac-12 Championships: 4
  • Fears [BB - 9.850]
  • Herry [BB - 9.90]
  • Linton [VT - 9.70]
  • Strom [FX - 9.775]

ALL-PAC-12: Senior Malia Hargrove earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention on vault this season. She finished the regular season ranked seventh in the Pac-12 and 23rd nationally with a 9.905 NQS on vault. This is her first career All-Conference honor.  

PAC-12 COACHES AWARD: Two GymCats have earned the Pac-12 Coaches Choice Award during the 2023 season. 

• Elizabeth LaRusso earned the award after posting three career high scores to help the GymCats post a season high score at Arizona State.  
• Malia Hargrove earned the award after posting four career highs at Oregon State. 

FRESH FACES: The GymCats welcomed five freshmen to the team this season. Gianna Lenczner, Indigo Morgan, Jordan Schultz, Sophia Stephens, and Emma Strom are all freshmen.

FAMILIAR FACES: Arizona returns 16 gymnasts from last season. Among the 16 returners are seniors Malia Hargrove and Sirena Linton, two standouts who competed in all 13 meets last year. Linton was named second team All-American on the balance beam after earning a 9.9125 at the NCAA Championships as an individual competitor. Sophomores Alysen Fears and Emily Mueller also return for Arizona following breakout freshman campaigns.
 
COACHING STAFF: The GymCats have a very accomplished coaching staff. John Court enters his fifth year as head coach and 25th year on staff in Tucson. Associate head coach Taylor Spears, the 2014 NCAA individual beam champion, is in her fifth season on Arizona's staff and has helped the beam team improve every year. Assistant coach Dallas Becerra and volunteer assistant Kylie Kratchwell enter their first year with the GymCats.  

PRESEASON POLLS: Arizona was picked to finish eighth in the preseason Pac-12 coaches poll. In the WGCA preseason poll, the GymCats were picked to finish 25th.

PRESEASON WATCH LIST: The first ever Pac-12 Preseason Watch List was released this season. Malia Hargrove and Caroline Herry represented Arizona on the watch list.