TUCSON, Ariz. - The Arizona GymCats are set for Session 1 of the NCAA Fayetteville Regional on Thursday, April 4 in Bud Walton Arena Fayettville. The GymCats are in the eight-team round of the Fayetteville Regional and will face Kentucky, Arkansas, and Nebraska. The meet is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. MST and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Last Saturday, Arizona scored a 196.475 at the Pac-12 Championship to place third in Session 1. Stanford won the meet with a 197.175, Arizona State placed second with a 196.550, and Washington finished in fourth place with a 196.325.
A complete preview of Thursday's meet can be found below.
ARIZONA HEADS TO NCAA FAYETTEVILLE REGIONAL: Arizona is heading to Fayetteville, Arkansas for the NCAA Fayetteville Regional on Thursday, April 4. The GymCats will take on Kentucky, Arkansas, and Nebraska in Session 1 of the semifinals. It will be streamed on ESPN+ and will begin at 11 a.m. MST.
IN THE RANKINGS: After week 12, Arizona is ranked No. 24 overall in the Road to Nationals rankings.
- Vault: No. 32
- Uneven Bars: No. 32
- Balance Beam: No. 19
- Floor Exercise: No. 21
PAC-12 SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK: Senior
Elena Deets was named Pac-12 Specialist of the Week following a career performance in Arizona's win over Washington. She earned a career high 9.975 on beam to help the GymCats set the program record on the event with a 49.625.
PAC-12 COACHES AWARD: Two GymCats have earned Pac-12 Coaches' Choice this season -
Alysen Fears and
Emma Strom.
- Fears earned the Pac-12 Coaches Choice award after going 8-for-8 in Arizona's pair of wins at the ESPN Collegiate Classic and against Sacramento State. She also won the all-around in both meets with scores of 39.250 at the ESPN Collegiate Classic and a career-high-tying 39.350 against Sac State.
- Strom won the award after going 3-for-3 at Washington, including a career high 9.925 to help Arizona set a program record on beam and beat the Huskies.
ALL-PAC-12: Two GymCats earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention accolades during the 2024 season.
- Fifth-year Malia Hargrove earned her second All-Pac-12 honor after being named honorable mention on vault. She finished the season with a 9.895 NQS which ranks seventh in the conference and 33rd in the nation.
- Junior Alysen Fears was named honorable mention in the all-around following an outstanding 2024 season. She finished the regular season ranked eighth in the Pac-12 and 36th nationally with a 39.415 NQS in the all-around. That was her first career All-Conference honor.
FRESH FACES: The GymCats welcomed six freshmen to the team this season.
Sophie Derr,
Ainsley Greever,
Haley Havenor,
Sophia Maisel,
Abigayle Martin, and
Tirzah Wise are all freshmen.
FAMILIAR FACES: Arizona returns 15 gymnasts from last season. Among the 15 returners is redshirt senior
Malia Hargrove along with seven seniors including standouts
Jessica Castles and
Caroline Herry. Juniors
Alysen Fears,
Elizabeth LaRusso, and
Emily Mueller also return for Arizona following outstanding sophomore seasons.
2024 CAPTAINS: The GymCats will be led by
Elena Deets,
Caroline Herry, and
Bailey McCabe who will act as team captains in the 2024 season.
COACHING STAFF: The GymCats have a very accomplished coaching staff.
John Court enters his sixth year as head coach and 26th year on staff in Tucson. Associate head coach
Taylor Spears, the 2014 NCAA individual beam champion, is in her sixth season on Arizona's staff and has helped the beam team improve every year. Assistant coach Kylie Kratchwell enters her second 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 22nd.
PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Junior
Alysen Fears and freshman
Abigayle Martin were selected to represent Arizona on the Pac-12 Preseason Watch List for the 2024 season.
- Fears competed in every meet last season for Arizona and earned career high marks on the uneven bars, balance beam, and floor, including three-straight meets with a career best 9.925 on bars.
- Martin enters her freshman year as a three-time National qualifier and was a member of the USA Gymnastics Developmental National Team in 2021. In 2022, Martin placed third on bars and beam at the Texas state championship. She also finished in fifth place at the 2022 Nastia Liukin Cup. Martin placed third on bars at the Level 10 championships in 2023.
