ASU will send two gymnasts to compete as individuals at the NCAA regionals in Norman, Okla., this Saturday, just a few weeks after the team’s season ended in disappointment at the Pac-10 Championships.
Senior Beaté Jones, who qualified as an all-around competitor, and junior Madison Snowden, who punched her ticket to Norman on floor exercise, will be the only Gym Devils to represent ASU at the meet. This year marks the first time in ASU gymnastics history that the team has not qualified for regionals.
“The girls honestly did the best they possibly could,” ASU assistant coach Kari Ward said of the team’s finish. “It was going to take a miracle for the kids who we had never competed before to go out there and hit. I think it was a little unfair of us to expect such high things from our freshman and kids who haven’t competed in certain events to step up and fill in, especially at a meet like the Pac-10s.”
While ASU has been plagued by injuries all year long, Jones and Snowden have managed to remain healthy and consistent despite the enormous amount of adversity around them.
“It’s kind of bittersweet,” Jones said. “I wanted to go to regionals as a team, but things didn’t work out that way. Now at least [Snowden and I] have [ASU] going to regionals.”
Jones competed in all four events at eight of the meets this season, with her high score of 39.225 coming against Washington on Feb. 18. Jones hopes to replicate that score this weekend in order to place in the top two of the all-around competitors and qualify for nationals.
“I’m kind of tweaking up little things so that I get those extra tenths that I need,” Jones said. “I want to get above a 39, that’s my whole goal. If I do that, nationals is one more step closer.”
Meanwhile, Snowden takes her snazzy floor routine into regionals with a loose demeanor and the hope that all her hard work in the practice room this season will pay off during her routine.
“With the field that I’ve been put in to, there is a lot of good competition that I have competed with all season,” Snowden said. “With that being said, my goal is to go out there and hit, have a good experience and feel good about what I did. If I can do that, then I can walk away happy and content with whatever the result is.”
Snowden has competed on floor during every meet for ASU this season, and looks to erase the disappointment of the team’s finish with a strong showing on Saturday.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to represent my University and my team,” Snowden said. “Obviously, I’d much rather be experiencing [regionals] with my team at my side and going through it with them instead of doing it by myself.”
With the qualification of Jones and Snowden, and a multitude of talent returning next year, ASU isn’t dwelling on the abrupt ending to this season. Instead, the Sun Devils already have their eyes on next year.
“We have great things to look forward to,” Ward said. “The girls are really motivated to keep moving forward.”
Reach the reporter at kyle.j.newman@asu.edu
