Sun Devil Gymnastics Shows Grit in Close Battle with No. 18 Denver
TEMPE - After a rough outing last weekend, Arizona State Gymnastics came home and delivered a strong response, posting a 195.875 in front of the home crowd at Desert Financial Arena. While the score wasn’t quite enough to take down undefeated No. 18 Denver (196.950), the Sun Devils showed resilience, poise, and flashes of high-level execution across the board.
This one was tight through the early rotations, with ASU trading punches with the Pioneers before Denver pulled away late with a pair of big finishes. Still, for a team looking to find consistency early in the season, this meet offered more than just a scoreboard result-it showed growth.
Senior Leadership on Display
Senior Kimberly Smith continues to be the heartbeat of this ASU squad, and Saturday was another example of why she’s the anchor in every lineup. Competing in the all-around, Smith posted a 39.400, her second time hitting that mark or better this season. She was steady across all four events, but her beam routine stood out-earning a career-high 9.875, which also marked the Sun Devils’ top beam score of the season.
Smith’s presence late in the lineup isn’t just strategic-it’s stabilizing. As Head Coach Jay Santos put it, “She’s got the experience, she’s got great gymnastics... we’re not worried about her in those spots.” And with performances like this, it’s easy to see why.
Breakthrough Moments for the Freshmen
Freshman Safia El Mammann had a breakout moment of her own, capturing her first career event title with a 9.850 on vault. That mark ties her career high and also stands as the best vault score of the season for ASU. It’s a big step forward for the freshman, who’s showing she can deliver under pressure.
Another freshman, Robyn Wilson, made her collegiate debut and scored a 9.775 on vault-an encouraging start as the team continues to build depth with its younger athletes.
Delanie Kelly also contributed a solid 9.800 on floor, part of a rotation that showed potential despite a few hiccups. Sophomore Halle Braaflat, in just her second appearance this season, notched a season-high 9.800 on floor as well.
Bars Shine Bright
One of the biggest highlights of the meet came on the uneven bars, where ASU put together its best showing of the season with a 49.025. Four of the five counting scores were 9.800 or higher, with three gymnasts-Smith, sophomore Nina Laurito, and junior Reese Grolla-posting 9.825s.
Laurito’s score marked a career high, while Grolla tied her season best. Senior Kayla Lee added a season-high 9.750, and freshman Kylee Bromley delivered a clean 9.800.
This was the kind of collective performance the team has been building toward-clean execution, solid form, and the kind of consistency that wins meets.
Beam and Floor: Solid, But Room to Grow
Beam was another strong rotation, led again by Smith’s 9.875. Seniors Kayla Lee and Isabella Kowan both added 9.850s-matching their season highs-while Braaflat and Kelly rounded out the rotation with 9.800s. It was a composed effort, but one routine break kept the team from pushing the event total even higher.
Floor started with promise but lost a bit of momentum. Lee led the way with a 9.850, her best of the season, while Braaflat’s 9.800 gave the team another reliable score. Still, ASU knows there’s more in the tank on this event-Coach Santos noted that the start of the rotation “got away from us just a little bit.”
Looking Ahead
Coach Santos was encouraged by the team’s overall composure and bounce-back effort, especially after last week’s struggles. “It just felt much more calm,” he said. “From warmups all the way through, it felt more composed and put together.”
The challenge now is finishing stronger. The Sun Devils were right there with Denver through the first two rotations but couldn’t quite close the gap late. That’s where depth, experience, and confidence come into play-and Santos knows it.
“We have to keep working on their confidence and trying to get as many people experienced as possible,” he said. “We just have to go back to the gym, keep practicing and keep pushing them to do things stronger.”
Veteran Confidence, Teamwide Buy-In
For Smith, her standout beam routine came down to trust-trust in her training, her body, and the work she’s put in. “I kind of just let my body do the gymnastics,” she said. “I knew I could do it.”
That mindset is contagious, especially for a team with a growing group of underclassmen. And Smith knows the key to leveling up isn’t overhauling routines-it’s about refining the details. “Just finding those half-tenths in landings and form, and building off from there.”
As the Sun Devils prepare for their next meet against West Virginia, the blueprint is clear: keep building, keep tightening the margins, and keep leaning on their leaders. The talent is there.
The belief is building. And if they can put it all together, this team has the potential to make some noise down the stretch.