UCLA GYMNASTICS 2017 Contact: Liza David / Phone: (310) 206-8140 / Fax: (310) 825-8664 / E-Mail: [email protected] For Immediate Release: January 3, 2017 Bruins Open Season Ranked No. 4  THIS WEEK UCLA will open the season at No. 4 in the 2017 preseason  2017 SCHEDULE/RESULTS #4 UCLA vs. #17 Arkansas coaches poll. The Bruins, who have been ranked in the Overall: 0-0 / Pac-12: 0-0 Saturday, Jan. 7 - 4:00 pm PT preseason Top 10 every year since the rankings were National Ranking: 4th (pre-season) TV: Pac-12 Networks (Jim Watson, Amanda Borden) established in 1998, received fi ve fi rst-place votes. UCLA Online: pac-12.com/live will face seven Top 36 teams in 2017, including three Top JANUARY App: Pac-12 Now 10 squads in No. 1 Oklahoma on Jan. 15, No. 6 Utah on Feb. 18, and No. 10 California at home on Mar. 5. 7 ARKANSAS (TV: PAC12) 4 pm Live Stats: uclabruins.com 15 at Oklahoma (TV: FSN) 4 pm CT Tickets: $16 (uclabruins.com/tickets, 310-UCLA-WIN UCLA No. 1 in Pac-12 Coaches Poll 28 at Oregon State (TV: PAC12) 1:30 pm Defending Pac-12 gymnastics champion UCLA has been 2017 Season Underway Saturday voted the preseason favorite to win the 2017 conference FEBRUARY No. 4 UCLA opens the 2017 season on Saturday, Jan. 7 title. The Bruins received fi ve of eight fi rst-place votes in vs. No. 17 Arkansas. The meet will take place at 4pm in the coaches poll and 47 points overall. This is the fi rst 4 at Arizona State (TV: PAC12) 1:30 pm MT Pauley Pavilion (be in your seats by 3:40pm to catch the time since 2014 that UCLA has claimed the top spot in 11 STANFORD (TV: PAC12) 2 pm pre-meet festivities) and will be televised live on Pac-12 the preseason Pac-12 coaches poll. The Bruins were also 18 at Utah (TV: ESPNU) 8 pm MT Los Angeles (delayed at 9:30pm PT on Pac-12 Network), selected No. 1 in 2012 and 2013. Receiving the other with Jim Watson and Amanda Borden on the call. UCLA three fi rst-place votes was Utah, who was picked to fi n- 20 BRIDGEPORT/UTAH ST. (TV: PAC12) 1 pm will be honoring its alumni and 1997 NCAA champion- ish second. Rounding out the preseason rankings were 25 ARIZONA (TV: PAC12) 1 pm ship squad at the conclusion of the meet. Stanford, California, Oregon State, Arizona, Washington and Arizona State. Meet Timeline MARCH 3:00 pm - Doors Open About the Bruins 5 CALIFORNIA (TV: PAC12) 1 pm 3:40 pm - Pre-meet entertainment begins UCLA returns 12 athletes from last year’s Pac-12 Cham- 12 NORTH CAROLINA (TV: PAC12) 12 pm pionship squad, including All-Americans Angi Cipra and 3:40 pm - Be in your seats 18 at Pac-12 Championships (TV: PAC12) TBD 4:00 pm - Meet Begins Christine Peng-Peng Lee, All-Pac-12 honoree Katelyn 6:00 pm (approximately) - Alumni and 1997 NCAA Ohashi, and Pac-12 uneven bars co-champion JaNay Championship team recognition + announcement of Honest. The Bruins will have to replace three important APRIL meet results seniors in All-American Sadiqua Bynum, All-American 1 at NCAA Regionals TBD Sophina DeJesus and NCAA beam champion Danusia 14 at NCAA Semifi nals(TV: ESPNU) 12pm/7pm CT Clear Bag Policy in Effect Francis, but bring in two Olympic gold medalists in 15 at NCAA Finals (TV: ESPNU) 8 pm CT Enhanced screening procedures have been implement- Madison Kocian and , plus former U.S. national team member Felicia Hano. Additionally, the Bruins ed at Pauley Pavilion. The Clear Bag Policy limits the size All home meets are BOLD and held at Pauley Pavilion. and type of bags that may be brought into Pauley Pavil- will get back 2015 Level 10 all-around champion Macy All times listed are local to site. ion. The policy is designed to provide more consistent Toronjo, who redshirted last season with a torn rotator screening and to expedite fan entry. Increased screening cuff . UCLA is coached by Pac-12 Gymnastics Coach of the through the use of electronic security equipment will Century , Associate Head Coaches be used at all entry gates. For more information, visit Chris Waller and Randy Lane, and volunteer coach and  QUICK FACTS  uclabruins.com/pauleygamedayinfo. 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Wieber. Head Coach Valorie Kondos Field Alma Mater UCLA ‘87 Tickets and Promotions 20-Year Reunion for 1997 NCAA Champions Career Record (Yrs.) 481-114-2 (27th Season) Tickets for the UCLA-Arkansas meet are on sale now at UCLA will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Record at UCLA (Yrs.) same the UCLA Central Ticket Offi ce. Season tickets are also fi rst-ever NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship Associate Head Coach Chris Waller available for the Bruins’ six-meet home schedule. Single- squad during the season opener on Saturday. Members Associate Head Coach Randy Lane Volunteer Coach Jordyn Wieber meet tickets are on sale at the UCLA Central Ticket Offi ce of the squad will be honored in post-meet ceremonies, 2016 Record 13-5 including Arkansas head coach Mark Cook, who was an and at Ticketmaster. UCLA students are free with ID and 2016 NCAA Finish 5th eligible to win a raffl e prize each home meet. This week’s assistant coach for the Bruins at the time. 2016 High Score 197.475 prize is an Apple Watch. The fi rst 1,000 fans will receive Letterwinners Returning/Lost 12/5 a UCLA Gymnastics poster. The Bruins won the 1997 NCAA title a year after placing All-Americans Returning/Lost 2/3 a close second in Alabama. Georgia came into the Cham- Follow Live pionships as the favorite but succumbed to the pressure Live stats will be available at uclabruins.com. Live of starting on the balance beam, counting two falls in  CAREER-HIGH MARKS  updates can be found on : @UCLAGymnastics. the fi rst rotation, while UCLA remained undaunted, hitting fi ve strong beam routines in rotation two for a Gymnast V UB BB FX AA Kocian, Ross to Make History Saturday Cipra 9.875 – 9.850 9.975 – score of 49.2. The Bruins thrived from there and needed Dennis 9.725 9.850 – – – UCLA freshmen Madison Kocian and Kyla Ross will make to score 49.25 on uneven bars in the fi nal rotation to Gerber 9.625 – 9.925 9.850 – history on Saturday when they become the fi rst two win their fi rst title. UCLA had four underclassmen in Hall 9.900 – – 9.850 – Olympic gold medalists ever to compete in an NCAA the bars lineup, and they performed like veterans, with Honest 9.900 9.950 – 9.925 – meet. Kocian won team gold and uneven bars silver at freshman Deborah Mink scoring 9.825 in the leadoff Lee 9.925 9.950 9.975 – – the 2016 Olympics in Rio, while Ross won team gold role, sophomore following with a 9.85 Meraz 9.850 9.850 9.900 9.900 39.400 Mossett 9.850 9.900 9.875 9.950 39.425 at the 2012 Olympics in London (along with UCLA and freshman Lena Degteva nailing a 9.875. Junior Ohashi 9.775 9.925 9.900 9.900 39.375 volunteer coach Jordyn Wieber). Both Kocian and Ross Stella Umeh provided a 9.925, setting up freshman Heidi Preston 9.900 – – 9.925 – have won multiple World Championship medals as well, Moneymaker for an opportunity to clinch the title with Savvidou – 9.875 9.825 – – with Kocian winning three gold medals (2015 uneven a 9.775, and the freshman was money, scoring a 9.925. bars and team, 2014 team) and Ross capturing fi ve total Senior Leah Homma’s 9.95 to close the competition medals (2014 team gold and bronze all-around; 2013 punctuated the evening for the Bruins, who totaled a silver all-around, bars and beam). season-high 197.15, three-tenths higher than second- son - Katelyn Ohashi (8), Angi Cipra (7), JaNay Honest posh half. Kyla Ross was the U.S. champion and World place Arizona State. (6), Madison Preston (4), Christine Peng-Peng Lee (3), silver medalist in 2013. Additionally, JaNay Honest is Mikaela Gerber (2), Napualani Hall (2), Hallie Mossett the reigning Pac-12 co-champion, and Stella Savvidou UCLA vs. Arkansas (2), and Sonya Meraz (1). placed fourth at the conference championships. Sonya Arkansas went 12-12 last season and fi nished sixth at Meraz has added diffi culty to her routine, upgrading her the SEC Championships and third at the NCAA Iowa Glenn Twins to Redshirt 2017 Season Tkatchev to a toe-on Tkatchev (Ray). City Regional. The Razorback return eight letterwin- Freshmen Anna Glenn and Grace Glenn will redshirt ners from last year’s squad, including All-American the 2017 season after suff ering torn labrums that will Bruins are Beaming Amanda Wellick. Head coach Mark Cook, who was a require surgery. The identical twins are both JO National UCLA was one of the nation’s best teams on beam last UCLA assistant coach from 1995-97, built the Arkansas Champions, with Anna winning uneven bars in 2012, year, and although the Bruins lose 2016 NCAA beam program from scratch in 2001, and in just its second year and Grace winning the all-around and beam in 2014. champion , they gain one of the best of competition qualifi ed a team to the NCAA Regionals. beam workers in the world in Kyla Ross, who was the He has coached his team to seven NCAA Championship Streaks U.S. champion in 2013 and 2014 and the world silver appearances, most recently in 2013, and two Super Six JaNay Honest enters the 2017 season having hit 48 medalist in 2013. Madison Kocian is also a strong beam appearances. Cook is a two-time SEC Co-Coach of the routines in a row, including all 36 in 2016 … Mikaela competitor, earning Top 7 fi nishes on the event at each Year (2008, 2016). Gerber hit all 19 of her routines last year, including all 14 of the last two USA Championships. Katelyn Ohashi, as the leadoff on beam, and has a streak of 26 consecu- Mikaela Gerber and Sonya Meraz are the Bruins’ only This is the fi rst meeting between the two teams since tive hit routines, dating back to 2015 … Katelyn Ohashi returners on beam from last season’s NCAA Champion- 2015, when the Bruins won at Fayetteville, 197.175- has scored 9.8 or better on all 10 of her beam routines ships, but all three are capable of 9.9+ scores. Ohashi 195.900. This is Arkansas’ fi rst visit back to Pauley Pavilion and has hit 23 consecutive routines … UCLA has scored scored 9.9 fi ve times last year and may bring back her since losing to the Bruins in 2013, 197.425-196.600. 49+ on fl oor in 14 straight meets … Four Bruin returners old elite series (backhandspring-backhandspring-layout competed in all 14 meets last season - Mikaela Gerber, full). Gerber was solid as a rock as the leadoff , hitting all UCLA in Season Openers JaNay Honest, Sonya Meraz and Madison Preston. Meraz 14 routines and averaging 9.833. In the No. 2 spot, Meraz UCLA has won four of its last fi ve season openers, in- has competed in 24-straight meets, and Gerber has went 9.85 or higher eight times last year, with a high of cluding victories in the last two years. The Bruins used competed in 19-straight. 9.9. Also back is Christine Peng-Peng Lee, who owns a strong performances on beam and fl oor to earn a come- career-high of 9.975 and does some of the most unique from-behind 196.550-196.300 victory over Alabama in Vaulting Towards 10.0 Vaults skills in NCAA, including the Homma fl airs mount and 2016. Sadiqua Bynum’s 9.95 on fl oor on the last routine The Bruins will be easing in upgraded vaults during the a double turn. clinched the victory for UCLA. In 2015, clutch beam season. Felicia Hano, Gracie Kramer, Sonya Meraz, Angi routines by Mikaela Gerber and Christine Peng-Peng Cipra and JaNay Honest have been training Yurchenko Putting on a Show on Floor Lee in the fi nal rotation sealed the win at Oregon State, 1.5 vaults. Napualani Hall, Kyla Ross and Katelyn Ohashi, UCLA’s fl oor exercise routines are not to be missed. With 196.000-195.450. have been training the Omelianchik (Yurchenko half-on, routines choreographed by Valorie Kondos Field and front pike). Hallie Mossett, the Bruins put on a show every time they Coming Back step onto the fl oor. Mossett choreographed the fl oor UCLA returns 11 athletes who saw competition time a Raising the Bar routines for JaNay Honest, Sonya Meraz, Gracie Kramer, year ago, as well as 15 of 24 routines (63%) competed UCLA’s uneven bars lineup features some of the world’s and Mercedez Sanchez, along with co-choreographing at the 2016 NCAA Super Six, including fi ve on vault best on the event. Madison Kocian is the reigning World her own Beyonce-inspired routine with Kondos Field. and four on bars. Back in 2017 are Sonya Meraz and co-champion and Olympic silver medalist on the event. JaNay Honest, who ranked No. 1 and No. 3 on the team Christine Peng-Peng Lee won a World Cup title on bars Leading the returning performers on fl oor is Angi Cipra, in routines competed. Meraz led all Bruins with 42, in 2012 and has won the event at each of the last two who earned All-America honors with her iPhone routine and Honest was third with 36 (all of which were hit). NCAA Regional Championships. Lee performs three last year. Cipra scored 9.9 or higher seven times in 2016, Nine Bruin returners scored at least one 9.9 last sea- diffi cult release moves - a Ray, a Bhardwaj and a Sha- with a high of 9.975. Mossett earned a perfect 10 from

 2017 ROSTER Gymnast Ht. Yr. Hometown (Club/Previous School) Notes Maria Caire 5-2 Fr. La Cañada Flintridge, Calif. (Club Champion/Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy) Redshirting the season Angi Cipra 5-2 Sr. Mesa, Ariz. (Desert Devils Gymnastics/Saguaro HS) 2nd-team regular season All-American on FX in 2016 Rechelle Dennis 5-4 Jr. Dix Hills, N.Y. (Gold Medal Gymnastics Huntington/Half Hollow Hills HS) Scored career-high 9.85 on UB to place 3rd vs. ASU 2/27/16 Mikaela Gerber 5-5 Sr. Cambridge, Ontario (Oakville Gymnastics Club/Galt Collegiate Institute) Hit all 14 of her leadoff beam routines in 2016, incl. 2 9.9+ scores Anna Glenn 5-1 Fr. Charlotte, N.C. (Southeastern Gymnastics/South Mecklenburg HS) 2012 JO National UB champ; Redshirting the season (shoulder) Grace Glenn 5-2 Fr. Charlotte, N.C. (Southeastern Gymnastics/South Mecklenburg HS 2014 JO National AA, BB champion; Redshirting the season (shoulder) Napualani Hall 5-4 Jr. Kansas City, Mo. (Fuzion Gymnastics/North Kansas City HS) Twice scored 9.9 on vault in 2016 Felicia Hano 5-2 Fr. San Gabriel, Calif. (Gym Max/San Gabriel HS) Former U.S. Nat’l Team member; 2012, 2013 JO National AA, V champion JaNay Honest 5-2 Jr. Visalia, Calif. (Central California Gymnastics Institute/El Diamante HS) Pac-12 uneven bars co-champion; hit 36-for-36 in 2016 Madison Kocian 5-2 Fr. Dallas, Texas (WOGA/Spring Creek Academy) 2016 Olympic gold and silver medalist; 3-time World gold medalist Gracie Kramer 5-3 Fr. San Clemente, Calif. (Wildfi re Gymnastics/JSerra Catholic HS) 2015 Region 1 vault champion Christine Peng-Peng Lee 5-2 RSr. Richmond Hill, Ontario (Sport Seneca/Oakville Gymnastics Club/Northview Heights Secondary) 4-time All-American Sonya Meraz 5-1 Jr. Santa Monica, Calif. (All Olympia Gymanstics Center/Santa Monica HS) Led UCLA in 2016 with 42 routines competed Hallie Mossett 5-2 Sr. Los Angeles, Calif. (West Coast Elite Gymnastics/Vistamar School) Career-high 9.95 on FX 1/10/16 included a perfect 10 from 1 judge Katelyn Ohashi 4-10 So. Plano, Texas (WOGA/Plano Senior HS) All-Pac-12 on beam in 2016; Has hit 23 consecutive routines Giulianna Pino 5-2 Fr. Miami, Fla. (Universal Gymnastics/Gulliver Preparatory) First Ecuadorian gymnast ever to compete at World Championships Madison Preston 5-3 So. Loveland, Ohio (Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy/K-12 International Academy) 2014 Level 10 national vault champion Kyla Ross 5-7 Fr. Aliso Viejo, Calif. (Gym Max/Aliso Niguel HS) 2012 Olympic gold medalist; 5-time World medalist Mercedez Sanchez 5-5 Fr. Agoura Hills, Calif. (Matrix Gymnastics/Agoura HS) Two-time Region 1 qualifi er Stella Savvidou 5-2 So. Melbourne, Australia (Methodist Ladies College Gymnastics Club/Methodist Ladies College) 2015 World Championships competitor Macy Toronjo 4-11 RFr. Huntsville, Texas (Texas Dreams/Coppell HS) 2015 Level 10 national AA/FX champion Head Coach: Valorie Kondos Field (27th year, UCLA ‘87) Associate Head Coaches: Chris Waller (15th year, UCLA ‘91), Randy Lane (13th year, Illinois ‘89); Volunteer Assistant Coach: Jordyn Wieber Team Managers: Matteah Brow, Karli Dugas, Melissa Metcalf, Alex Waller; Director of Operations: Claire Donyanavard; Volunteer Director of Operations: Cory Tomlinson one judge on her fi rst routine last season and has a career-high mark of 9.95. Both JaNay Honest and Madison Preston averaged over 9.85 with career-highs of 9.925, and Katelyn Ohashi and Sonya Meraz each have career-highs of 9.9. Also look for freshmen Felicia Hano, Madison Kocian and Kyla Ross to provide dynamic routines. UCLA Gymnastics - Home of Olympians No other gymnastics program in the nation has the Olympic history that UCLA has. The Bruins currently have two Olympic gold medalists (Madison Kocian and Kyla Ross) and an honorary Olympian (Christine Peng-Peng Lee) on the competitive roster, an- other Olympic gold medalist in volunteer assistant coach Jordyn Wieber, plus another Olympic competitor in associate head coach Chris Waller. UCLA has had at least one Olympian from each of the last nine Olympics, dating back to 1984.

2016 - Madison Kocian 2012 - Kyla Ross, Jordyn Wieber*, Jennifer Pinches, Anna Li#, Danusia Francis#, Peng- Peng Lee+ 2008 - , Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs 2004 - Mohini Bhardwaj, , Tasha Schwikert#, Marci Bernholtz# 2000 - Jamie Dantzscher, , Tasha Schwikert, Michelle Conway, Kate Richardson, Yvonne Tousek, Alyssa Beckerman#, Holly Murdock# 1996 - Yvonne Tousek, Kerri Strug* 1992 - Stella Umeh, Luisa Portocarrero, Kerri Strug* 1998 - Rhonda Faehn# 1984 - Gigi Zosa *UCLA coach, # - Olympic alternate, + - honorary Olympian International Competitors UCLA’s roster is fi lled with international competitors, led by Olympic gold medalists Madison Kocian and Kyla Ross. Kocian is a three-time World Champion, having won a share of the uneven bars title in 2015 and team titles in 2014 and 2015. Ross was also part of the 2014 World Championship team and won a total of four individual medals in 2013 and 2014. Stella Savvidou and Giulianna Pino competed at the 2015 Worlds along with Kocian, with Savvidou representing Cyprus and Pino representing Ecuador. Christine Peng-Peng Lee and Mikaela Gerber competed at the 2011 World Championships for Canada. Katelyn Ohashi has American Cup (2013) and Pacifi c Rim Championship (2012 juniors) all-around championship titles to her credit. The 2012 Pacifi c Rim Championship podium had a decidedly UCLA-fl avor to it, as Jordyn Wieber, Ross and Lee went 1-2-3 in the senior competition, and Ohashi won the all-around, bars, beam and fl oor titles in the junior competition. Bruins Televised All Season All of UCLA’s regular season meets in 2017, plus the Pac-12 and NCAA Champion- ships, will be televised. The Pac-12 Network will televise eight regular season meets and the conference championships. The Bruins’ dual meet at Oklahoma will air on Fox Sports Network. ESPNU will pick up the UCLA at Utah dual meet and the NCAA Championships. UCLA Signs Dennis, Tratz in Early Signing Period In November, UCLA announced the signing of four-time U.S. National Team member Nia Dennis (Columbus, Ohio/Legacy Elite Gymnastics) and German National Team member and 2016 Olympic alternate Pauline Tratz (Karlsruhe, Germany/TSV Rintheim/ Karlsruhe Gymnastics) to National Letters of Intent. The duo will enter UCLA in the fall of 2017. Looking Ahead For the second-straight year, UCLA’s fi rst away meet is at the defending NCAA cham- pion. This time, the Bruins will travel to Oklahoma for a Sunday, Jan. 15 meet at the Lloyd Noble Center. Get Social UCLA Gymnastics has one of the largest social media followings in all of women’s collegiate sports, ranking third across all women’s sports in combined likes/followers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The Bruins rank fi rst among all NCAA gymnastics teams on both Instagram (90.7k) and Facebook (122k) and fi fth on Twitter (12.9k). Among UCLA teams, gymnastics ranks fi rst on Instagram and Facebook. Follow the Bruins at @UCLAGymnastics on Instagram and Twitter and on Facebook at facebook. com/uclagymnastics. The team’s Snapchat name is also uclagymnastics.