STANFORD, Calif. – Freshman Asher Hong was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Gymnast of the Year, as well as the inaugural MPSF Freshman of the Year, it was announced by the conference office on Thursday.
Hong is Stanford's 12th MPSF Gymnast of the Year recipient, all coming in the last 20 years. Brody Malone had won the previous four (2019-22), while Akash Modi (2014-17), Tim Gentry (2011), Sho Nakamori (2009) and Dan Gill (2004) preceded Malone.
A member of the U.S. Senior National Team, Hong earned his spot after placing third overall in the all-around competition (81.948) on day one from the Winter Cup. He turned in the second-highest score on vault on day one (14.755), was third overall on horizontal bar (13.650), and fourth on still rings (14.133) and parallel bars (14.700).
Competing with Team USA, Hong helped guide the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2023 DTB Pokal Team Challenge and earned individual bronze on pommel horse (14.133) earlier this month. He had previously competed at the 2022 World Championships and finished sixth in the all-around final while helping the U.S. finish fifth as a team.
The native of Tomball, Texas currently ranks first in the nation on still rings (14.617) and parallel bars (14.633), seventh on floor (14.300), and eighth on vault (14.667). He owns the nation's highest score on parallel bars (15.250), vault (15.150) and all-around (85.600), and has turned in the second-highest score on still rings (14.800). Among freshman gymnasts, Hong ranks first nationally on rings, parallel bars, floor and vault.
Hong has won eight event titles this year, including three on parallel bars, two on still rings, and one each on floor, vault and the all-around.
Hong, who became the first NCAA gymnast to compete the Ri Se Gwang on vault when he debuted it with a 15.000 at the Rocky Mountain Open on Jan. 21, has been named CGA Gymnast of the Week once, CGA Rookie of the Week six times, MPSF Gymnast of the Week once, and MPSF Freshman of the Week four times.
Hong and the Cardinal are preparing for the 2023 MPSF Championships on Saturday at 3 p.m. PT from Colorado Springs, Colo. Stanford won the 2022 conference title before capturing a third consecutive national championship a year ago.
