University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Head to Vegas for Winter Cup
2/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
Four University of Minnesota men's gymnasts will take part in the USA Gymnastics Winter Cup this weekend in Las Vegas. Kit Beikmann, Cole Storer, DJ Repp and Russell Dabritz will all be competing at the Las Vegas Sports Center. In addition to those four current Gophers, former Minnesota gymnast Guillermo Alvarez will be competing as well.
The United States Senior Men's National Team will be named at the Winter Cup. Alvarez, who is a current member of that team, will be looking to regain his position on that squad. Meanwhile, Beikmann, Storer, Repp and Dabritz will also be looking to gain spots on that roster.
“The Winter Cup is a great competition because it includes a wide range of gymnasts," Minnesota head coach Mike Burns said. "The new US National Team will be named following this competition and the year after an Olympic Games is always exciting because there is a new crop of up-and-coming gymnasts that are looking to make that team. Guillermo is currently on the National Team and he will need to re-qualify to the team at this meet. Our younger guys will be challenging for one of 15 available spots on the National Team as well.”
“The 2009 Winter Cup Challenge is a great chance for our athletes to test out new skills and adjustments that are being made with the new FIG Code of Points,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “With the dawn of the new quadrennium, this event is a wonderful place to get a first look at rising stars, as well as prepare returning veterans for the next four years.”
Gophersports.com will have all the details from the Minnesota student-athletes' participation at the Winter Cup, beginning Thursday night.
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