University of Minnesota Athletics
Field Set for Men's Gymnastics Championships
4/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
The NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Committee has announced the field of teams and individuals that will be headed to the Twin Cities to compete in the 2009 National Collegiate Men’s Gymnastics Championships at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion, April 16-18.
The competition gets underway on Thursday, April 16, with the 12-team national qualifier. The national qualifier consists of an afternoon pre-qualifying session at 1 p.m., and an evening pre-qualifying session at 7 p.m. The top three teams from each session will advance to the six-team finals on Friday, April 17, at 7 p.m. The top three all-around competitors not on one of the qualifying teams, plus the top three individuals on each event not already qualified on a team or as an all-around competitor, will also advance to the finals session. The individual event finals are scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m.
“Having the championships here at Minnesota is an awesome opportunity for our team to compete in their own gym in front of what we hope to be a very partisan home crowd. Not having to travel and having the whole campus backing us is a real treat in a meet like this,” said Minnesota head coach Mike Burns.
“We are in the evening session on Thursday," Burns continued. "I am really looking forward to a great turnout from our student body and our guys are pumped and ready to put on a good show for their fellow University of Minnesota students.”
The seventh-ranked Golden Gophers, who last weekend placed fourth at the Big Ten Championships, will compete in the evening pre-qualification session along with defending champion Oklahoma, Illinois, Ohio State, Illinois-Chicago and Iowa. Top-ranked Stanford headlines the afternoon pre-qualification session that also includes Michigan, California, Penn State, Nebraska and Navy.
“We are very pleased to have been selected as the seventh seed for the NCAA Qualifier here next week,” said Burns. “Our guys are in their final preparation phase and looking good so it’s just a matter of time before we compete for a spot in the team finals.”
Minnesota just missed out advancing to the team finals at last year’s championship, which was won by Oklahoma with 363.200 points. Stanford claimed second place with Illinois taking third.
Both all-session and single-session ticket packages are on sale through the University of Minnesota Athletics Department and may be purchased in person at the ticket office in Mariucci Arena, over the phone by calling 612-624-8080 or 800-UGOPHER, or online at www.gophersports.com.
All-session adult tickets, which include all four competition sessions, are priced at $35, with all-session student tickets available for $25. Single-session tickets are priced at $15 for adults and $8 for students. Special single-session packages for groups of 15 or more are also available and are priced at $5 per ticket.
News outlets interested in obtaining media credentials to cover the championship may apply online by clicking the 2009 Gymnastics Championships logo on the men’s gymnastics page at gophersports.com and following the credential application link.
National Collegiate Men’s Gymnastics Championships
April 16-18, 2009
University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion
Thursday, April 16, 1 p.m. (CDT) National Qualifier Session I (Qualifying Score)
1. Stanford, 359.920; 4. Michigan, 354.130; 5. California, 353.970; 8. Penn State, 346.430; 9. Nebraska, 341.930; 12. Navy, 337.160.
Thursday, April 16, 7 p.m. (CDT) National Qualifier Session II (Qualifying Score)
2. Oklahoma, 357.570; 3. Illinois, 355.960; 6. Ohio State, 349.870; 7. Minnesota, 348.250; 10. Illinois-Chicago, 339.030; 11. Iowa, 337.790.
Individual Qualifiers
All-Around: Derek Gygax, William & Mary; Ty Evans, Springfield; Josh Fox, Springfield; Nash Mills, Air Force; Ty Smith, Army; Boris Rasin, MIT.
Floor Exercise: Aaron Zaiser, Air Force; Josh Fried, William & Mary; Scott Bloomfield, Temple; Chris Valeska, William & Mary; Tyler Croteau, Temple; Evan Burke, Temple.
Pommel Horse: Adam Al-Rokh, Temple; James Prim, William & Mary; Richard Pearson, William & Mary; Jacob Houder, Air Force; Andy Hunter, William & Mary; John Vogtman, Temple.
Still Rings: Jacob Schonig, Air Force; James Prim, William & Mary; Matthew Bolognese, Springfield; Josiah Loeser, Air Force; John Vogtman, Temple; Chris Mooney, Temple.
Vault: Scott Bloomfield, Temple; Jeff Zack, Temple; Devin Menefee, Air Force; Keith Stumpf, Springfield; Chris Mooney, Temple; Aaron Zaiser, Air Force.
Parallel Bars: Pat McLaughlin, Temple; Andy Hunter, William & Mary; Andrew Kelly, Springfield; Adam Al-Rokh, Temple; Tyler Croteau, Temple; James Prim, William & Mary.
Horizontal Bar: Sloan Crawford, William & Mary; Brett Lazarus, MIT; Pat McLaughlin, Temple; Jay Hilbun, William & Mary; John Vogtman, Temple; Michael Freundlich, Springfield.
