University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Heads to Brockport
3/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
The University of Minnesota men's gymnastics team returns to the road this week as it travels to Brockport, N.Y. to take on the Brockport club team and the Air Force Academy on Friday at 7 p.m.
"Brockport's general manager AJ Banker has really been working hard to get their program on the upswing," Minnesota head coach Mike Burns said. "Going out there and having a big collegiate meet is our way of supporting the program."
The No. 8 Gophers will be favored to win as Air Force comes into the meet ranked No. 11, and Brockport enters the meet ranked No. 19 nationally. While Minnesota is not taking anything lightly, having a meeting in which they are expected to win comes at the right time for the Gophers as it allows them let a few regular performers get some rest and allow some other athletes to perform on new events.
"When we originally scheduled this meet we thought it would be a chance to some guys that don't always compete in the lineup, but now it's kind of happening by default with a few guys banged up," Burns said.
The Gophers also know that they cannot overlook the Falcons in this meet, despite cruising past them 345.6-331.3 on Feb. 18 at the Sports Pavilion. However, Air Force went on to score 345.0 just two days after that meet at the All-Academy Championships, showing that they are capable put up Minnesota-like scores.
"Air Force is gunning for us, and we know that they're going to be looking to take it to us on a neutral site," Burns said.
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