University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Head to NCAA Championships
4/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 5 University of Minnesota men's gymnastics team will compete at the 2016 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships qualifier at the St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio on Fri., April 15.
Session 1 at 1 p.m. ET will include: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 4 Cal, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 8 Penn State, No. 9 Nebraska and No. 12 Navy.
LIVE STATS: Fri, Session 1: http://go.osu.edu/NCAAGymS1
Session 2 at 7 p.m. ET will include: No. 2 Stanford, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 6 Illinois, No. 7 Iowa, No. 10 Air Force and No. 11 Michigan. LIVE STATS: Fri, Session 2: http://go.osu.edu/NCAAGymS2
LIVE STATS: Saturday - Finals: http://go.osu.edu/NCAAGymFinals
For live streaming information for both the qualifying round as well as the finals, check out the NCAA Live Video schedule here.
For tickets and more information on the NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships, visit the Championship website by clicking here.
THE OPPONENTS
Minnesota takes on 11 different schools, including six other Big Ten programs, at the NCAA Championships this weekend. The Maroon and Gold will face No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Stanford, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Cal, No. 6 Illinois, No. 7 Iowa, No. 8 Penn State, No. 9 Nebraska, No. 10 Air Force, No. 11 Michigan and No. 12 Navy.
Big Ten foe Ohio State finished 5-3 with their highest score being 444.500. Illinois enters this weekend 6-3 and tallied a season-high score of 442.300. Iowa finished with a 3-6 record and had a season-high 435.650. Penn State wrapped up their regular-season with a 5-5 record and posted a season-high of 433.600. Nebraska comes into the NCAA Championships with a 1-9 record and a season-high of 437.300. Michigan rounds out the Big Ten competition with a 3-6 record and a season-high of 431.650.
Oklahoma enters this weekend with an undefeated 10-0 record and a season-high of 452.350. Stanford finished their season with a 7-1 record and notched a season-high 447.700. Cal comes into the weekend with a 2-8 record and a high score of 442.150. Air Force finished with a 4-7 and a 433.450 season-high. Navy enters this weekend with a 5-4 and a season-high of 424.100.
2016 SEASON RECAP
The 2016 season began with a third place finish at the Windy City Invitational. From that meet, the Maroon and Gold won their next three meets including a meet at Air Force, where the team broke the program record for overall score with a 438.500. The team boasted scores of 72.450 (Pommel Horse), 74.800 (Floor), 72.100 (Still Rings), 74.800 (Vault), 72.250 (Parallel Bars) and 72.100 (High Bar).
Following a record performance in Colorado Springs, Colo. the Gophers hosted a six-team meet, where Duran had a spectacular individual performance on Parallel Bars. The Franklin Lakes, N.J. native notched a 15.600, breaking Steve Jaciuk's record of 15.450 set in 2013.
During the season, Minnesota performed exceptionally well on Floor. The team put up the three highest scores on the apparatus in program history. The third highest came against Nebraska at home with a 75.550. Junior Zach Liebler and Wittenberg both paced the team through the entirety of the year. Against Nebraska, Wittenberg tallied a 15.500, while Liebler broke the individual record with a 15.800.
At the last meet of the regular-season in Lincoln, Neb. the Gophers put up the second highest score on Floor in program history with a 75.800. Liebler once again scored a 15.800.
Minnesota registered the highest score on Floor in program history at a momentous Senior Night at the Sports Pavilion against UIC and the UMN Club Team. Liebler broke his own school record when he earned a 16.150, the highest score by any gymnast on Floor in the country. Four Gophers scored above a 15.000 to pace a team total of 76.650 on the event. As a team, the Maroon and Gold put up the second highest score in team history this season, finishing just behind their previous record with a 438.350.
At the same meet, senior Paul Montague Jr. competed in the All-Around competition for the first time in his career. The Hartland, Wis. native scored 85.150 and earned his first All-Around title. Along the way, Montague also claimed first place on Still Rings and High Bar.
At the Big Ten Championships, the team finished behind Illinois (429.700) and Ohio State (434.450) for third place. This was the highest placing for the team since the 2013 season.
Eight Gophers advanced to 10 Event Finals including Duran (Floor (8th - 14.425), Parallel Bars (9th - 14.475), High Bar (9th - 13.650)), Wittenberg (Floor (7th - 14.575)), Vault alt.), Justin Karstadt (Pommel Horse (9th - 14.025), Parallel Bars (6th - 14.725)), Yaroslav Pochinka (Vault (10th - 13.875)), Ryan Bergman (Parallel Bars (4th - 15.100)), Danny DiBenedetto (High Bar (3rd - 14.525)), Montague (High Bar (6th - 14.075)), Pommel Horse alt.), and Jalon Stephens (High Bar (5th - 14.450)). Joel Gagnon advanced as an alternate on Floor and finished sixth with a 14.775. In total, the Maroon and Gold had 12 routines during the Event Finals, the highest total of any school.
In the All-Around competition, Duran took home third place overall after tallying 86.900, his second-highest score of the 2016 campaign. Karstadt finished fifth overall with a tally of 85.950.
For their performances, both were named to the All-Around All-Big Ten team. DiBenedetto finished third on High Bar at the individual Event Finals and was selected to the All-Big Ten Second team.
At last year's NCAA Championships, the University of Oklahoma won the team title with a team total of 447.050. Stanford and Penn State finished second and third after notching 440.450 and 439.500, respectively.
Minnesota narrowly missed the top three and finished fourth by two tenths of a point to Penn State.
Liebler and Gagnon finished tied for third and sixth after notching a 15.575 and 15.375, respectively. For their performances, both gymnasts earned All-America laurels.
In recent history, the Gophers have put forward one NCAA Champion with Ellis Mannon earning the Pommel Horse title in 2014. Previously, Clay Strother earned the title on Pommel Horse in 2001 and 2002, while also collecting the Floor title the same years. The last NCAA All-Around champion to represent the Gophers was from 1991-93 when John Roethlisberger took home the crown back-to-back-to-back.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
Are you following the Gophers on the road or from home? Make sure to follow @GopherMGym on Twitter and use the team's hashtag #WhyNotUs. You can also check for updates on Facebook and Instagram by "liking" Minnesota Men's Gymnastics on Facebook or following the Gophers on Instagram.
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