University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Freshman Spotlight: Ben Eyles
12/6/2018 5:56:00 PM | Men's Gymnastics
The fourth freshman to be featured in our Freshman Spotlight series is Ben Eyles. Eyles is a native of Ames, Iowa. He competed for Triad Gymnastics and graduated from Ames High School. He is a five-time state champion and a two-time regional champion. At the 2018 JO Nationals he placed first on high bar, second on vault, third on floor, fifth on rings and fourth on all-around. He was also named an Academic All-American by USA Gymnastics.
Previous Freshman Spotlights: Matt Sullivan | David Pochinka | Tyler DavisGopher Sports: How has your time on campus and the team been so far?
Ben Eyles: It's been a dream. I come from Iowa so I have never really been around a big city before and so far Minneapolis hasn't failed me! The campus is so nice and I feel like every week I find something new that becomes my favorite spot on campus. The team has been so welcoming since day one and I already feel like I'm part of a family with 20 of my best friends.
GS: What are you most looking forward to in your first school year and season?
BE: It's certainly daunting to start right off the bat with a pretty challenging course load, but I'm looking forward to digging in and doing my best to keep our team GPA where we want it to be. As far as the season goes, we are coming in after a record year for the Gophers last year, so there's a lot of pressure for our class to step up and prove that the Gophers remain the team to beat. I am continually impressed with how well everyone is doing and I think we are all extremely excited to get the chance to step out on the floor at the Pav!
GS: Why did you choose the University of Minnesota?
BE: The campus and academics are amazing, but what sold me was the coaching staff and the team culture. Growing up in the Midwest, I had the chance to attend the U of M summer camp and get to work with the coaching staff, and I immediately knew that these coaches were the ones I wanted to spend my college years with. Mike, Kostya, and Jordan each bring a unique coaching style to the program. They all have our best interests as people, not just gymnasts, at heart. The team itself really is a family. In my short time here I would consider all of my teammates my brothers. Between the team and the coaches I knew I would have the best support system behind me to succeed in these next 4 years.
GS: How did you get into gymnastics?
BE: I actually started pretty late in gymnastics. I saw my neighbors doing cartwheels in their backyard and asked my mom to sign me up for a tumbling class. It wasn't until 2011 that I started competing.
GS: What is your favorite gymnastics memory?
BE: When I was in level 5 I competed in a meet here in Minneapolis where Mike Burns was giving out the awards. When I placed first in the all-around Mike leaned in and told me "if you keep this up you might be a Gopher one day!"
GS: What are your hobbies outside of gymnastics?
BE: I played soccer for about 10 years, but had to quit when the overlap between practices became too difficult, though I still enjoy a pick-up game after practice with Kostya every once in a while. I also used to be big into music. I've played the piano, trombone, viola and the tuba for a short time.
GS: What is one thing Gopher fans should know about you?
BE: One thing Gopher fans should know about me is that my mom will be at every meet and will probably need someone to talk to so she doesn't get too nervous, so feel free to sit next to her!