Feb. 13, 2008

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Freshman Paul Ruggeri of the Illinois men's gymnastics team earned the Illini's first Big Ten Gymnast of the Week honor for the week ending Feb. 11, the conference office announced today. Ruggeri earns the honor after his best performance of the season at the 2008 Winter Cup Challenge. There, he not only outperformed national team contenders, but the entire collegiate field as the highest collegiate finisher - as a freshman - outside of current U.S. Senior National Team members.

"Paul is very deserving of this honor," head coach Yoshi Hayasaki said. "Paul had a great performance, as just a freshman, at Winter Cup. His finish speaks well for the future of Illinois and U.S. gymnastics in years to come."

Ruggeri's marks in the finals of the 2008 edition of the Challenge all bested his preliminary round scores except on high bar, but showed that he can compete with the best in the country. Had this been an official collegiate meet, Ruggeri would have set career highs on rings (13.900), vault (15.950), parallel bars (14.300) and in the all-around (86.700). Ruggeri's marks for the two-day event earned him four top-15 finishes overall, including his highest a fourth-place outing on floor (29.900).

Ruggeri was the highest finisher from the Big Ten Conference in the all-around in front of notables 2007 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year and teammate Wes Haagensen (11th), recent Big Ten Gymnast of the Week honoree Jake Bateman of Ohio State (13th), Derek Helsby of Penn State (17th) and Thomas Kelley of Michigan (18th).

As a team, Illinois was the only collegiate team to have two gymnasts finish in the top 11 overall in the competition. The only school that came close was Stanford, who had two in the top 15, one of which is already a national team member in senior David Sender.

The honor is Ruggeri's first of his career and Illinois' first honor since Tyler Yamauchi captured the accolade on March 7, 2007. Illinois, as a team, clinched a total of two Big Ten weekly honors in 2007.

Illinois now returns to team competition this weekend when they host No. 1 and defending NCAA champion Penn State on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. at Huff Hall. The event marks the second straight year the Illini have taken on a No. 1-ranked opponent during the dual regular season. All Illini home meets can be followed live through live scoring and video at the official home of Illinois men's gymnastics at www.fightginillini.com.