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Men's Gymnastics
Haagensen Named Big Ten Gymnast of the Year
March 31, 2007 MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.- The 2007 Big Ten Championships wrapped up Saturday night at the Sports Pavilion with the individual event finals featuring the top eight competitors on each apparatus from Friday's team finals. After securing the 2007 Big Ten all-around title Friday night, junior Wes Haagensen was named the 2007 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year. Haagensen followed in assistant coach Justin Spring's footsteps, as he also garnered both the all-around and Gymnast of the Year honors in 2006. Also claiming individual success was junior Tyler Yamauchi who picked up his first Big Ten title on vault and picked up a third-place tie on still rings. Overall, the Illini had a total of six top-three finishes, including both Haagensen and Yamauchi being named as all-conference team selections. Haagensen, a Belleville, Ill. native has been a consistent all-arounder for Illinois all season, with four titles under his belt heading into the weekend. Haagensen met 2007 with great success, starting the season off with a bang, garnering co-Big Ten Gymnast of the Week and Collegiate Gymnastics Association Gymnast of the Week honors for the week ending January 18. "This was a really great night for Wes," said head coach Yoshi Hayasaki. "He came out here this weekend against some great competition and really performed. He earned this title, and I couldn`t be any prouder of him." "Tyler also did very well," Hayasaki continued. "He went after a gymnast that does one of the hardest vaults in the world right now, but he focused and accomplished what he wanted. All of our guys did very well this evening." Illinois was represented on all six events by five different gymnasts during the evening, led by juniors Wes Haagensen and Tyler Yamauchi. Haagensen, who tallied a 54.450 to edge out Penn State's Casey Sandy to claim the all-around title Friday night, competed in three events Saturday for Illinois before being named Gymnast of the Year: vault, parallel bars and high bar. "This is a great honor," said Haagensen. "It's really exciting to be acknowledged by the conference like this. It isn`t really something you think about heading into the night, but it`s something that is in the back of your head as the night goes on. Winning the award really means so much." Freshman Chad Wiest, who has demonstrated continued success on floor exercise throughout the season, narrowly missed the event crown, posting a career-best 9.675. Overall, Wiest has notched six top-three finishes during his freshman campaign. Junior Tyler Yamauchi, who carded a season-high 9.650 on floor exercise Friday night, claimed eighth on the event during finals, with an 8.675. Ohio State's Eddie Hay took home the event honors, carding a 9.825. Freshman Luke Stannard, the lone Illini to qualify on pommel horse for event finals, notched an 8.000 to finish seventh. Host Minnesota's Kit Beikmann claimed the pommel horse title tallying a 9.125. On vault, the event Yamauchi came into the weekend ranked first on nationally, he carded a 9.575 to secure his first Big Ten crown. The Sugarland, Texas native has been a staple on the event for the Orange and Blue all season, capturing five top-three finishes prior to this weekend's competition. Junior Wes Haagensen also competed on the event, carding an 8.950 to finish in fifth. On still rings, Yamauchi was the only member of Illinois to compete, but turned in a solid performance worth a 9.550 to tie with Ohio State's DJ Bucher for third. Jacques Bouchard of the University of Iowa picked up the event title with a 9.725. On parallel bars, Haagensen finished second with a season-high 9.475, narrowly missing the event title to Ohio State's DJ Bucher who carded a 9.675 to claim the crown. On high bar, Haagensen picked up a 9.350 to claim second place. Teammate and fellow junior Chris Silcox stuck his dismount and earned a 9.250, tying his season high on the event to place him in third. Michigan's Aaron Rakes won the event with a 9.475. Chris Silcox received the team's Outstanding Sportsmanship Award. Minnesota's Andre Berry was named Big Ten Rookie of the Year and Miles Avery of Ohio State and Mike Burns of the University of Minnesota were named 2007 Big Ten Coaches of the Year. With the conference championships behind them, the Illini are now focused on taking their game to the national stage as the 2007 NCAA Championships lie on the horizon. The 65th annual event will be held at Penn State University in University Park, Pa.. Team qualifying rounds are at 1 and 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 12. Team Finals follow on Friday at 7 p.m., and the event finals are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 14. First Team All-Conference Gymnast of the Year Coaches of the Year Sportsmanship Nominees
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