FightingIllini.com
The Official Home of University of Illinois Athletics
- Men's Sports
- MEN'S SPORTS
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Football
- Golf
- WOMEN'S SPORTS
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
No. 3 Illini Set for 2010 Big Ten Championships
  |
|
The quest for a second straight Big Ten title begins April 2 in Columbus, Ohio, at 6 p.m. CT.
|
March 31, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team looks to defend its Big Ten title this weekend at the 2010 Big Ten Championships hosted by Ohio State. The Championships will take place at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio, April 2-3 at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT. The team and all-around will be decided on Friday, while the individual event finals will take place on Saturday.
Illinois enters the Championships ranked first in the Big Ten team standings with a three-score average of 356.917, followed by Michigan (355.917), Ohio State (351.517), Minnesota (350.317), Penn State (349.033) and Iowa (344.417). The Illini also rank in the top two on five of six events including first on pommel horse (59.033) and parallel bars (59.417) and second on floor (60.000), vault (63.100) and high bar (58.567).
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Both days of the Championships will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network, with Mike Leiderman (play-by-play), John Roethlisberger (analyst) and Rob Brown (sidelines) calling the action. Live stats also will be available both days at ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
2009 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS RECAP
Last season, Illinois captured a share of its first Big Ten title since 2004, after rallying back in the final event to tally a score of 357.100 to tie with host Michigan. Former Illinois head coach Yoshi Hayasaki, who retired at the end of the season, earned his fourth Big Ten Coach of the Year honor, while Luke Stannard and Paul Ruggeri garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors.
In the team finals, Tyler Mizoguchi led the way on the parallel bars, posting a career-high score of 15.050 to take first place in the event, in addition to a career best on rings (14.750). Paul Ruggeri secured second place on high bar (15.450) and floor exercise (15.300) and fourth place on vault (15.600) and all-around (86.850), while Daniel Ribeiro and Luke Stannard took first and second place on the pommel horse.
In the individual event finals, the Illini took home three event titles as Paul Ruggeri was victorious on floor exercise and parallel bars and Luke Stannard claimed top honors on pommel horse.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Illinois concluded the regular season ranked third nationally as a team (356.917), in addition to first on pommel horse (59.033) and parallel bars (59.417) and third on high bar (58.567).
Individually, Paul Ruggeri maintained the top spot on high bar with a three-score average of 15.933 and third on parallel bars (14.950) and in the all-around (87.867). Luke Stannard and Daniel Ribeiro are currently tied for first on pommel horse (15.500), while Tyler Mizoguchi is ranked fifth in the all-around (86.850) and seventh on parallel bars (14.783), C.J. Padera is fourth on parallel bars (14.900) and seventh on high bar (14.850) and Chad Wiest is sixth on floor (15.283).
STANNARD NAMED NISSEN-EMERY AWARD FINALIST
University of Illinois senior gymnast Luke Stannard was been named one of eight finalists for the prestigious 2010 Nissen-Emery Award, announced March 24 by the College Gymnastics Association (CGA). The Nissen-Emery Award is presented annually to the nation's top senior male gymnast. Two Illini have won the award since its introduction in 1966, including David Zeddies (1989) and current Illinois associate men's head coach Justin Spring (2006).
Stannard has been a significant contributor in the Illinois lineup since his arrival and has achieved much success inside the gym, specifically on pommel horse, on which he earned both a U.S. National title and Big Ten title in 2009. Outside the gym, he is a two-time College Gymnastics Association (CGA) All-America Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
The winner of the Nissen-Emery Award will be announced on Wednesday, April 14 at the NCAA banquet. The 2010 NCAA Championships take place April 15-17 in West Point, N.Y.
RUGGERI'S REIGN
Since his arrival three years ago, junior Paul Ruggeri has been one of the most dominant collegiate gymnasts in the country. As a freshman in 2008, he became the first Illini Gymnast to win a national title in his first year of competition since 1960 and also was Illinois' first national champion in two years after capturing an NCAA title on high bar.
Last season, he won the U.S. National title on high bar at the Winter Cup Challenge, before claiming his second straight NCAA title on high bar and first on parallel bars, and also took home his first Big Ten titles on floor exercise and parallel bars.
Additionally, Ruggeri is a seven-time All-American (floor exercise (2x), vault, parallel bars, high bar (2x), all-around) and owns four school records under the FIG open ended code in the all-around (90.450), vault (16.250), parallel bars (15.550) and high bar (16.150).
CAREER YEARS
Ten different Illini have captured at least one individual title this season, led by junior Paul Ruggeri who ended the regular season with a team-and career-best 16 individual titles. The total tops his previous season high of 14 recorded last season and extends his career mark to 42 titles.
Junior Daniel Ribeiro ranks second on the team with eight event titles, which matches his career best, followed by sophomore Tyler Mizoguchi who topped his career high with seven thus far this season. Rounding out the top are freshman Yoshi Mori (5) and senior Luke Stannard (4).
SPRING'S SUCCESS CONTINUES
In just his first season at the helm of the Illinois men's gymnastics team, former Illini standout and Olympic bronze medalist Justin Spring is poised to have a successful coaching career as well. After spending three seasons as an assistant coach, during which he earned 2009 Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year honors with current assistant coach Ivan Ivankov, Spring took over for legendary head coach Yoshi Hayasaki who retired at the end of last season.
After opening the season ranked fifth nationally in the preseason coaches poll, the squad went on to hold the No. 1-spot on three separate occasions and never dropped out of the top four. The Illini finished the regular season 11-1 overall and 8-1 in the Big Ten, with their lone loss coming by one point to 2009 co-Big Ten Champion Michigan, 359.650-358.650 on March 13.
Spring finished his collegiate career (2002-06) as one of the most talented gymnasts in school history. Along with a U.S. National title, four NCAA and three Big Ten titles, the 12-time All-American was Illinois' second-ever Nissen-Emery Award winner and owns three school records under the FIG code scoring system, including floor exercise (9.800), parallel bars (9.825) and high bar (9.900).
Despite suffering an ACL injury less than a year earlier, Spring persevered through the pain and in August 2008, he helped lead Team USA to a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics.
RUGGERI AND MIZOGUCHI NAMED TO U.S. SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM
Junior Paul Ruggeri and sophomore Tyler Mizoguchi were named to the U.S. Senior National team for the first time in their careers, after finishing in the top 10 in the national team selection points program following the completion of the 2010 Winter Cup Challenge, Feb. 4 and 6 in Las Vegas. Ruggeri finished in fifth place with 47 points, while Mizoguchi earned 29 points, good for ninth. Chris Brooks of the University of Oklahoma was the top finisher with 68 points. All-around and individual event champions were determined by a two-day combined score.
Despite being sidelined due to injury, former Illini Wes Haagensen retained his spot on the national team through an athlete petition.
NEXT UP
Two weeks after the Big Ten Championships, the Illini will conclude the 2009-10 season at the NCAA Championships, April 15-17 in West Point, N.Y.
FOLLOW THE ILLINI
Keep up with all the latest news, updates and videos from the men's gymnastics team on the Internet.
On Twitter: www.twitter.com/IlliniGym
On YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/uofillinoisillinigym
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/IlliniGymnastics
