April 1, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 7-ranked Penn State men's gymnastics team will seek the program's third conference title when it competes at the 2010 Big Ten Men's Gymnastics Championships from April 2-3 at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio on the host campus of The Ohio State University. Penn State will battle the other members of the nation's elite men's gymnastics conference for team and individual titles over the course of the two-day event and strive to gain momentum as it pursues its NCAA-record 13th national championship.
The team and all-around competition will take place on Fri., April 2 with the individual event finals set for Sat., April 3. Competition on both days is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
LIVE ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK
The Big Ten Network will broadcast the 2010 Big Ten Men's Gymnastics Championships live to a national television audience for the third-straight year. The championships will also be re-broadcast on Wed., April 7 (team finals - 10 p.m. ET) and Sat., April 10 (individual finals - 8 a.m. ET)
PREVIEWING PENN STATE
A Penn State team that features nine true freshmen, seven of which have made significant contributions throughout the 2010 season, enters the Big Ten Championships looking to make a name for itself against the nation's best gymnastics talent. In the floor exercise, senior Nick Virbitsky, an All-American in the event as a freshman in 2007, and freshman Nick Grant own all of PSU's top scores this season. Freshman Felix Aronovich, who scored a team-high 15.100 versus Michigan, represents Penn State's best hope in the pommel horse. Sophomore Miguel Pineda and freshman Scott Rosenthal, who combined to collect six titles and 13 top three finishes, will headline the Nittany Lions on the still rings. Grant, who earned the program's top vault score since 2008 this year, a 16.050, Virbitsky, and senior Noam Shaham provide Penn State with a triple threat in the vault. Redshirt freshman Philip Harris is Penn State's only nationally ranked parallel bars competitor but Aronovich and Shaham will also be major factors. Senior Matt Greenfield recorded a season, career, and team season best score of 15.200 in the high bar in his final appearance at Rec Hall just two weeks ago. He will form a formidable high bar trio with fellow seniors Virbitsky and Shaham.
PREVIEWING THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Competition at the 2010 Big Ten Championships is sure to be fierce, as all six Big Ten members are ranked among the top 10 teams in the nation. Defending Big Ten co-champions No. 3 Illinois and No. 4 Michigan are the clear-cut favorites, outdistancing the rest of the conference field with a three score average that is more than four points higher than the next closest team. In their regular season match-up in Champaign, the Wolverines edged the Illini by one point for the road victory. Michigan's lone losses this season came at the hands of No. 1 Stanford and No. 2 Oklahoma. Host Ohio State, ranked No. 5 nationally, cannot be discounted, however, based on its solid top-to-bottom line-up and home venue advantage. Sixth-ranked Minnesota boasts two very strong events, floor exercise and vault, while No. 7 Penn State fields the youngest squad in the NCAA. Iowa, ranked No. 9, has improved over the course of the season and is looking to use the championships as a spring board for future success. The meet will also showcase Nissen-Emery Award finalists Jon Buese (Iowa), David Chan (Michigan), Aaron Fortunato (Minnesota), and Luke Stannard (Illinois).
FOLLOW THE ACTION ONLINE
Fans can also follow all of the action of both days of competition at the 2010 Big Ten Men's Gymnastics Championships on the Internet with live scoring updates. Find links on the official website of Nittany Lion athletics, www.GoPSUsports.com.
PENN STATE AT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Nittany Lions will be aiming to claim their third overall conference title in program history this weekend. In 2003, led by head coach Randy Jepson and All-Big Ten performers Kevin Tan and Luis Vargas, the Lions attained their first team title. In 2008, Casey Sandy won the parallel bars and all-around championships while Tommy Ramos captured his second Big Ten title in the still rings, helping PSU to its second team title. Penn State has finished second at the Big Ten Championships on three occasions (1998, 2004, and 2007) and placed third five times (1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, and 2002) since joining the conference in 1992. Illinois has claimed the most Big Ten Championships with 24.
PENN STATE AT THE 2009 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Competing with an injury-hobbled Casey Sandy and without the services of top freshman Miguel Pineda, a beleaguered Penn State squad placed fifth in the team finals of the 2009 Big Ten Championships at host Michigan's Crisler Arena.
Senior Casey Sandy, the 2008 Big Ten All-Around Champion and Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, was unable to complete the defense of his conference title after suffering a foot injury on his still rings dismount while Pineda broke his hand in preparations for the championships.
As a team, Penn State scored below its season average in five of six events and set season lows in the pommel horse (51.050) and vault (61.450). Junior Nick Virbitsky led the Nittany Lions, placing third in the floor exercise (tie, 15.250), fifth in the vault (tie, 15.550), and seventh in the high bar (tie, 14.500). In the individual event finals, Virbitsky contributed Penn State's top showing by placing third in the vault with a score of 15.900; a mark that tied his season and career high. Senior Shaun Antonio (high bar) and junior Allen Harris (floor exercise) earned fifth place finishes while junior Noam Shaham and sophomore Warren Yang placed 10th in the still rings and vault, respectively.
PENN STATE VS. THE BIG TEN IN 2010
Penn State posted a 1-3 record versus Big Ten opponents during the 2010 regular season. At home in historic Rec Hall, the Nittany Lions topped Minnesota (350.150-348.250) on March 6 for their lone conference victory but fell to Illinois, 354.600-345.950, two weeks earlier. Penn State struggled on the road, dropping dual meet decisions to Michigan, 355.650-344.750 in its conference opener, and to Ohio State (353.600-347.100). Penn State and Iowa did not meet in the regular season.
NEXT UP FOR THE NITTANY LIONS
In two weeks, the Nittany Lions will seek their NCAA-record 13th national title when they travel to West Point, N.Y. for the 2010 National Collegiate Men's Gymnastics Championships. From April 15-17, the nation's elite collegiate gymnastics competitors will descend upon Christl Arena and the campus of the United States Military Academy to vie for team and individual glory. The competition begins on Thurs., April 15 with two qualifying sessions, scheduled for 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET. The top three teams from each qualifier then advance to vie for the national championship at 7 p.m. ET on Fri., April 16. The nation's top all-around performer will also be crowned that evening. On Sat., April 17, the individual event finals will be held at 7 p.m. ET, with six national titles and All-American status at stake.
FRESHMEN IMPACT
With a multitude of injuries of varying degrees to a host of veterans including seniors Allen Harris (biceps), Matt Greenfield (concussion), and Noam Shaham (shoulders) and juniors Warren Yang (shoulder) and Matt Albrecht (concussion, thumb), Penn State has been forced to rely heavily on its talented freshman class in 2010. Of the 357 total routines performed by Nittany Lion gymnasts this season, 199 have been contributed by true freshmen or 56 percent. If sophomores (or gymnasts with two years or fewer of competitive collegiate experience) are included, that number jumps to 266, meaning underclassmen have accounted for a remarkable 75 percent of Penn State routines.
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Nick Grant was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times in 2010 |
BIG TEN FRESHMEN HONORS
Nittany Lions captured five of the 11 Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors bestowed by the conference this season. Nick Grant won the award for standout performances at the West Point (Jan. 18), a win against William & Mary at Rec Hall (Jan. 31), and a home loss to Oklahoma (March 20). The Butler, Pa. native has been one of Penn State's most consistent and strongest competitors in 2010, claiming a combined eight first place finishes in the floor exercise and vault. Felix Aronovich earned recognition following strong efforts versus Army (Jan. 11) and Michigan (Jan. 25). The former Israeli Army soldier has secured a total of 12 top three finishes in the pommel horse, still rings, and parallel bars and owns the teams top scores for the season in pommel horse (15.100) and parallel bars (14.850).
VETERAN VIRBITSKY KEY IN 2010
On the team laden with freshmen, senior Nick Virbitsky has lent a veteran presence and been a steadying force for Penn State in 2010. One of the few upperclassmen to remain healthy throughout the year, he has been a critical contributor in his three signature events, the floor exercise, vault, and high bar. Virbitsky has won three floor exercise and two high bar titles this season, compiling 13 top three finishes overall. He owns PSU's top floor exercise score of the season (15.450) and the second best score in the vault (15.950) and the high bar (15.050).
After being hampered by a concussion and a thumb injury over the course of the season, junior Matt Albrecht returned strong to have an impressive showing in the regular season finale versus Oklahoma. The native Canadian set career highs in three events, the floor exercise (15.100), pommel horse (14.300), and parallel bars (14.550), and established a season best in the vault (15.450).
GREENFIELD SHINES ON SENIOR NIGHT
Senior Matt Greenfield made the most of his final appearance in a Nittany Lion uniform in Penn State's Senior Night match-up with Oklahoma at Rec Hall. Competing in just one event, the high bar, Greenfield gave a standout performance, earning a career and team season high score of 15.200 to claim first place.
LATE SEASON IMPROVEMENT
As the regular season winded down and the postseason loomed near, Penn State has done what all coaches hope a young team does - show improvement. As a team, the Nittany Lions established new season highs in all six events in the last four weeks of the regular season, including three in the finale versus Oklahoma. Individually, PSU gymnasts set highs in four of the six events (still rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar) in the same time span.
ARONOVICH'S FAST ADJUSTMENT
Freshman Felix Aronovich had to make a quick adjustment upon arriving in State College, not just to college life but also to living in a foreign country and competing at the NCAA level. In late December, Aronovich completed his compulsory stint in the Israeli Army and after his discharge, found himself in Happy Valley enrolled at Penn State one week later. Less than two weeks following his arrival in the U.S., on Jan. 9, Aronovich was in the starting line-up, competing in three events as the Nittany Lions took on, ironically, Army.
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Freshman Felix Aronovich is scheduled to be Penn State's lone all-arounder at the Big Ten Championships |
RAQUE ROCKS ON RINGS
Freshman Parker Raque performed on the still rings just six times in his rookie season but his effort in one meet was enough to raise some eyebrows and offer a glimpse of future greatness. In a meet at Ohio State on Feb. 27, he scored a team season-high 15.200, a mark that bested the previous high by .15. Raque placed second in the event, behind only Buckeye Brandon Wynn, a member of the U.S. Men's Senior National Team. Earlier in the season, Raque earned his first rings crown as a collegiate gymnast, tying for the top spot in a home meet against William & Mary.
HARRIS MAKES MOST OF OPPORTUNITY
After redshirting his freshman season, Philip Harris, younger brother of 2010 team captain Allen Harris, emerged as Penn State's most consistent parallel bars performer in his second collegiate season. Harris provided stability to the p-bars line-up, competing in the event in eight of nine meets, earning four top three finishes, including two title wins.
NISSEN-EMERY TRADITION
Penn State boasts an NCAA-record six Nissen-Emery Award winners in the storied history of the program. Nittany Lion recipients include Steve Cohen (1967), Bob Emery (1969), for whom the award is partially named, Gene Whelan (1976), Spider Maxwell (1987), Matt Cohen (2007), and, most recently, Casey Sandy (2009). This season marks the first time since 2002 that Penn State does not have a finalist for the Nissen-Emery Award.
HARRIS CAPTAINS THE LIONS
Senior Allen Harris is Penn State's team captain for the 2010 season. The two-time All-Big Ten Academic honoree and 2009 CGA First Team All-American Scholar Athlete has been forced to lead from the sidelines for much of the year while recovering from a torn biceps suffered in the offseason. Excelling in the floor exercise and the vault throughout his career, while also contributing in the still rings and parallel bars, Harris has competed just four times this season but has provided sound leadership to a very young Nittany Lion squad.
TAN ON NATIONAL TEAM
Penn State assistant coach and 2008 bronze Olympic medalist Kevin Tan secured a roster spot on the U.S. Men's Senior National Team based on his performance at the 2010 Winter Cup Challenge. Tan, who is still attempting to regain his top form following post-Olympic shoulder surgery, had a strong showing in his signature event, the still rings. The five-time Winter Cup still rings champion finished fourth with a score of 14.900. He also posted finals scores of 11.700 in the pommel horse, 13.200 in the parallel bars, and 14.400 in the high bar, a .450 improvement over his preliminary effort. Combining his scores from the two-day event, Tan tied for sixth in the high bar, seventh in the still rings, 13th in the parallel bars, and 27th in the pommel horse.