| Friday, Feb. 3 | 7 p.m. | Huff Hall Champaign, Ill. | |
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Feb. 3, 2017
MEN'S GYMNASTICS HEADS TO ILLINOIS TO KICK OFF B1G SEASON
The Penn State men's gymnastics team will make its way to Champaign, Illinois for a Friday, Feb. 3 dual with the Fighting Illini of Illinois. The meet will be the first Big Ten Conference dual of the 2017 campaign for the Nittany Lions and the second for Illinois as it earned a 416.500-413.750 win over Minnesota in week three of the season.
The Blue and White will take on the Fighting Illini at 7 p.m. at Huff Hall with the meet set to be streamed on FightingIllini.com.
SERIES HISTORY WITH THE FIGHTING ILLINI
Penn State and Illinois have met up a total of 39 times with the Nittany Lions carrying a 27-12 advantage into the Friday matchup between the two squads. In a close fought dual that came down to the final rotation in the 2016 season, Penn State came away with the 430.200-429.200 victory at Rec Hall. This season the Nittany Lions will travel to Champaign, Ill. where they have not picked up a win since the 2013 campaign, dropping a 441.300-434.500 decision in the 2015 season to the Fighting Illini.
ILLINOIS AT A GLANCE
The Fighting Illini have started out 2017 strong with a 7-0 record, including winning the Windy City Invite and picking up victories over Arizona State and Minnesota. Illinois has at least one gymnast in the top-10 in all six events with Bobby Baker ranking seventh in the floor exercise and eighth in the vault. Also ranking in the top-10 for the Fighting Illini are: Sebastian Quiana (6th - FX), Matthew Foster (5th - PH), Alex Diab (6th - SR), Johnny Jacobson (5th - PB) and Tyson Bull (6th - HB)
EXCELLING ON POMMEL HORSE AND PARALLEL BARS
Penn State has turned what was once one of its weakest events into its best events as it currently ranks second in the nation on the pommel horse. A season ago, the Nittany Lions struggled on the pommel horse but after bringing in a few all-star freshman and improving the routines of its veterans, the Blue and White holds the second spot in the nation. Penn State is averaging a 69.150 and is right on the heels of its season-best from 2016. Last year the Nittany Lion's season-high 70.450 came at the NCAA Championships and this season the Blue and White has already posted a 70.300 in the event. Furthermore, Penn State has yet to give up an individual victory on the pommel horse with Colin Coates winning the event at the West Point Open, Favian Valdez earning the victory against Army and Stephen Nedoroscik taking home the most recent win at Springfield.
Penn State also sits in second in the nation on the parallel bars with a season-high 70.700 on the apparatus. The Blue and White have had one victory in the event with freshman Sam Zakutney taking the title at Springfield, while Dominic DiFulvio placed first in the team portion of the West Point Open heading into the individual event finals. The Nittany Lions have also seen four second-place finishes on the parallel bars with Franz Card placing second at the West Point Open and Leroy Clarke, Jr. and Wyatt Tyndall tying for second against Army. Finally, Clarke placed second overall on the parallel bars at Springfield for the Blue and White.
DiFULVIO POISED FOR STANDOUT SENIOR SEASON
Senior captain Dominic DiFulvio has started the 2017 stronger than any other season for the Nittany Lions, picking up at least one title in each of the first three meets. The Marietta, N.Y. native has been unbeatable on the still rings, capturing the win in all three meets, while notching both the vault and all-around title in Penn State's first home dual against Army and winning the floor exercise and vault at Springfield College.
NEDOROSCIK FINDS CONFIDENCE GOING HOME
After carrying first-year jitters the first two meets of the season, freshman Stephen Nedoroscik found confidence heading back to his home state of Massachusetts for a dual at Springfield College. The Worcester, Massachusetts native grabbed his first collegiate title on the pommel horse, registering a 14.500.
NITTANY LIONS SWEEP TITLES AT SPRINGFIELD
Penn State swept all six events for the first time in the 2017 campaign with senior Dominic DiFulvio and freshman Sam Zakutney earning three titles each for the Blue and White. DiFulvio picked up his first floor exercise win of the season, his third still rings title and his second vault title of his senior campaign, while Zakutney notched his first collegiate titles with wins on the parallel bars, high bar and all-around. Returning to his home state for the first time in his young collegiate career, freshman Stephen Nedoroscik collected his first victory for Penn State, securing the win on the pommel horse.
TICKET INFORMATION
For information on purchasing 2017 season tickets fans can visit http://www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Penn State will host its first home meet of the 2017 season Saturday, Jan. 21 against Army West Point. The dual is slated to start at 4 p.m. at Rec Hall.
NEXT UP
Penn State returns to white out Rec Hall Saturday, Feb. 11 against Ohio State. The Nittany Lions and the Buckeyes will square off at 4 p.m.
