LINCOLN, Neb. – Freshman Michael Jaroh and junior Nick Mock earned All-Big Ten honors while leading Penn State to a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Men's Gymnastics Championships on Saturday at Nebraska's Pinnacle Bank Arena. Jaroh made the first team, while Mock landed a spot on the second team.
Penn State, which entered the meet shorthanded due to multiple injuries, was fifth with a score of 396.800. Michigan ran away with the team championship with a total score of 411.000. while the teams in second through fifth were within three points of each other. Nebraska was the runner-up with 398.000 points. Iowa (397.700) and Illinois (396.600) were third and fourth, respectively. Minnesota (395.950) and Ohio State (394.900) rounded out the team standings in sixth and seventh.
Jaroh was Penn State's lone all-around competitor and had a solid meet, tying for fifth in the 16-gymnast field with a total of 80.40. The freshman competed in all-around just one time this season, scoring 78.05 in a virtual meet with Navy. He was the top freshman at the meet, finishing behind three seniors and a sophomore. His score Saturday was the best all-around score of any freshman this season.
Jaroh was outstanding in his first Big Ten Championship meet. He posted four top-10 finishes, including three in the top five. His night was highlighted with fifth-place finishes on pommel horse (13.60), vault (14.45) and parallel bars (13.85). He was ninth on high bar with a score of 13.40. He scored 13.15 on rings and 11.95 on floor exercise.
Jaroh is the first Penn State freshman to earn first-team All-Big Ten recognition since current teammate Brennan Pantazis did so in 2018.
Mock gave Penn State two gymnasts in the top five on pommel horse as he took third with a score of 13.90. He also stepped in and performed well on parallel bars. In just his second routine on the apparatus this season, Mock finished 13th with a score of 13.10.
The Lions had three gymnasts in the top 10 on pommel horse as Jack Baldwin took ninth. He earned a score of 13.40.
Two Penn State gymnasts were in the top 10 on floor. Robbie Shamp came up just short of his personal best with a score of 14.30. That was good enough for seventh. Matt Cormier took ninth with a score of 14.25.
Penn State has had at least one first-team All-Big Ten honoree in three consecutive Big Ten Championships.
The NCAA Championships are on April 16-17 at Minnesota's Maturi Pavilion.
2021 BIG TEN MEN'S GYMNASTICS HONORS
Gymnast of the Year: Paul Juda, So., MICH
Gymnast of the Championships: Shane Wiskus, Sr., MINN
Freshman of the Year: Taylor Christopulos, NEB
Coach of the Year: Kurt Golder, MICH
ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
Michael Fletcher, ILL
Bennet Huang, IOWA
Cameron Bock, MICH
Paul Juda, MICH
Shane Wiskus, MINN
Jesse Tyndall, OSU
Michael Jaroh, PSU
ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
Connor McCool, ILL
Ian Skirkey, ILL
Stewart Brown, IOWA
Evan Davis, IOWA
Peyton Hobson, IOWA
Evgeny Siminiuc, MICH
Crew Bold, MINN
Taylor Christopulos, NEB
Charlie Giles, NEB
Sam Phillips, NEB
Nick Mock, PSU
