ROSEMONT, Ill. – Following Illinois Men's Gymnastics record-setting season opener this weekend, the Big Ten Conference office has announced that Bobby Baker and Alex Diab swept the weekly gymnastics honors. Baker, a three-event winner in the meet, picks up the third Big Ten Gymnast of the Week accolade of his career. With a pair of titles of his own, Diab earned the first weekly honor of his Illinois career.
Winning three of the last four events of Illinois' season-opening meet, Baker also accomplished a feat that only nine other Illinois gymnasts had ever done. The Lemont, Illinois, native became the 10th Illini gymnast to win a title on all six events and in the all-around competition. Baker completed the feat quicker than any other gymnast, needing just 18 competitions to do so. The sophomore needed the titles on still rings and high bar against UIC to achieve the record, while also adding in a parallel bars crown.
In his Illinois debut, Diab won both the floor competition and the all-around crown. The freshman posted a mark of 15.200 on floor and accumulated an all-around total of 83.250. Diab finished third in the vault standings with a score of 14.450 and added another third place finish on the high bar with a reading of 14.600.
Diab marks the third-consecutive Illinois gymnast to win the season's opening Freshman of the Week honor (2015-Baker; 2014-Chandler Eggleston), while Baker is the second-consecutive Illini to win the Gymnast of the Week accolade (2015-Joey Peters).
LOOKING AHEAD
After hosting the Flames this weekend, UI will head to Chicago next weekend for the UIC-hosted Windy City Invitational on Sunday, January 17. The field will feature six teams including Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State and UIC. Last season at the event, the Illini took home the title, getting the best of then two-time defending national champion Michigan.
