Dec. 9, 2004

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - After months of training, the Illini men's gymnastics team has finally arrived to the official kickoff of the 2005 gymnastics season with the annual Mixed Pairs exhibition tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Huff Hall.

After a third-place nationals finish in 2004, the Illini again find themselves at the top of the national scene with a preseason ranking of No. 2 and are eager to display the talent worthy of this season's squad.

"We have trained since August to prepare for this competition," said head coach Yoshi Hayasaki, who begins his 28th year as Fighting Illini head coach. "We're at the point that we should start to see the results of all the hard training they have gone through. Friday, we should see that most of their routines are beginning to shape up and are ready for the regular season."

Following the 2004 season that ended with the Illini capturing the Big Ten championship and a third-place team finish at the NCAA Championships in Champaign, the Orange and Blue return another strong team with the hopes of generating the same excitement that surrounded last season.

The Illini return four All-Americans with juniors Adam Pummer and Justin Spring, as well as seniors Ben Newman and Peter Shostchuk. Spring, the 2004 UI Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year, is Illinois' lone returning national champion, who captured the 2004 NCAA high bar title with a score of 9.775.

Although the Illini lost key contributors with the graduation of Bob Rogers, Scott Wetterling, Mike Filla, Erik Garnett and Casey Hayasaki, the 2005 edition has reloaded with the addition of seven talented newcomers.

At mixed pairs this Friday, Hayasaki is anxious to reveal his new team and see the competitive nature of his rookies in their first meet as an Illini.

"I'm sure the freshman will have a great deal of impact on this team," Hayasaki said. "While some of them will be competing immediately (this season), it will be interesting to see their debut as an Illini at Mixed Pairs. They have a very good attitude in the gym and throughout training, so we certainly have high expectations for all of them."

Unfortunately, two of the Illini's best will be left out of Friday's lineup due to injury. Spring suffered a high ankle sprain in practice that has him sidelines for the next few weeks, while Shostchuk is ailing from soreness in his knee. However, Hayasaki is optimistic in the return of his two All-Americans in time for their regular season competition at the Windy City Invitational on January 8 in Chicago.

"Although Justin and Peter are dealing with some nagging injuries right now, I think it's a good opportunity to see what this team is made of without our two All-Americans." "I think we have a great deal of depth

this year that we can still compete and be a competitive team without those two guys at this point. However, as the season progresses and we start competing in the Big Ten, having Justin and Peter healthy will be toward this season's success."

Similar to past seasons, the Mixed Pairs meet will feature both men's and women's gymnastics teams competing in co-ed groups on various events in four rotations. At the conclusion of the meet, the group with the highest point total will be named the winning pair. Unlike previous seasons, this year's exhibition will also feature various Illini athletes representing the volleyball, soccer, tennis, and track teams to name a few as celebrity judges. Admission is free to the public.

Other Illini Men's Gymnastics News:

Newman, Pummer To Compete At Invitational In Taiwan

Illini senior Ben Newman and junior Adam Pummer have been invited to compete at the Taipei International Invitational in Taipei, Taiwan December 18-19. In it's 12th year in existence, this competition features some of the most talented gymnasts from around the world who are invited to Taipei to compete in one of the largest international gymnastics competitions in Asia that works to promote the sport of gymnastics and enhance the level of competition in Taiwan.

Hayasaki, who will be accompanying Newman and Pummer to Taiwan, is excited for the opportunity that taking part in such a prestigious invitational means for two of his top returnees.

"This is an opportunity for Adam and Ben to compete against some of the top gymnasts from other countries," Hayasaki commented. "I think this is really going to add to their ability to compete under pressure, to compete against really talented gymnasts. It's a big plus for both of these two guys heading into the season."

Also receiving an invitation to represent the U.S. was former Penn State standout Kevin Tan, a two-time NCAA champion and three-time Big Ten Champion on the still rings.