Nov. 29, 2007

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Head coach Yoshi Hayasaki of the Illinois men's gymnastics team announced the signing of Tyler Mizoguchi, C.J. Padera, Austin Phillips and Anthony Sacramento to National Letters of Intent to join the Fighting Illini in 2008. The class includes a slew of USA Junior National team experience and will be pivotal in helping Illinois reload after another large graduating senior class will depart the Orange and Blue after this season.

"I would rank this group of four signees as one of the top three recruiting classes in the country," Hayasaki said about the class. "Austin and Tyler are two of the top all-around gymnasts in the nation, who already have a wealth of junior national competition under their belts. Anthony is a top-level recruit, particularly strong on rings, and C.J. has the potential to mature into a great all-around gymnast for Illinois."

For the 2007-08 Illinois men's gymnastics season and the current Illini, the year officially kicks off next Friday when the men and women's teams host their annual Mixed Pairs competition at Huff Hall on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. The annual competition gives fans a chance to see both of the program's talented freshman in their home debut, as well as their returning talented All-Americans before the two teams open dual competition in January.

Tyler Mizoguchi // Houston, Texas // Houston Gymnastics Academy
An all-around competitor, Mizoguchi will look to help Illinois fill the voids left by its loaded senior class. A top competitor on high bar and a great all-around gymnast, Mizoguchi is the reigning 2007 US Visa Men's Junior Champion on high bar, while also finishing third on parallel bars, fifth on pommel horse, eighth on floor and sixth in the all-around at the championships.

"Tyler has a very similar physique and the talent that Austin Phillips, another Illinois recruit, possesses," Hayasaki said. "He is one of the most talented recruits in the country who has been on the national scene and at junior national competitions for some time. He will make a great impact in his freshman season as a top all-around competitor. "

Along with his US Championships success, Mizoguchi, who trains at the same club that produced current Illini senior Tyler Yamauchi, finished 11th in the all-around at the 2007 US Men's Junior National Championship.

C.J. Padera // Winfield, Ill. // Bartlett Gymnastics
A four-year regional team member, Padera will join brother Kyle, who will be a senior on the Illini team next season. Continuing to add to a successful career that he has had in the state of Illinois, C.J. Padera is a six-time Junior Olympic National participant, placing fifth at 2006 nationals on high bar and 13th in the all-around in both 2006 and 2007. Padera also is a Level 10 (14-15 division) All-American on high bar.

"C.J. is going to be a great addition as he joins his brother Kyle on the team," Hayasaki said. "C.J. comes to Illinois out of one of the strongest clubs in the country in Bartlett Gymnastics. He is another talented all-around gymnast who is very good on high bar, parallel bars and pommel horse. C.J. has a slender build but shows a very nice line. He has not physically matured, but by the time that he gets to Illinois, he's going to be a very quick contributor to our lineup."

A solid addition to the squad for the 2009 season, Padera also brings with him 2007 U.S. Visa Championships experience and success in both 2006 and 2007, finishing 10th in the all-around in 2007.

Austin Phillips // Mahwah, N.J. // US Gymnastics
One of the prize signees of the 2008 recruiting class for Illinois and the country, Phillips embodies a ton of talent and has had a lot of success on the Junior Olympic and U.S. Junior National stage.

"Austin is one of the most talented junior gymnasts coming up in the last three or four years," Hayasaki said. " He really does not have a weak event and is a great all-around gymnast. He has the potential of competing at the USA senior level already. Austin is powerful, strong and at the same time very flexible. He embodies all the qualities that the top gymnasts have today and will be a great competitor for Illinois."

Phillips is a two-time Region 7 all-around champion, four-time junior national competitor and the reigning titlist in Level 10 (16-18) on pommel horse, rings and in the all-around at the 2007 Pacific Coast Classic, one of the most prestigious and largest gymnastics competitions of the year. The future Illini also finished seventh as a 17-year old at USA Junior National Championships in the all-around and sixth on rings in the Level 10 16-18 division. Phillips also is a product of the same club that produced junior national champion (pommel horse) and current Illini freshman Daniel Ribeiro.

Anthony Sacramento //Buffalo Groove, Ill. // Buffalo Groove Gymnastics
A success in the gym and the classroom in Region 5, Sacramento is a three-time First Team Academic All-American and received the Certificate of Excellence award all four years of high school. The President of Mu Alpha Theta, Sacramento also is a member of the National and Spanish Honor Societies and is a gymnast for the prestigious Buffalo Groove, one of the top clubs in the country.

"We brought in Anthony as a rings specialist and he is going to make a great fit for out team," Hayasaki said. "Right now, three of our top-four ring men this season will be graduating, so we are going to need someone to step up in that lineup. Anthony is going to be one of the people we will be looking to do that for us, as well as Austin Phillips."

Sacramento was the all-around champion at the 2006 Winter Cup & BlackJack National Men's Gymnastics Championships, placed sixth on rings in event finals at Junior Olympic Nationals in 2007, captured the crown on rings in the junior division at the 2007 Windy City Invitational and placed seventh on rings at the 2007 Junior Olympic Nationals. Sacramento's feat on rings at junior nationals came despite entering the event on crutches and not being able to perform a dismount. Before his 2007 performance, Sacramento was a national bronze medalist in the Level 10 (14-15 division) on rings as well.

"Anthony was able to do so well at junior nationals even though he was injured," Hayasaki said. "I think by still competing, and not even being able to do a dismount, shows a lot of character and just how hard of a worker and competitor he is."