Feb. 8, 2008

Results

LAS VEGAS - Freshman Paul Ruggeri of the Illinois men's gymnastics team led a highly-talented Fighting Illini contingent at the 2008 Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas during the preliminary competition on Thursday night at the Las Vegas Sports Center. Ruggeri was the highest Illini finisher in both the all-around (84.400, T9th) and the performance based points ranking system (66, 13th), which was the final approval for the top 42 qualifiers to advance to the finals on Saturday, Feb. 9, at 9:15 p.m. CT. Joining Ruggeri as one of the 42 qualifiers for Saturdays final session were seniors Wes Haagensen, Tyler Yamauchi and Illini signee and 2009 freshman Tyler Mizoguchi.

At the two day competition, scores from the qualifier on Thursday night and finals on Saturday will count toward the final rankings for the all-around and individual events. The Illini advanced into the top 42 out of 80 overall competitors at this year's Winter Cup Challenge.

Senior and reigning Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, Haagensen, had a top night in his own right, finishing 26th in the final points ranking system (40), 12th in the all-around (83.950), 20th on still rings (14.350) and tied for 15th on horizontal bar (14.150).

In one of the most competitive fields of the year that includes U.S. Senior National team members, members of the 2007 World Championships team that finished fourth and NCAA champions and All-Americans, Ruggeri tossed in one of the top performances of any freshman collegiate gymnast at the meet. Adding to his finishes in the overall standings, Ruggeri added a tied for fifth-place outing on floor (14.850) and a pair of tied for 11th- place finishes on both vault (15.550) and horizontal bar (14.250).

Senior and two-time All-Big Ten selection Tyler Yamauchi found his way into the final 42 standings with a 34th-place finish in the points rankings system with a score of 32, while future Illini Mizoguchi rounded out the Orange and Blue in 41st (26).

Top-20 performances by the Illini by event included Yamauchi carding a tied for eighth-place performance on still rings (14.850), while Mizoguchi was the lone Illini in the pommel horse top-20 standings, coming in a 12th-place tie with a score of (13.700). He also finished tied for 20th (82.300) in the all-around. Senior and 2007 high bar All-American, Chris Silcox, did not advance to the final session on Saturday but still had a successful night in his first competition back after a nagging foot injury this season. He placed tied for 15th on high bar (14.150).

Rounding out the Illini performances on the night was sophomore Luke Stannard, who finished 36th on floor (13.350), tied for 27th on pommel horse (13.300) and tied for 35th on high bar (13.450). Stannard did not qualify for finals on Saturday.

2004 Olympic Gold all-around medalist Paul Hamm, in his return to the all-around for the first time since his Athens debut, leads the overall competition with a first-place finish in the all-around (92.800) and a first-place outing in the points ranking system (170). He enters the final session having displayed the top score on floor exercise (16.000) and second-place outings on parallel bars (15.250), horizontal bar (15.350), vault (16.300) and third on still rings (15.550).

After the Challenge, the senior national team will be reorganized with seven gymnasts earning spots on the team. At the conclusion of the Winter Cup, four athletes will be named to the team based on the outcome of the national team points system rank order. The remaining three will be selected from Winter Cup Challenge participants and petitioned athletes by the U.S. Men's Program Committee.

In addition, the seven members of the 2007 World Championships Team, which finished fourth at the world competition, automatically retain their national team status. Together, the 14 gymnasts will makeup the U.S. team until the 2008 Visa Championships in May.

Due to time zone differences and the late start of the finals (9:15 p.m. CT), a full recap will be available at www.fightingillini.com the morning after on Sunday. Results and scores can be found throughout the competition at www.usagymnastics.org for more timely updates.

42 FINALS QUALIFIERS FOR SATURDAY

1. Paul Hamm, Waukesha, Wis., 170 [*]
2. Alexander Artemev, Morrison, Colo., 125 [^#]
3. Raj Bhavsar, Houston, Texas, 116 [*Alternate,^#)
4. David Durante, Garwood, N.J., 114 [^#]
5. David Sender, Arlington Heights, Ill., 108 [#]
6. Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M., 106 [#]
7. Kevin Tan, Fremont, Calif., 99 [^#]
8. Blaine Wilson, Columbus, Ohio, 93 [*]
9. Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, Colo., 91 [^#]
10. Sean Townsend, Dickinson, Texas, 89 [#]
11. Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas, 76 [^#]
12. Yewki Tomita, Tucson, Ariz., 74 [#]
13. Paul Ruggeri III, MANLIUS, N.Y., 66
14. Kyle Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 63
15. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 59
16. Thomas Kelley, Libertyville, Ill., 58
17. Steven Legendre, Flower Mound, Texas, 58
18. R.J. Heflin, Storeham, Mass., 56
19. Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, Philadelphia, Pa., 55
20. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 55 [#]
21. Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif., 47
22. Geoff Corrigan, Colorado Springs, Colo., 44
23. Sho Nakamori, Albany, Calif., 44 [^Alternate]
24. Evan Roth, North Woodmere, N.Y., 43
25. Colin Christ, Charlotte, N.C., 41
26. Wes Haagensen, BELLEVILLE, ILL., 40
27. Derek Helsby, Orlando, Fla., 38
28. Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill., 38
29. Tyler Block, Kensington, Calif., 37
30. Jacob Messina, Matthews, N.C., 37
31. Viorel Popescu, Glen Allen, Va., 36
32. Tim Gentry, Plano, Texas, 35
33. Bryant Hadden, Wichita, Kan., 33
34. Tyler Yamauchi, SUGARLAND, TEXAS, 32
35. Dylan Carney, Dartmouth, Mass., 31
36. Timothy Schmidt, Blair, Neb., 30
37. Danell Leyva, Miami, Fla., 29
38. Jake Bateman, Kingsport, Tenn., 27
39. Jake Lee, Saratoga Springs, Utah, 27
40. Alexy Bilozertchev, Hilliard, Ohio, 26
41. TYLER MIZOGUCHI, HOUSTON, TEXAS, 26
42. Ralph Rosso, Morganville, N.J., 26

* 2004 Olympic Team Member
^ 2007 World Championships Team Member
# Current U.S. Senior National Team Member before the selection of the new team after the 2008 Winter Cup Challenge
[U.S. Senior National Team Members not in attendance: Justin Spring, Sean Golden (World Championships Team Member), Jamie Henderson, and Clay Strother]

ILLINI TOP-20 PRELIMINARY FINISHES BY EVENT
(Please Note Advancement to Finals is Based on a Points Ranking System, See Above)
All-Around
T9 Paul Ruggeri III, Manlius, N.Y., 84.400
12 Wes Haagensen, Belleville, Ill., 83.950
T20 Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 82.300

Floor Exercise
T5 Paul Ruggeri III, Manlius, N.Y., 14.850
T28 Wes Haagensen, Belleville, Ill., 13.700
T24 Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 13.800
36 Luke Stannard, Waukegan, Ill., 13.350

Pommel Horse
T12 Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 13.700
T27 Luke Stannard, Waukegan, Ill., 13.300
T40 Wes Haagensen, Belleville, Ill., 12.650
T48 Paul Ruggeri III, Manlius, N.Y., 12.300
T57 Tyler Yamauchi, Sugarland, Texas, 11.550

Still Rings
T8 Tyler Yamauchi, Sugarland, Texas, 14.850
20 Wes Haagensen, Belleville, Ill., 14.350
T35 Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 13.850
T45 Paul Ruggeri III, Manlius, N.Y., 13.600

Vault
T11 Paul Ruggeri III, Manlius, N.Y., 15.550
T36 Wes Haagensen, Belleville, Ill., 14.900

Parallel Bars
21 Wes Haagensen, Belleville, Ill., 14.200
32 Paul Ruggeri III, Manlius, N.Y., 13.850
T22 Tyler Yamauchi, Sugarland, Texas, 14.050
47 Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 13.250

High Bar
T11 Paul Ruggeri III, Manlius, N.Y., 14.250
T15 Chris Silcox, San Antonio, Texas, 14.150
T15 Wes Haagensen, Belleville, Ill., 14.150
T35 Luke Stannard, Waukegan, Ill., 13.450
52 Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas, 12.800