March 4, 2009
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois men's gymnastics team is celebrating 100 seasons of men's gymnastics at the University of Illinois during the 2009 season and will use the March 7 meet at 2 p.m. against UIC to honor a plethora of former Illini.
"This is a very special occasion for us to celebrate 100 seasons of Illinois men's gymnastics," head coach Yoshi Hayasaki said. "For us to have so many former gymnasts from different era's return is very special."
Over a 100 former gymnasts are set to return to Huff Hall this weekend including seven-time NCAA Champion Abie Grossfeld, two-time National Champion Travis Romagnoli, National pommel horse champion Dave Stoldt, two-time All-American Butch Zunich, two-time Olympian Dominick Minicucci, Nissen-Emery award winner David Zeddies, eight time All-American Adam Pummer, NCAA Pommel Horse Champion Bob Rogers and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Justin Spring.
One of the best collegiate gymnasts of his time, Grossfeld (1957-60) was a two-time Olympian (1956, 1960) 13-time All-American, four-time Big Ten champion, seven-time NCAA champion and was named the University of Illinois Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year in 1959.
Romagnoli is the most heralded gymnast of the `90's finishing his career in 2000, a nine-time All-American and a two-time national champion.
Bob Rogers (2001-04) started the most recent string of top-notch gymnasts at Illinois, capturing a national title on pommel horse and two All-America laurels on pommel horse and floor exercise.
Current assistant coach Justin Spring will also be in attendance on Saturday. Spring finished his illustrious career as one of the most decorated Illinois gymnasts in the history of the program. A 12-time All-American, four-time NCAA Champion, three-time Big Ten Champion, two-time Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year and 2006 Nissen Emery Award winner, Spring will be forever remembered in the Illinois record books.
Additionally, members of the 1950 Big Ten Champion Team will be recognized as well as Jack Richmond (1942) the oldest member of the team at age 92 and the former Yale University coach and Olympian Don Tonry (1959). Members of the 1989 National Team Champions and many other Big Ten and NCAA Champions are scheduled to appear.
Complete List of Returning Illini as of 3/3/09
Name Class
Jack Richmond 1942
Waldo Peterson 1954
Richard Jirus 1956
Mike Karon 1957
John D Davis 1958
Edward Gombos 1959
Don Tonry 1959
Patrick Bird 1960
Abie Grossfeld 1960
Roy Schmeissing 1962
John Eliason 1966
Victor Sanchez 1966
Bob Broome 1968
Hal Shaw 1968
John McCarthy 1969
Fred Mierzwa 1969
John Schroeder 1969
John T Davis 1970
Ed Raymond 1970
Jim Millns 1971
Jeff Daab 1976
Frank Erwin 1976
Billy Hois 1977
Richard Smith 1977
Tony Zander 1977
Mark Hosfield 1978
Mark Kamiya 1978
Robert Spurney 1978
Greg Brunell 1979
Ted Yi 1979
Carlton Olson 1980
Craig Reali 1980
David Stoldt 1980
Butch Zunich 1980
Carl Antoniolli 1981
Jim Camel 1982
Bob Novak 1982
David Peterson 1982
Dale Todd 1982
David Goone 1983
Raul Rodriguez 1983
Frank Rosch 1983
David Mingle 1985
Justin Dooley 1986
Oscar Im 1986
Joe Ledvora 1986
Paul Lindner 1988
Andy Dillon 1989
Mike Mingle 1989
Dominick Minicucci 1989
Joel Tucker 1989
David Zeddies 1989
David Romero 1990
Alan Hirsch 1991
Steve Hutchings 1992
William Zopf 1992
David Pearlstein 1993
John Redmond 1993
Matthew White 1994
Tony Catsaros 1995
David Elkin 1995
Brian Kobylinski 1995
Kenneth Su 1995
Greg McGlaun 1997
Jonathan Corbitt 1998
Brad Panozzo 1998
Kyle Zak 1999
Travis Romagnoli 2000
Gregory Cook 2001
Jonathan Ham 2001
Linh Hoang 2001
Sean-Paul Crawford 2002
J.G. Ketchen 2002
Robert Spelic 2003
Scott Wetterling 2003
Erik Garnett 2004
Mike Filla 2004
Casey Hayasaki 2004
Nick Hand 2005
Matt Michalek 2005
Benjamin Newman 2005
Robert Rogers 2005
Adam Pummer 2006
Anthony Russo 2006
Justin Spring 2006
Tyler Yamauchi 2008
Yoshi Hayasaki Coach
Bryan Klatt Coach
Beverly Mackes Stevens Coach
Pam (Charlie) Pond Coach
