Dec. 2, 2011
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Fighting Illini men's and women's gymnastics will team up this Sunday, Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. to host their annual Mixed Pairs Exhibition meet at Huff Hall. Gymnasts from both squads will form teams of one female and one or two males, as each team competes for the Mixed Pairs title. Illini athletes from various other sports will judge the competition using a 10-point scoring system to determine the champion. Gymnasts from both squads will be available for autographs and will hand out posters after the meet. Doors open at 1 p.m. and admission is free.
The Illini men open the 2012 season ranked second nationally in the GymInfo Preseason Coaches Poll after capturing their third straight Big Ten title and finishing third at the NCAA Championships in 2011. Head coach Justin Spring enters his third season at the helm for the Illini after earning his second straight Big Ten Coach of the Year honor last season.
The Orange and Blue return three 2011 All-Americans, including Illini senior and reigning NCAA parallel bar champion Tyler Mizoguchi, who earned All-America accolades on parallel bars and in the all-around last season, as well as fellow seniors Anthony Sacramento (rings) and C.J. Padera (parallel bars). Seniors Devin Regan and Kyle Moe, juniors Austin Phillips and Malcolm Brown and sophomores Cameron Rogers, Alex Varga, Jordan Valdez, Andrew Margolis and Cole Smith will also compete on Sunday. Newcomers Vince Smurro, a junior transfer student, and freshmen Josh Wilson, Jacob Tilsley and Michael Wilner will take the mat at Mixed Pairs as well.
The women's gymnastics team will enter the 2012 season ranked 15th in the nation, the second-best preseason ranking in school history. The Illini are coming off the best season in program history, as they earned the highest final national ranking in school history (No. 11) following their second-ever appearance at the NCAA Championships. The Orange and Blue matched their highest regional finish ever, tying for second at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional, and placed third at the Big Ten Championships, reaching the podium for the fourth time in five years. Individually, six Illini garnered All-America honors, marking the most accolades in a single season in school history. The Illini also broke the school record for team score on balance beam during the 2011 season.
This season, the Illini return 14 of 24 routines and eight letterwinners, including two All-Americans in senior Kelsey Joannides and junior Alina Weinstein. Joannides notched second-team honors on vault a year ago while Weinstein was a second-team selection on floor. Sophomore Amber See, the 2011 Big Ten vault champion, is also back along with juniors Jaclyn Kantecki and Macy Hyatt and sophomore Sarah Fiedler, who were part of the line-up last season. Three other returners, senior Hannah Welker, junior Elise Gill and sophomore Elizabeth McNabb, will compete at Mixed Pairs along with newcomers Kelsi Eberly and Jordan Naleway.
The women's regular season competition begins on Saturday, Jan. 14 in Champaign against No. 22 Minnesota, while the men will kick off their season on Jan. 14 at the Windy City Invitational in Chicago. The men's home opener is slated for Jan. 28, when the second-ranked Illini will take on No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 3 Michigan at Huff Hall.
Mixed Pairs Teams
Kelsi Eberly / Yoshi Mori
Elizabeth McNabb / C.J. Padera
Jordan Naleway / Tyler Mizoguchi / Devin Regan
Hannah Welker / Austin Phillips
Jaclyn Kantecki / Cameron Rogers
Sarah Fiedler / Kyle Moe / Alex Varga
Macy Hyatt / Vince Smurro / Malcolm Brown
Alina Weinstein / Jordan Valdez
Amber See / Anthony Sacramento / Jacob Tilsley
Elise Gill / Andrew Margolis / Cole Smith
Kelsey Joannides / Josh Wilson / Michael Wilner
