Six Illini Set to Compete at Winter Cup Challenge
February 1, 2012 | Men's Gymnastics
Feb. 1, 2012
Winter Cup Live Scoring/Results
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Less than a week after taking down No. 1 Oklahoma, six members of the second-ranked Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team, including seniors Tyler Mizoguchi, Paul Ruggeri and Anthony Sacramento, junior Austin Phillips and freshmen C.J. Maestas and Michael Wilner, will compete at the 2012 U.S. Winter Cup Challenge, Feb. 2 and 4 at the Las Vegas Sports Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
"This is an Olympic year," Illini head coach Justin Spring said. "So Winter Cup is getting the Olympic hype. The gymnasts are being surveyed and are constantly under review by the people who choose the Olympic team. It's time to start stepping up and highlighting your strengths as much as you can while minimizing your weaknesses. It's time for everything to start coming together."
Winter Cup performances will help determine the 15-man roster for the U.S. men's senior national team through the 2012 Visa Championships in June, which is the final time the national team will be named before Olympic trials.
The seven gymnasts who represented the U.S. at the 2011 World Championships will automatically retain their spots, while the remaining eight spots will be filled following the Winter Cup based on the following criteria: the top all-around gymnast who was not on the 2011 World Championships Team, the top four gymnasts based on the National Team Point Program; two athletes selected by the Men's Program Committee; and one athlete selected by the national team coordinator.
The top 42 gymnasts, according to the Men's Program Committee's points system, will advance to the final competition, along with the top three gymnasts on each apparatus. The all-around and individual event champions will be determined by a combined two-day score.
The Winter Cup Challenge begins Thursday, Feb. 2 with three preliminary sessions throughout the day, while the final session is set for Saturday, Feb. 4 at 9:15 p.m. CT.
Illini Competing at 2012 Winter Cup Challenge
C.J. Maestas
Two-time senior national team member ... Leads the team in his debut season with six individual titles, including two in the all-around and on rings and one on both pommel horse and floor ... Brought home two bronze medals from the 2011 Pan American Games in October with third-place finishes on rings and in the team competition ... Finished fourth in the all-around at Pan Ams ... Earned an automatic spot on the U.S. senior national team after his performance at the 2011 U.S. Visa Championships, where he earned silver on rings, placed fifth on floor and 10th on pommel horse to finish eighth in the all-around.
Tyler Mizoguchi
Three-time senior national team member ... 2011 All-American and NCAA champion on parallel bars ... Boasts one title this season, taking the parallel bar crown at Iowa ... Helped Team USA to the bronze medal at the 2011 Pan American games in October ... Finished 12th in the all-around, ninth on vault and 10th on rings at the 2011 Visa Championships in August ... Captured gold on parallel bars and bronze on pommel horse and in the team competition at the 2011 Puerto Rico Cup in July.
Austin Phillips
Captured second on parallel bars and third on high bar against No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 7 Michigan last weekend ... Finished 13th on high bar (28.400) at the 2011 Visa Championships in August.
Paul Ruggeri
Boasts five titles so far this season with three on high bar and two on vault ... Three-time senior national team member ... Seven-time All-American ... Represented Team USA at 2011 Pan Am Games in October, winning gold on high bar, silver on parallel bars and bronze in the team competition ... Tied for bronze on high bar and took eighth on floor and 10th on vault (31.000) to finish 20th in the all-around at the 2011 Visa Championships in August.
Anthony Sacramento
One of four Illini to boast titles this season with one on rings at Windy City ... 2011 All-American on rings.
Michael Wilner
Finished second on rings in the tri-meet against No. 1 Oklahoma and then-No. 7 Michigan and at the dual meet against then-No. 13 Iowa.
