Maestas Keeps High Bar Title in Illini Family

Saturday, April 11

Norman, Okla.

7:00 PM

University of Illinois

NCAA Event Finals

April 12, 2015 | Men's Gymnastics

April 12, 2015

Event Finals Results | Highlights | Spring Interview | Maestas Interview

NORMAN, Okla. - In his final collegiate competition, C.J. Maestas refused to go home empty handed. The Corrales, New Mexico, native kept the NCAA national high bar title in the hands of an Illinois gymnast after registering a 15.125 on his final routine in an Illini uniform.

"There was no one more fitting to come home with a National Championship title than C.J. Maestas," stated head coach Justin Spring. "I saw him lay his heart and passion on the line for our team as we struggled through one of the more rough meets that I've seen this team have in over ten years. You could see he gave it everything he had and it's so fitting that he's able to walk away with a National Championship title."

Maestas collected four of Illinois' eight All-America honors at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Bobby Baker collected a pair of All-America honors in his debut NCAA Championships. Mike Wilner earned the honor on rings while Logan Bradley picked up the accolade on pommel horse.

Bradley was the first Illini gymnast to compete in Saturday's Event Finals and posted a 13.950 which would hold up for the junior to take the sixth spot on the podium. This marks Bradley's second-consecutive season of earning All-American status on pommel horse.

Wilner posted a 15.500 on the still rings to earn his third All-America honor in as many seasons. The senior's score held on for a seventh place finish.

At the first NCAA Championship of his career, Baker brought home a pair of All-America honors. The first came after the All-Around Finals on Friday, where the freshman took third place. Baker also finished eighth on parallel bars with a reading of 14.550.

"I can't say enough positive things about Bobby Baker," shared Spring. "As a freshman to do what he did, coming out of the weekend as a two-time All-American. He is unbelievable."

Four 2015 All-America honors brought Maestas' career total to 10 in three seasons of competition in an Illinois uniform. Maestas claimed the first All-America honor on Friday finishing as the all-around runner up. A score of 15.550 secured the redshirt-junior's fifth place finish on floor. His season-best mark of 15.975 on rings led the field until the final competitor took the top spot. Maestas has won national titles on both still rings (2012) and most recently the high bar.

"That kid is a fighter and exudes what it means to be a Fighting Illini," Spring said.

Baker also earned a spot in the vault Event Final and finished 10th with a 13.800. Joey Peters qualified in the still rings competition. The Illinois junior posted a 15.075 for a 10th place finish in the event.

Redshirt-senior Jordan Valdez also qualified for the parallel bars Event Final, but sustained a dislocated shoulder on high bar in the Event Preliminaries, which cut his season short.

Event Finals Results:
Maestas: FX-15.550 (5th), SR-15.975 (2nd), HB-15.125 (1st), AA-88.650 (2nd)
Baker: VT-13.800 (10th), PB-14.550 (8th), AA-88.550 (3rd)
Peters: Rings 15.075 (10th)
Bradley: Pommel Horse 13.950 (6th)
Wilner: Rings 15.500 (7th)