CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - UI will head to Chicago this weekend for the UIC-hosted Windy City Invitational on Sunday, January 17. The field will feature six teams including Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State and UIC. Last season at the event, the Illini took home the title, getting the best of two-time defending national champion Michigan.
The Windy City Invitational was held for the first time during the 1976-77 season. The first time that Illinois won the event was Jan. 16, 1988. UI has claimed the title a total of five times, competing in the event every year since its inception. The Fighting Illini has won three of its five titles during Spring's time at the helm. 2003 was the last time that the Fighting Illini placed outside of the top two teams in the field.
ABOUT THE FIELD
This year's Windy City Invitational includes five Big Ten teams along with host UIC. Over the course of last season, Illinois went a combined 14-3 against the Invitational's field. Illinois' all-time records against the field read:
Iowa: 148-82 Michigan: 118-89-1 Minnesota: 152-93
Ohio State: 105-74-2 UIC: 71-16 Total: 594-354-3
AN OPENING DAY FOR THE BOOKS
Illinois' team score of 432.500 against UIC marked the best season-debut score for the Orange and Blue in program history. UI bested the previous top opening-day mark by well over three points.
POMMEL HORSE UPGRADES
The Orange and Blue turned in the best team pommel horse score in program history against UIC in its 2016 opener, raking up a 74.750. UI had a trio of gymnasts score 15.150 or better, the best mark any gymnast had scored on the event in all of 2015. Logan Bradley led the efforts with a career high of 15.350 with Brandon Ngai right behind him at 15.300. Bobby Baker added a 15.150. UI has a trio of gymnasts in the lineup that post start values above 16.0.
BOBBY BAKER CONTINUES TO RISE
With titles on the rings and high bar in Illinois' most recent meet against UIC, Bobby Baker became just the 10th gymnast in program history to win a title in all six events (FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB) along with at least one all-around crown. Baker became the quickest Illini to accomplish the feat, winning all seven by the end of the opening meet of his second year of competition. Baker accumulated all seven titles in just 18 competitions.
BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL
In the Big Ten Pre-Season poll, Illinois was picked to finish third in the league for the third-consecutive season. The Fighting Illini claimed a second-place finish at last year's Big Ten Championships, falling just six-tenths of a point short to the host, Penn State. Baker and Eggleston were named as Illinois' "Gymnasts to Watch".
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
This season, Justin Spring returns five athletes that account for eight All-America accolades between them. Logan Bradley, Chandler Eggleston and Bobby Baker have each claimed a pair of honors while Fred Hartville and Joey Peters have each been honored as well.
Hartville won the NCAA Vault title his freshman campaign while Eggleston finished second on both the vault and floor his rookie season.
CAREER TITLE COUNT
Hartville claimed four vault titles last season to up his career count to 13 titles on the apparatus. He currently resides in a tie for the fifth spot for all-time vault titles with Gilberto Albuquerque. Hartville also holds a spot on the single-season vault titles list with eight back in 2013 to share fifth place with Charlie Lakes and Hal Shaw.
In 2014, Eggleston notched six titles to move into a six-way tie for the most floor titles won in a single season.
CURRENT ILLINI IN THE RECORD BOOK
Entering the season, two Illini currently own places in the top scores section of the record book. On vault, Hartville has a hold on four of the top-five places in the modern era scoring. His top score, and the school record, of 15.550 came in 2013, his freshman season at the Big Ten Team Finals. Hartville and Paul Ruggeri share the second-best score on the event at 15.550.
COACHING STAFF
During the off season, Daniel Ribeiro was promoted to the position of associate head coach after serving four seasons as an assistant under Spring. The Illini also welcomed back Don Osborn who rejoins the Orange and Blue after serving as the head coach from 1994-96 and an assistant coach under Yoshi Hayasaki for the eight seasons prior to that. This will mark his first season working with Spring and Ribeiro though.
LOOKING AHEAD
After heading to Chicago to defend its Windy City Invitational title, Illinois Men's Gymnastics will head to Iowa the following weekend to take on the Hawkeyes. UI will seek revenge for last season's NCAA Championships, where the Hawkeyes edged out the Illini to advance to the NCAA Team Finals. The Orange and Blue went 3-1 against Iowa over the course of the 2015 campaign.
