Results (PDF)
COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the sixth-straight season, Illinois Men's Gymnastics saw an Illini earn an individual national championship as sophomore Brandon Ngai continued the streak after posting a score of 15.450 to win the pommel horse competition. Illinois returns home with four All-Americans; accompanying Ngai are senior Logan Bradley on pommel horse, sophomore Tyson Bull on high bar and freshman Alex Diab on high bar. UI turned in a team score of 432.050 to finish with fourth-place honors in an all-out battle from the St. John Arena on Saturday, April 16.
"The team performed well above what they did all year with the exception of last night," stated Illinois head coach Justin Spring. "They came out here and kind of excelled beyond expectations. It was a rough year and what it came down to was the guys that didn't think they'd be in lineup, ending up in lineup tonight and competing to earn this team some hardware to bring home from NCAA Championships. This is one of the most exciting meets that I have ever been a part of."
Illinois opened the evening on the high bar and was led off by three-straight stuck dismounts thanks to Ross Thompson, Max Mayr and Alex Diab. Diab's 14.900 on the event led the Orange and Blue and held on to earn fifth place and All-American stats. Tyson Bull tallied a 14.800 to secure a share of sixth and also All-American honors. Chandler Eggleston scored a 14.500 while Mayr earned a mark of 14.400 and Thompson posted a 14.350. The Illini's team total of 72.950 tied the fifth-best team score on the event in program history and sent the Illinois squad to the second rotation in fourth place.
The Illini headed to the floor exercise where the group tallied a collective 71.800. Bobby Baker led the group with a score of 14.600 to finish 12th. Eggleston was just behind him with a 14.500 reading while Logan Bradley and Diab each posted marks of 14.450.
Brandon Ngai notched a 15.450 to lead the Fighting Illini on pommel horse and to earn himself an NCAA championship on the event. Bradley also hit the 15.0 mark, posting a 15.200 to take fourth place and earn his third-consecutive All-American honors on the event. Baker earned a 14.400 reading on the event. UI finished with a team reading of 73.200 on the pommel horse.
At the halfway point, the Illini held third place, ahead of Ohio State by three-quarters of a point.
Tom Gibbs opened for the Orange and Blue on still rings and scored a 14.700 to put the Illini on the path to a team score of 73.150 on the event. Baker led the Orange and Blue's efforts with a score of 14.850 to take 10th place. Mayr also added a 14.700 to help the Illinois unit. Diab was just behind with a 14.650 of his own in his NCAA Team Finals debut.
UI maintained its third-place ranking following the fourth rotation. The Orange and Blue were just over a point from Stanford in second place and nearly a point and a half ahead of Ohio State in fourth place.
Blake Martin opened the Illini action on vault by tying his career-best score of 14.800 that he set the previous night during qualifying. Martin's mark led the Orange and Blue and tied for 17th overall on the night. Senior Fred Hartville turned in a 14.750 reading for a top-20 finish as well. UI closed the event with a team score of 71.000.
Heading into the final rotation, Illinois sat in second place behind just Oklahoma. The Illini owned a half point advantage on the hosts and over a two-point lead on Stanford.
The Orange and Blue closed the night on parallel bars with a team reading of 70.650 for its sixth score above 70 on the day. Johnny Jacobson and Mayr each posted a 14.300 on the event to lead the Orange and Blue with top-20 finishes.
With a final score of 432.750, the Illinois Fighting Illini secured fourth place at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Oklahoma scored a 443.400 to repeat as the team national champion. Stanford rallied to take second place with a reading of 434.050. Ohio State's mark of 433.050 earned the Buckeyes third place. Penn State finished in fifth with a 425.400 and Minnesota took sixth at 424.400.
NATIONAL CHAMPION
Brandon Ngai – Pommel Horse – 15.450
ILLINI NOTES
- Illinois has now advanced to the Team Finals in 13 of the last 14 seasons.
- For the fifth time this season, and second time in as many days, Illinois scored 70 or better on all six events.
- Illinois has seen an individual win an NCAA title on at least one event each of the past six seasons as Brandon Ngai won the pommel horse national championship.
- Ngai is the youngest gymnast to ever win an NCAA title at 17-years-old and is thought to be the youngest collegiate national champion across all sports in history.
- Illinois' team score of 72.950 on high bar tied the fifth-best team score on the event in program history.
- Eight Illinois gymnasts made their NCAA Team Finals debut at the event.
- Freshman Blake Martin matched his career-best vault score of 14.800 set the night prior during the NCAA Preliminaries.
- Senior Logan Bradley's All-America accolade on pommel horse marks his third on the event during his career.
- Australian native, Tyson Bull earned All-American status along with freshman Alex Diab on the high bar.
- Illinois will return to campus with four new All-Americans.
