Diab Brings Home Big Ten Still Rings Title

Saturday, April 2

Columbus, Ohio

6 PM CT

University of Illinois

Big Ten Event Finals

April 2, 2016 | Men's Gymnastics

Four Illini gymnasts earn All-Big Ten Team honors

Results (PDF) | All-Big Ten Teams

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Illinois freshman Alex Diab took home the 2016 Big Ten still rings event title with a score of 15.125 to mark the 14^th-consecutive season that the Orange and Blue have claimed at least one title during the Event Finals. Seven Fighting Illini gymnasts advanced to the Big Ten Event Finals that took place on Saturday, April 2, from the St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Four Illini athletes were honored to the All-Big Ten Team for their finishes at the meet.

"Individual Event Finals is always an interesting form for watching your athletes because it's one routine going on in this massive venue at a time; you are the single show of the event and it's funny to see who games up under that event," opened Illinois head coach Justin Spring. "Event Finals are a high pressure situation on national television; all eyes on you and I thought our team did an amazing job with handling it. I saw some career bests come out of my guys. Even though they might not have won, they still did their absolute best that they've done all year."

Glen Ellyn, Illinois, native Diab got the Illini started on the day with a reading of 15.125 on the still rings. His mark would hold on through eight more competitors to earn the freshman the Big Ten still ring champion accolade and a First-Team All-Big Ten nod. Diab was the first competitor to score above a 15 on the evening and one of just four gymnasts to hit the mark on the rings.

"I was really excited to see some of our individual guys come out today and really shine on a platform that could really showcase that," said Spring. "I'm really proud of them."

Matt Foster was the next Illinois gymnast to compete, with his first routine coming on pommel horse. Foster turned in a 15.100 for the second score of 15 on the night. The Illini junior took home third place and Second-Team All-Big Ten honors for the second-consecutive year.

Max Mayr competed the very next routine on the rings and posted a 14.725 on the event. Mayr took home sixth with his effort in the first Big Ten Event Finals appearance of his career.

After a break for the final five athletes on each event to warm up, Diab took to the floor where he posted a score of 14.975 for fourth place.

Brandon Ngai was the final Illini competitor in the opening three Event Finals, competing in the eighth slot on the pommel horse. Ngai turned in a score of 15.175 to take second place at his first Big Ten Event Finals and earn Second-Team All-Big Ten recognition.

Chandler Eggleston and Bobby Baker competed back-to-back on the vault to open action on the event. Eggleston tallied a 14.000 while Baker registered a 14.925. Baker brought home a fourth place finish while Eggleston finished ninth.

Foster competed his second Event Finals routine of the day on the parallel bars, where he turned in a 14.700 to take seventh place.

Johnny Jacobson was the last Illini competitor of the day and tied his career-high score of 15.200, which he set the previous night. Jacobson earned third place honors with his 15.200 reading and a spot on the Second-Team All-Big Ten list.

"Johnny Jacobson…when it mattered most, hit the best parallel bars routine of his life and stuck the dismount," Spring said.

NEXT UP

In two weeks, the Fighting Illini will return to Columbus, Ohio, where they will compete at the NCAA Championships. Preliminaries sessions will take place on Friday, April 15, and the Team Finals and Event Finals are slated for Saturday evening.

B1G EVENT TITLE WINNERS

Still Rings – Alex Diab – 15.125

NOTES

Alex Diab won the first Big Ten Event title of his career on the still rings with a score of 15.125. This marks the freshman's fourth rings title of the season and eighth title overall.
Four of Illinois' seven event finalists were competing in the Event Finals for the first time. Max Mayr, Brandon Ngai, Alex Diab and Johnny Jacobson made their Big Ten Event Finals debuts.
Alex Diab's title marks the 14^th-consecutive season that an Illini gymnast has won a Big Ten event title.
Alex Diab is the third Illini on the current team to win a Big Ten event title during his debut season and earn First-Team All-Big Ten Honors. The freshman was also named a Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree.
Matt Foster earned Second-Team All-Big Ten recognition for the second-consecutive season following his third-place performance on pommel horse.
Brandon Ngai and Johnny Jacobson also earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors for their second and third place finishes, respectively.