CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The third-ranked Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team kicks off the 2019 campaign with a home meet against UIC on Saturday, January 12, at 4 p.m. CT. The Illini defeated UIC twice a year ago, including a 405.700-361.300 victory over the Flames at Huff Hall on March 9. 

Scouting the Flames

Following a fifth-place finish in the ECAC a year ago, UIC enters the 2019 season with high expectations. The team welcomes a number of talented freshmen, as Paul Burtney, Xan Weaver, Nick Smiley and Kaleb Booth are expected to contribute immediately for the Flames. UIC will also lean on talented sophomores Colin Schwartz and Sam Montague, who both found success in last year's meet in Champaign. 

Illinois holds an all-time record of 76-16 over UIC. 

Illini in the Rankings

Illinois men's gymnastics placed third in the 2018-19 Preseason Coaches Poll, released by the College Gymnastics Association. The Fighting Illini have been ranked in the top five of the preseason poll in nine of the last ten years. Oklahoma, the reigning national champions, was tabbed at No. 1, followed by Stanford. Minnesota and Michigan round out the top five.

The defending Big Ten Champions also took the top spot in the 2019 Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll. Illinois came away with the program's 28th Big Ten title a year ago in Ann Arbor, Mich., putting up a season-best team score of 413.900. 

Reigning National Champion Returns

Alex Diab returns for his senior season after winning the 2018 national title on still rings, marking the 58th individual national champion in school history and the third to do so on rings. 

Diab also came away with his third-straight Big Ten title on rings a year ago, becoming the first-ever Illini to win three-straight conference titles on the event. 

Returning All-Americans

Spring welcomes back four gymnasts that have garnered eight All-America honors over the course of their careers. Senior Alex Diab (2x rings, floor and high bar) has earned the distinction four times, while fellow senior Johnny Jacobson (vault and parallel bars) has earned All-America status twice. Juniors Michael Paradise (pommel horse) and Sebastian Quiana (floor) became first-time All-Americans a year ago. 

Career Titles Count

Of the 14 returning Illini on the roster, five have claimed event titles in their careers. Alex Diab begins the 2018-19 season with 30 total titles, including 20 on still rings. Johnny Jacobson has 11 career titles, while Sebastian Quiana has six. Jacob Light enters the season with two career titles, while sophomore Max Diab claimed a title on vault a year ago as a freshman. 

Current Illini in the Record Book

Alex Diab enters the season with 20 career titles on rings, tied for second all time in school history. Diab trails Dave Romero, who claimed 23 titles on the event during his time as an Illini. Diab also holds the top scores (under the current scoring system) on both floor (15.000) and still rings (15.000). 

Johnny Jacobson also holds a number of spots in the record book, as the senior has secured three of the top five parallel bars scores in program history. Jacobson also claimed the third-best all-around total of 81.850 at Arizona state on 1/21/17. 

Junior Sebastian Quiana holds the second and third-best floor totals in school history, finishing with scores of 14.950 and 14.850, respectively. 

Illinois to Host 2019 NCAA Championships 

The 2019 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships will be held April 19-20, 2019 at the State Farm Center. It will mark the first time Illinois has hosted the NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships since 2004.

Looking Ahead

Following its meet against UIC this weekend, Illinois will head to Chicago for the annual Windy City Invitational. A year ago, the Orange and Blue picked up their fourth-straight title at the event, finishing with a team total of 404.300.