CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Alex Diab, a senior on the Illinois men's gymnastics team, was named the 2019 Specialist of the Year, as announced Thursday night by the Collegiate Gymnastics Association. The award, which is given annually to the top gymnast on any one event, was one of four awards presented on Thursday, as the winners of the Nissen-Emery Award, Most Valuable Gymnast and Rookie of the Year were also announced. 

A specialist on still rings, Diab not only holds the Illinois program record with 30 career rings titles, but he is also a four-time all-american, a four-time First-Team All-Big Ten honoree and is only the second-ever four-time still rings conference champion in Big Ten history. The reigning national champion on the event carries the top overall rings average in the country at 14.773 and holds the Illinois program record with a 15.200, set March 2, 2019, against Stanford and Minnesota. 

Oklahoma's Yul Moldauer was named the Nissen-Emery Award winner and Most Valuable Gymnast, while Stanford's Brody Malone earned Rookie of the Year honors. 

Illinois, the No. 4 seed, will compete in tomorrow's evening qualifying session against No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 5 Penn State, No. 8 Iowa, No. 9 Ohio State and No. 12 Army. Session two action is set to begin at 7 p.m. CT from the State Farm Center. 

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