2019 Big Ten Men's Gymnastics Championships
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The fourth-ranked Fighting Illini look to repeat as conference champions, as the team heads to Iowa City to compete at the 2019 Big Ten Championships, held April 5-6 at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Illini By the Numbers
- Big Ten Team Championships - 28
- Total Individual Champions (including all-around) - 163
- Individual Event Championships - 140
- All-Around Champions - 20
A Year Ago
Led by Bobby Baker, Illinois exploded at last year's championship, posting a season-best 413.900 to pick up the program's 28th conference title, the most of any Big Ten school. Baker's all-around total of 83.000 also marked a new school record under the current scoring system.
The Illini weren't done picking up hardware, as Alex Diab and Chandler Eggleston earned event titles the following day. Diab became the first Illini gymnast to win three straight Big Ten Still Rings titles, while Eggleston won the title on high bar. The meet marked the second Big Ten title for Eggleston, as the Jamestown, North Carolina, native won the floor exercise championship back in 2014. Head coach Justin Spring was also named the 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year, the fourth time he has received the honor.
Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Illinois gymnast Michael Fletcher has been named the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year, as announced earlier this week by the league office. Fletcher is the seventh Illini in program history to claim the award and the first since Bobby Baker in 2015.
Fletcher kicked off his freshman campaign with an impressive performance in Illinois' season opener against UIC, as the Nashua, N.H., native claimed event titles on both high bar (13.500) and all-around (80.050) on his way to Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
The freshman has been a constant contributor on all six events for the Orange and Blue, holding the following season highs: floor exercise (13.250), pommel horse (13.250), still rings (13.000), vault (14.600), parallel bars (13.800), high bar (14.150) and all-around (80.050).
Ring King
Nissen Emery Award finalist Alex Diab holds the Illini program record with 28 career still rings titles, three more than both Dave Romero and Kevin McMurchie. Diab also holds the program's top scores (under the current scoring system) on both floor (15.050) and still rings (15.200).
After winning conference titles on the event the previous three years, Diab is looking to become only the second Big Ten gymnast to win four-straight titles on a single event. Ben Fernandez did so on still rings for Indiana from 1971-74.
Illinois to Host 2019 NCAA Championships
The 2019 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships will be held April 19-20 at the State Farm Center. It will mark the first time Illinois has hosted the Championships since 2004.
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