Final Results

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Junior Max Diab and sophomore Hamish Carter each won two event titles to help the University of Illinois men's gymnastics team to a season-opening 403.350-339.00 victory against UIC at Huff Hall on Saturday afternoon.

Diab topped the podium with a 14.150 on still rings and a 14.650 on vault, after securing second place on floor exercise with a 14.150. Carter earned the meet-high scores on pommel horse (13.150) and high bar (14.050). The West Midlands, UK., native also second-place finishes with a score of 14.600 on vault and a 13.600 on parallel bars.

Junior Jordan Kovach recorded two career-highs on the day, in both pommel horse (12.450) and all-around (78.850).

The Fighting Illini claimed titles on all six events and posted the higher score in all six rotations.

How It Happened

First Rotation – Floor Exercise

• Freshman Connor McCool sat atop the podium with a score of 14.300 in his collegiate debut. Diab followed close behind in the event for second (14.150), while UIC's Nick Smiley secured third (13.650). Carter finished in fourth with a 13.600. Freshman Evan Manivong also made his collegiate debut placing fifth with a 13.200.

Second Rotation – Pommel Horse

• The Illini claimed the top five spots on the event. Carter took first with his total of 13.150 as senior Michael Paradise was runner-up with a score of 13.050. Sophomore Ian Skirkey placed third with a 12.600, while sophomore Jordan Kovach secured fourth with a career-high 12.450. Redshirt junior Tommy Mistretta finished in fifth on the event, posting a 12.250.

Third Rotation – Still Rings

• The Orange and Blue had another sweep of the top-five, as Diab came away with event-winning score of 14.150. Senior Danny Graham recorded a 14.000 for a second-place finish, and senior Satchel Hudson took third with a total of 13.650. Kovach and freshman Josh Cook followed with fourth (13.450) and fifth (13.300), respectively.

Fourth Rotation – Vault

• Diab's event-winning 14.650 was the high score of the meet. Carter was runner-up (14.600), followed by Kovach (14.500) in third place, Manivong (14.250) in fourth and senior Sebastian Quiana (14.200) in fifth.

Fifth Rotation – Parallel Bars

• Graham held first place after totaling a 13.750. Carter (13.600), Kovach (13.000) and Mistretta (12.850) followed on the event in second, third and fouth place, respectively.

Sixth Rotation – High Bar

• Earning an event title was Carter with a score of 14.050. Cook, in his collegiate debut, finished second, totaling a 13.100. Third-place went to Kovach (12.950), while Manivong (12.700) took fourth and Skirkey (12.650) finished fifth.

In his first collegiate meet as an all-around performer, Carter placed first with a total of 82.200 over teammate Kovach (78.850). Kovach's score marked a career-high.

Event Titles

Floor – Connor McCool (14.300)

Pommel Horse – Hamish Carter (13.150)

Still Rings – Max Diab (14.150)

Vault – Max Diab (14.650)

Parallel Bars – Danny Graham (13.750)

High Bar – Hamish Carter (14.050)

Up Next

Illinois will head to Chicago for the annual Windy City Invitational, hosted by UIC, on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. CT. A year ago, the Illini picked up their fifth consecutive title at the event, finishing with a team score of 403.150.

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