CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 4 ranked Illinois men's gymnastics team travels to Chicago to compete in the 50th annual Windy City Invitational, held at Credit Union 1 Arena. The event, hosted by UIC, will see the Orange and Blue matchup against No. 2 Stanford, No. 5 Michigan, No. 7 Minnesota, No. 8 Iowa, No. 17 UIC and Northern Illinois. The Illini will seek its sixth-straight Windy City title.

The Windy City Invite was first held during the 1976-77 season. The Fighting Illini won the tournament for the first time on Jan. 16, 1988. Illinois has gone on to win the event nine times since its inception, with seven of the nine titles won with Justin Spring at the helm.

Last Time Out

The Orange and Blue posted a 403.450 to blow past UIC (339.000) at Huff Hall on Saturday, Jan. 11. Sophomore Hamish Carter collected three individual event titles: pommel horse (13.150), high bar (14.050) and all-around (82.200). Junior Max Diab earned two event titles of his own on still rings (14.150) and on vault (14.650).

Freshman Connor McCool sat atop the podium on floor exercise with a score of 14.300, while senior Danny Graham totaled a career high 13.750 on parallel bars for a first-place finish. Junior Jordan Kovach recorded four career-bests on pommel horse (12.450, fourth), vault (14.500, third), high bar (12.950, third) and all-around (78.850, second).

The Illini posted the higher score on all six events to come away with all six titles.

Carter, McCool Earn Big Ten Weekly Awards

The Fighting Illini swept the first Big Ten weekly honors of the season. Carter tabbed Big Ten Gymnast of the Week, and McCool was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. The honors were the first for each gymnasts' career.

Tentative Lineup

Floor Exercise

Evan Manivong

Max Diab

Jacob Light

Sebastian Quiana

Hamish Carter

Connor McCool

Jordan Kovach (all-around)

Pommel Horse

Carter

Kovach

Manivong

Tommy Mistretta

Ian Skirkey

Michael Paradise

Still Rings

Kovach

Josh Cook

Joel Diaz

Satchel Hudson

Danny Graham

Max Diab

Carter (all-around)

Vault

Quiana

Zach Treadway

Manivong

Kovach

Carter

Diab

Parallel Bars

Mistretta

Treadway

Graham

Kovach

Quiana

Carter

High Bar

Skirkey

Manivong

Cook

Quiana

Kovach

Carter

Looking Ahead

Following the Windy City Invitational, Illinois will visit Minneapolis, Minn., for a dual meet with Minnesota on Friday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. CT.

Next Home Meet

Join the Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team for a dual meet against Nebraska on Saturday, Feb. 1, in Huff Hall at 2 p.m. CT., in the Illini Ninja Warrior Competition meet.

At the conclusion of the meet, fans will have an opportunity to take part in our annual Illini Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course Competition, to see if they have what it takes. Prizes for first, second and third place will be distributed at the end.

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