Anaya Wins Rings Title at Big Ten Event Finals
April 2, 2022 | Men's Gymnastics
Recap
UNIVERSITY PARK, Penn. - On day two of the 2022 Big Ten Men's Gymnastics Championships, six individual event titles were given out with the top 10 competitors on each event vying for an individual title. The Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team sent eight competitors out and placed five individuals on the podium, and first-year junior Ashton Anaya claimed the still rings individual Big Ten championship Saturday evening inside Rec Hall.
Anaya's championship secured Illinois' fifth individual rings title in the past six championships after 2020 Tokyo Olympics alternate and former Illini all-american Alex Diab won four straight rings titles from 2015-19. Junior Connor McCool and senior Ian Skirkey placed second on the floor exercise and pommel horse, respectively, while senior Clay Mason Stephens and graduate student David Pochinka finished third on floor and parallel bars.
Senior Hamish Carter placed fourth on the high bar and junior Dylan Kolak placed eighth on the floor exercise, while sophomore Will Hauke placed eighth on the parallel bars. Illinois was well represented in the all-Big Ten awards as well, with Anaya and Carter claiming first team all-Big Ten honors while McCool, Stephens, Skirkey, and Pochinka claimed second team all-Big Ten honors.
FULL RESULTS
Floor Exercise
Connor McCool- 13.80 (2nd)
Clay Mason Stephens- 13.70 (3rd)
Dylan Kolak- 13.20 (8th)
Pommel Horse
Ian Skirkey- 14.375 (2nd)
Still Rings
Ashton Anaya- 14.375 (1st)
Parallel Bars
David Pochinka- 14.175 (3rd)
Will Hauke- 12.95 (8th)
High Bar
Hamish Carter- 13.65 (4th)
First Team All-Big Ten
Second Team All-Big Ten
David Pochinka, Connor McCool, Clay Mason Stephens, Ian Skirkey
UP NEXT
Illinois will have a week break from competition before setting their sights on the 2022 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships, set to take place April 15-16 in Norman, Ok.
