Results
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The fourth-ranked Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team took fourth place at 2023 Big Ten Championships in Columbus, Friday night, posting a team score of 409.40. Graduate student Michael Fletcher took fourth in the all-around with 82.20, his second-highest score of the season.Â
"The place we finished tonight really doesn't reflect the performances we saw from our guys," head coach Daniel Ribeiro said. "Every single team showed up tonight and the top four teams were within three points. We had a 94 percent hit ratio. There is absolutely nothing that we should be upset about. We will head into event finals tomorrow night with our head held high, but with something to prove. We are eager to take home some event finals hardware."
The Illini started the meet strong on vault setting a new program record with a 72.60. Evan Manivong and Fletcher led the team with 14.650 scores and Josh Cook scored a career best 14.45. That score, along with the team's 66.95 on parallel bars and 67.050 on high bar, kept Illinois leading the pack through the first three rotations.Â
Graduate student David Pochinka posted the team's highest parallel bars mark with a 14.65, which was the third highest of the meet. Freshman Tate Costa was the team leader on high bar with a 13.65.Â
Senior Connor McCool once again led the Illini on floor exercise with a 14.35, and the team carded a 67.65.Â
In the fifth rotation, the Illini posted the meet's best pommel horse score with 67.50, while Ian Skirkey posted the championship's best individual score of 14.45.Â
On still rings, Illinois scored a season-best score of 67.65 and sophomore Ashton Anaya posted a 14.65, the second best score of the evening.Â
TEAM SCORES
- Michigan - 412.40
- Penn State - 410.70
- Nebraska - 410.50
- ILLINOIS - 409.40
- Ohio State - 405.50
HOW IT HAPPENED
| Floor Exercise (67.650) |
Manivong (12.70)
|
Hauke (13.40) |
Sewell (13.40) |
Fletcher (13.80) |
McCool (14.35) |
|
Pommel Horse (67.500)
|
Micklos (13.20) |
Farkhadau (13.35) |
Hauke (13.65) |
Pochinka (12.85) |
Skirkey (14.45) |
Fletcher - AA (13.25) |
| Still Rings (67.65) |
Vanichtheeranont (12.550)
|
Cook (13.30) |
Boder (13.50)
|
Fletcher (13.70)* |
Anaya (14.60) |
| Vault (72.60) |
McCool (14.30) |
Cook (14.450)* |
Manivong (14.650) |
Fletcher (14.650) |
Sewell (14.55) |
| Parallel Bars (66.95) |
Mayotte (12.75) |
Micklos (13.050) |
Fletcher (13.00) |
Hauke (13.70) |
Pochinka (14.450) |
| High Bar (67.060) |
Manivong (13.5) |
Vanichtheeranont (13.5)* |
Cook (12.85) |
Costa (13.650) |
Pochinka (13.550) |
Fletcher - AA (13.70) |
*denotes season best
UP NEXT
The Big Ten will crown the event champions on Saturday, April 1 at 7 p.m. CT. Illinois qualified the following individuals for tomorrow night's competition.
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