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University of Illinois Athletics

2019 Men's Gymnastics Roster

Craig Pessman / Illinois Athletics
Craig Pessman / Illinois Athletics
Della Perrone / Illinois Athletics
Della Perrone / Illinois Athletics

34 Alex Diab

  • Ht./Wt. - /
  • Position FX, SR, VT, HB
  • Hometown Glen Ellyn, Ill.
  • High School Glenbard West H.S.

Biography

Individual Event Titles 

Event Titles
Floor 11
Pommel Horse --
Still Rings 31
Vault 1
Parallel Bars --
High Bar --
All-Around 1
Total  44

Career Highlights

  • 2x Still Rings National Champion (2018, 2019)
  • 6x NCAA All-American (2019: floor, rings | 2018: floor, rings | 2017: rings | 2016: high bar)
  • Only 4x Big Ten Still Rings Champion (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) in program history
  • Holds school record with 31 career still rings titles
  • 3x First Team All-Big Ten (2016, 2017, 2018)
  • 2018 CGA Second Team All-American Scholar-Athlete 
  • 3x Academic All-Big Ten (2017, 2018, 2019)
  • Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree (2016)
  • Won 44 career event titles
  • 2x Big Ten Gymnast of the Week (Jan. 30, 2017, March 5, 2019)
  • 2x Big Ten Freshman of the Week
  • 2017 Team MVP

Career Highs

2017-19
Floor Exercise: 
15.000 (at Puerto Rico Invitational, 3/4/17)
Pommel Horse: 11.600 (at Windy City Invitational, 1/13/18)
Still Rings: 15.200 (vs. Stanford & Minnesota, 3/2/19)
Vault: 14.600 (2x, last at NCAA Qualifier, 4/19/19)
Parallel Bars: 13.100 (vs. Oklahoma, 3/17/18)
High Bar: 14.200 (vs. Minnesota, 1/28/17)

2013-2016
Floor Exercise: 
15.450 (vs. Michigan, 3/12/16)
Pommel Horse: 13.200 (at Air Force w/ California, 3/5/16)
Still Rings: 15.600 (vs. Oklahoma, 3/19/16)
Vault: 15.000 (at NCAA Team Finals, 4/15/16)
Parallel Bars: 14.300 (at Air Force w/ California, 3/5/16)
High Bar: 15.150 (at Air Force w/ California, 3/5/16)
All-Around: 88.400 (at Air Force w/ California, 3/5/16)

Senior - 2019

  • Dike Eddleman Illinois Male Athlete of the Year Finalist
  • Still Rings National Champion
  • Big Ten Still Rings Champion
  • NCAA All-American on floor and still rings
  • First Team All-Big Ten
  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Broke the program's all-time rings title record with his 24th career event title against Nebraska 
  • 11 still rings titles on the season, the most in school history
  • Turned in 13 event titles on the season to bring his combined career-total to 44
  • Set the Illini program record with a 15.200 rings routine against Stanford/Minnesota
  • Turned in 14.5-plus scores on rings in all 14 routines on the year
  • Secured the top two totals on floor exercise for the Illini on the season 
  • Placed second on rings at the annual Winter Cup Challenge with a two-day total of 29.150

Junior - 2018

  • Still Rings National Champion
  • Big Ten Still Rings Champion
  • NCAA All-American on floor and still rings
  • First Team All-Big Ten
  • CGA Second Team All-American Scholar-Athlete Selection
  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • 10 still rings titles on the season, the most in school history
  • Won the still rings title on the second day of the Winter Cup Challenge and placed second on the event with a two-day total of 28.550
  • Saw action in 15 meets on the season
  • Posted six of the top seven rings scores on the season for the Illini

Sophomore - 2017

  • NCAA All-American on still rings
  • Big Ten Still Rings Champion
  • First Team All-Big Ten
  • Runner-up on floor at Big Ten Event Finals
  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Saw action in 15 meets
  • Participated in the 2017 Winter Cup Challenge, posted a two-day score of 28.150 on floor and tied for sixth in the event
  • Posted the team's highest scores on floor (15.000, Puerto Rico Challenge) and rings (15.000, at Oklahoma)
  • Team MVP

Freshman - 2016

  • Two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week
  • Illinois Male Newcomer of the Year winner
  • NCAA High Bar All-American
  • Big Ten Still Rings Champion
  • Won all-around and floor exercise titles in collegiate debut meet against UIC
  • Owned the top three Illinois scores on the still rings across the season
  • Posted scores that ranked in the top three Illini scores on the season in the all-around, floor exercise, still rings and high bar
  • Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree
  • 35 top-five finishes across all events on the season

High School/Club

  • Graduated from Glenbard West High School
  • Junior National Team member from 2011-12 and 2014-15
  • Took first on still rings, second on floor and sixth in the all-around at the 2014 Junior Olympic Nationals
  • Finished second on floor, third on still rings and seventh in the all-around at the 2012 Junior Olympic Nationals
  • Coached by Paul Hamm and Georgi Videnov

Personal

  • Born Alexander Michael Diab on April 25, 1997
  • Son of Mark and Jennifer Diab
  • Mark was an Iowa State gymnast from 1981-1986 and was the Male Athlete of the Year winner in 1986
  • Has four younger siblings, Max, Maddie, Anna and Louie
  • Hobbies include golfing and fishing
  • Lists his biggest thrill in sports as “learning new skills and succeeding in competition
  • Names his dad as the person who has most influenced his athletic career
  • Illinois hero growing up was Justin Spring
  • Majoring in Kinesiology

Historical Player Information

  • 34

    2016Freshman

    AA
    5'2"
    34
  • 34

    2017Sophomore

    AA
    34
  • 34

    2018Junior

    AA
    34
  • 34

    2019Senior

    FX, SR, VT, HB
    34