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University of Illinois Athletics

2020 Men's Gymnastics Roster

Della Perrone / Illinois Athletics
Craig Pessman / Illinois Athletics

88 Michael Paradise

  • Ht./Wt. - /
  • Position PH
  • Hometown Bartlett, Ill.
  • High School Bartlett H.S.

Biography

Individual Event Titles 

Event Titles
Floor --
Pommel Horse 12
Still Rings --
Vault --
Parallel Bars --
High Bar --
All-Around --
Total  12

Career Highlights

  • 3x NCAA Pommel Horse All-American (2018, 2019, 2020)
  • 2x CGA First Team All-American Scholar-Athlete ('17, '18)
  • 3x Academic All-Big Ten (2018, 2019, 2020)
  • CGA Specialist of the Week (March 10, 2020)
  • 2019-20 Big Ten Male Medal of Honor recipient
  • Recipient of a 2020 Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship
  • 2019-20 Nissen Emery Finalist
  • 12 career event titles

Career Highs

Pommel Horse: 15.100 (at B1G Team Finals, 4/5/19)

Senior - 2020

  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Collected three individual titles on the season, all on pommel horse
  • Totaled a season-high 14.950 on pommel horse against Michigan & Penn State
  • 2019-20 NCAA Regular Season Pommel Horse All-American
  • Named CGA Specialist of the Week (March 10, 2020)
  • Was a finalist for the 2019-20 Nissen Emery Award
  • Received the 2019-20 Big Ten Male Medal of Honor

Junior - 2019

  • NCAA Pommel Horse All-American
  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Second-Team All-Big Ten
  • Won nine event titles on the season, good to tie for sixth all time in a single season in Illini history
  • Big Ten bronze medalist on pommel horse
  • Registered a career-best 15.100 pommel horse routine at the Big Ten Team Finals
  • Secured 10 pommel horse routines that scores 14.5-plus

Sophomore - 2018

  • NCAA Pommel Horse All-American
  • CGA First Team All-American Scholar-Athlete Selection
  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Posted three pommel horse scores of 14+, including a season-best 14.000 against UIC & Air Force (3/9/18)
  • Competed on pommel horse in nine meets on the season for the Illini 

Freshman - 2017

  • CGA First Team All-American Scholar-Athlete Selection
  • Competed for the Illini on pommel horse in 11 meets
  • Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on March 13
  • Set career high on pommel horse at Oklahoma (14.600)
  • Saw action at Big Ten Championships and NCAA Championships on pommel horse

High School/Club

  • Graduate of Bartlett High School
  • Also studied at the Academy of Science, Engineering and High Technology
  • Seven-time Junior Olympics National qualifier
  • Two-time Junior Olympics National Champion on pommel horse (2014, 2016)
  • Claimed the pommel horse title at the 2015 Windy City Invite, 2014 Houston National Invitational and 2014 Region 5 Championships

Personal

  • Son of Michael and Diane Paradise
  • Participating in gymnastics since the age of two
  • Favorite professional sports team is the Chicago Cubs
  • Favorite gymnast is Daniel Ribeiro 
  • Favorite non-gymnast athlete is Kris Bryant
  • Hobbies include driving and building things
  • Majoring in Aerospace Engineering

Historical Player Information

  • 88

    2017Freshman

    PH
    88
  • 88

    2018Sophomore

    PH
    88
  • 88

    2019Junior

    PH
    88
  • 88

    2020Senior

    PH
    88