Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tumbling
Although that's what the Illini Men's Basketball team was doing until they showed some fire against Iowa Sunday, I'd rather focus on actual tumbling. Or gymnastics.
The Illini Men's Gymnastic team, currently ranked #3, fell narrowly in a dual meet to #2 Penn State last Saturday. But throughout this season, the talented Illini have been hovering at the top of the rankings. As a team, they are first in the country in both parallel bars and high bar. These boys are worth getting excited about, as senior Paul Ruggeri prepares routines to compete in the Big Ten and National All-Arounds and freshman C.J. Maestas continues to wow judges and win Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
Head Coach Justin Spring, Illini alum and Olympian, acknowledges that the Illini haven't found the consistency as a team that he would like, but as the season goes on, he expects his guys to be ready for a strong post-season showing. And since the Conference championship meet is the first weekend in April, Illini fans have something to look forward to after the madness of March.
Keep your eye on these guys. Go Illini!
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The Illini Men's Gymnastic team, currently ranked #3, fell narrowly in a dual meet to #2 Penn State last Saturday. But throughout this season, the talented Illini have been hovering at the top of the rankings. As a team, they are first in the country in both parallel bars and high bar. These boys are worth getting excited about, as senior Paul Ruggeri prepares routines to compete in the Big Ten and National All-Arounds and freshman C.J. Maestas continues to wow judges and win Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
Head Coach Justin Spring, Illini alum and Olympian, acknowledges that the Illini haven't found the consistency as a team that he would like, but as the season goes on, he expects his guys to be ready for a strong post-season showing. And since the Conference championship meet is the first weekend in April, Illini fans have something to look forward to after the madness of March.
Keep your eye on these guys. Go Illini!
Labels: Illini gymnastics
# posted by Alma Mater : 2:17 PM
Friday, April 02, 2010
Vaulting Ahead
Congratulations to Coach Justin Spring and his Illini men's gymnastic team, the 2010 Big Ten champions!
The Illini went into the Big Ten Championship meet ranked 1st in the conference and 3rd in the country. These boys, led by their first-year Olympic bronze medalist coach, have had a very successful season
But this title wasn't easy to grab. It seemed that a couple of the strongest Illini gymnasts struggled in at least one of their specialties. Falls on the high bar, floor and pommel horse kept the Illini in second or third through five rotations. But the boys fought hard to match the Michigan Wolverines each rotation, and make up the 3- to 4-point gap between them.
But it wasn't until the final routine of the final rotation -- the Illini on vault and the Wolverines on rigns -- that the Illini finally took the lead. They literally vaulted past Michigan to take the title the two teams shared last year.
It wasn't always pretty, but these boys fought hard. Go Illini!
|
The Illini went into the Big Ten Championship meet ranked 1st in the conference and 3rd in the country. These boys, led by their first-year Olympic bronze medalist coach, have had a very successful season
But this title wasn't easy to grab. It seemed that a couple of the strongest Illini gymnasts struggled in at least one of their specialties. Falls on the high bar, floor and pommel horse kept the Illini in second or third through five rotations. But the boys fought hard to match the Michigan Wolverines each rotation, and make up the 3- to 4-point gap between them.
But it wasn't until the final routine of the final rotation -- the Illini on vault and the Wolverines on rigns -- that the Illini finally took the lead. They literally vaulted past Michigan to take the title the two teams shared last year.
It wasn't always pretty, but these boys fought hard. Go Illini!
Labels: Illini gymnastics, Justin Spring
# posted by Alma Mater : 9:53 PM
