Apr. 11, 2003
The sixth-ranked Iowa men’s gymnastics team (7-6 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) claimed a spot in the NCAA Championships with its third-place team effort (214.075) in Session I of the NCAA Qualifier. The Hawkeyes finished behind No. 3 Ohio State (218.6) and No. 2 Penn State(218.575), and ahead of No. 9 Stanford (212.325), No. 7 Minnesota (211.325) and No. 12 William & Mary (203.625) to advance to Saturday’s team finals for the 35th time in school history.
High bar was again the Hawkeyes’ stronghold as they smashed their season best score of 36.650with a score of 37.350 to take first place in that event. Freshman Michael Reavis was crowned champion with a season best score of 9.65 and sophomore Linas Gaveika was close behind with a score of 9.625.
Senior Nathan Blair also finished in the top-five with his fifth-place score of 9.275.Reavis also recorded a seventh-place finish on floor (9.0), while Gaveika placed fifth in the allaround (51.975).
Senior Cameron Schick placed third in the all-around (52.775) and recorded a sixth-place finishon pommel horse with a season best score of 9.1. Junior Eric Block tied for eighth on pommel horse with a score of 9.0. Junior Matt Metzger had strong performances on still rings and parallel bars. He tied for eighth on rings (9.25) and tied for seventh on parallel bars (8.85).
Junior Mike Kelly rounded out Iowa’s top-ten finishes with his season-high score of 9.25 on vault, which earned him a tie for eighth.
