Jan. 25, 2004
LINCOLN, NE –
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In a record-breaking performance, the fifth-ranked University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team downed No. 11 Nebraska 217.75- 213.975 Sunday afternoon in Lincoln, NE. The team score broke the previous University of Iowa Record of 215.6 set in 2003. The Hawkeyes won five event titles, crowned four individual champions, and broke a total of six University of Iowa records, since the 2001 code.
Sophomore Michael Reavis (Tallahassee, FL) took second in the all-around competition, posting a six-event score of 53.4. Junior Linas Gaveika (Vilnius, Lithuania) placed third in the all-around (53.35).
The Hawkeyes dominated the floor exercise, claiming the top three spots and setting a new University of Iowa record with a team score of 37.0. The Hawkeyes broke the previous record of 36.70 set in 2003. Sophomore Michael McNamara (Orem, UT) was crowned event champion with a score of 9.500. McNamara also set a new University of Iowa record, breaking the record he previously set in 2003 of 9.400. Reavis took second place honors on the floor exercise (9.4), while junior Mike Kelly (Orangevale, CA) placed third (9.2).
Iowa took three out of the top four spots on pommel horse. Kelly tied for first place with a score of 9.250, while Gaveika took third (9.2) and McNamara took fourth.
The Hawkeyes also had a record-breaking performance on rings. Iowa won the event with a team score of 36.775, breaking the University of Iowa record of 36.1 set last weekend at the Rocky Mountain Open. Senior Matt Metzger (Cincinnati, OH) took second with a score of 9.425, breaking the University of Iowa record set earlier this season by junior Kenny Lin (Sparks, NV) of 9.4. Lin placed third on rings with a score of 9.4.
On vault, the Hawkeyes posted a team score of 37.075, breaking the University of Iowa record of 37.050 set in 2002. Reavis was crowned event champion with a score of 9.45, while Kelly and McNamara tied for third (9.25).
Senior Eric Block (Buffalo Grove, IL) was the Hawkeye’s top performer on parallel bars placing second with a score of 8.85. Reavis tied for third place with a score of 8.8.
The Hawkeyes performed well in the high bar competition, placing five athletes in the top five. Gaveika notched top-honors with a score of 9.8, while Reavis came in second (9.1), and Metzger took fourth (8.7). McNamara and sophomore Bryan Bourland (Lubbock, TX) finished in a tie for fifth place with a score of 8.650.
“This was by far our best performance of the year. We posted excellent team scores on floor exercise, vault and rings, but the other three events were still a little rough. We made good improvements this weekend and are looking forward to taking on Oklahoma next Saturday,” commented Head Coach Tom Dunn.
The Hawkeyes will host the two-time defending national champion Oklahoma Sooners next Saturday at 2 p.m. in the UI Field House.