Feb. 25, 2004
THIS WEEK — The seventh-ranked University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team will travel to Minneapolis, MN to take on the ninth-ranked Golden Gophers Saturday. The meet will be held at the Sports Pavilion and will begin at 7 p.m.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA — The Golden Gophers are ninth in the GymInfo National Rankings and are led by junior Guillermo Alvarez, a 2003 All-Big Ten selection and 2002 All-American. Minnesota is coached by Fred Roethlisberger.
LAST TIME OUT– The Iowa men’s gymnastics team was .025 points short of knocking off top-ranked Illinois last Saturday afternoon at the Iowa Field House. Despite winning four event titles, crowning four event champions and taking the top two spots in the all-around competition, the Hawkeyes fell 216.8 – 216.825. Leading the Hawkeyes was sophomore Michael Reavis, who was crowned all-around champion (53.475), and placed second on vault (9.425) and floor exercise (9.45). Sophomore Michael McNamara took second in the all-around (52.85) and on floor (9.45). Both Reavis and McNamara set personal season bests with their all-around scores.
IN THE RANKINGS — The Hawkeyes are seventh in the GymInfo National Rankings. Iowa is also nationally-ranked in all six individual events. The Hawkeyes are the third-ranked team on vault and floor exercise and fifth on rings. The Hawkeyes are also ranked sixth on pommel horse, horizontal bar and parallel bars.
NATIONALLY-RANKED INDIVIDUALS — Hawkeye junior Linas Gaveika and sophomore Michael Reavis lead the Hawkeyes in the rankings. Both are nationally-ranked in two events and the all-around. Gaveika is third on horizontal bar, 13th on pommel horse and eighth in the all-around. Reavis is sixth on vault and floor exercise and 20th in the all-around. On the still rings, senior Matt Metzger is 18th and junior Kenny Lin is 20th. Senior Eric Block is 11th on parallel bars.
COACH Tom Dunn — Head Coach Tom Dunn is in his 24th year at Iowa, where he has compiled a 179-73-2 record (.705). In 1998, Dunn was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and CGA Central Region Coach of the Year. He has led the Hawkeyes to 17 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, and Iowa has competed at the NCAA meet 17 of the past 20 seasons.
NEXT COMPETITION — The Hawkeyes will host No. 6 Michigan March 6. The meet will begin at 7 p.m. at the Field House.