Feb. 8, 2005
THIS WEEK — The sixth-ranked University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team will open their 2005 home schedule on Saturday, February 12, as they host No. 14 Illinois-Chicago. Comeptition is set to begin at 2 p.m. at the UI Field House.
THE COMPETITION — The UIC Flames are ranked 14th nationally in the Gyminfo national rankings. They opened the season with a sixth-place finish at the Windy City Invitational and have since fallen to top-ranked Ohio State and No. 9 Minnesota. The Flames are led by senior captain Neil Faustino, who is ranked first in the country on vault, eighth in the all-around and 12th on rings. Junior Eric Novick is also a strong all-around competitor.
LAST TIME OUT — Four members of the Iowa gymnastics squad traveled to Las Vegas, NV to compete at the Winter Cup Challenge last weekend. Junior Michael Reavis was the lone Hawkeye to advance to the individual event finals held Saturday evening. He took third on vault (9.125) and fourth on floor exercise (8.825) and horizontal bar (8.725). In the all-around competition held Friday evening, Reavis took 11th (50.414), while junior Michael McNamara was 19th (48.582) and freshman Curtis Kleffman was 20th (48.498).
NATIONAL RANKINGS — The Iowa men’s gymnastics team is ranked sixth in the GymInfo national rankings. As a team, the Hawkeyes are ranked in the top ten in all six individual events. Iowa is the fourth-ranked team on horizontal bar, fifth on floor exercise, sixth on vault, and eighth on pommel horse, rings and parallel bars.
NATIONALLY-RANKED INDIVIDUALS — Reavis leads the Hawkeyes in the rankings. He is second on floor exercise, third on horizontal bar, ninth in the all-around and 14th on vault. Senior Linas Gaveika is sixth on horizontal bar and 10th in the all-around, while Kleffman is tied for sixth on pommel horse and 18th in the all-around. Other ranked Hawkeyes are McNamara on floor (18th), freshman Jacob Becker on pommel horse (third), sophomore Mark Beiler on horizontal bar (20th) and senior Kenny Lin on rings (eighth).
HEAD COACH Tom Dunn — Head Coach Tom Dunn is in his 25th year at Iowa. He has compiled a 187-79-2 record. 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 18 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships. Iowa has competed at the NCAA meet 18 of the past 21 seasons. Dunn has also coached29 individuals to 58 all-America honors and 19 gymnasts to 31 Big Ten titles.
NEXT COMPETITION — The Hawkeyes host No. 9 Minnesota, February 19. The coed meet is slated to begin at 8 p.m. at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena.