March 21, 2006
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
IOWA CITY —
THIS WEEK — The seventh-ranked University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team will host the Big Ten Championships in Carver-Hawkeye Arena Friday and Saturday. Six Big Ten powerhouses will compete at the two-day competition beginning at 7 p.m. each day.
THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS — All six teams (Minnesota, Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan) competing are ranked in the top nine nationally. This is the 10th time the Hawkeyes have hosted the Big Ten Championships since 1937. In 1937, 1967 and 1974 Iowa won Big Ten titles in Iowa City. Three other years, Iowa came in second as host.
LAST YEAR AT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS — Iowa finished fifth at last years competition. Michael Reavis was crowned floor exercise champion in the individual event finals. He was also named first team all-Big Ten.
LAST TIME OUT — The Hawkeyes were victorious against 10th-ranked Minnesota, 212-211.15. Reavis won floor exercise scoring 9.55. Other winners were Jake Becker on pommel horse (8.95), Matt Beiler on rings (9.45) and Bryan Bourland tied for first on horizontal bar, scoring 8.9.
Michael Reavis — Reavis has earned four Big Ten Gymnast of the Week honors this season. He is ranked second in the all-around and first on floor exercise, according to GymInfo national rankings.
NATIONAL RANKINGS — The Hawkeyes are ranked seventh in this week’s GymInfo national rankings.
QUOTING HEAD COACH Tom Dunn — “The Big Ten Championships are what we have been aiming at all year. This is our focus and I feel confident the guys will have their best performance of the season. It has also been a year long preparation for our event management staff. We are ready to host one of the best gymnastics meets you will ever see! All six Big Ten teams are ranked in the top nine spots nationally. We have the strongest and most competitive conference in the country. Six is a perfect number for gymnastics because we have six events. Each team starts on one event Friday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, we make six rotations andeventually crown the 2006 Big Ten Champions.”
HEAD COACH Tom Dunn — Head Coach Tom Dunn is in his 27th year at Iowa. He has compiled a 207-97-2 record. In 1998, Dunn was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and College Gymnast Association Central Region Coach of the Year. He has led the Hawkeyes to 17 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships. Iowa has competed at the NCAA meet 17 of the past 22 seasons. Dunn has also coached 30 individuals to 62 all-America honors and 20 gymnasts to 32 Big Ten titles.
NEXT COMPETITION — The NCAA Championships will take place April 6-8 in Norman, OK.