Hawkeyes Come Close on Senior Day

March 1, 2008

IOWA CITY-

The University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team was defeated by the Illinois Fighting Illini in a close finish Saturday in the UI Field House, 349.800 to 349.400.

As a team the Hawkeyes took three out of the six events, and had two first place finishes including Senior Curtis Kleffman in the all-around (86.45) and Geoff Reins on vault (16.15). Competing for last time in the UI Field House, Kleffman once again broke the 2008 season event high record in the all-around and also broke the record for pommel horse (14.65).

Iowa showed improvement on the pommel horse, with three Hawkeyes consecutively breaking the high score, including Joel Snyder, Jacob Becker and Kleffman. With a 57.90, Iowa scored its highest total in that event this season. The Hawkeyes also scored a team high (349.40), beating their previous high score by over ten points.

Iowa will travel to Lincoln, NE to compete against Nebraska Friday, March 14. Competition is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Final Team Scores:
Team Floor Pommel Horse Rings Vault Parallel Bars Horizontal Bar Total
1. Illinois 57.70 56.45 58.85 61.25 58.45 57.100 349.80
2. IOWA 59.30 57.90 57.35 62.60 56.75 55.50 349.40

Individual Results:
All-Around (winner plus Iowa)
1. Curtis Kleffman (Iowa) 86.45
2. Ben Ketelsen (Iowa) 83.50

Floor (winner plus Iowa)
1. Michael Boyer (Illinois) 15.20
2. Geoff Reins (Iowa) 15.15
4. Curtis Kleffman (Iowa) 14.80
5. Diego Mercado-Austin (Iowa) 14.70
6. Ben Ketelsen (Iowa) 14.65
7. Dustin Cranmer (Iowa) 14.55
10. Danny Kuklinski (Iowa) 12.55

Pommel Horse (winner plus Iowa)
1. Daniel Ribeiro (Illinios) 15.30
2. Jacob Becker (Iowa) 14.80
3. Curtis Kleffman (Iowa) 14.65
4. Joel Snyder (Iowa) 14.50
6. Mike Jiang (Iowa) 13.95
8. Diego Mercado-Austin (Iowa) 13.40
11. Ben Ketelsen (Iowa) 11.95

Rings (winner plus Iowa)
1. Jon Drollinger (Illinois) 15.50
3. Reid Ubain (Iowa) 14.65
5. Diego Mercado-Austin (Iowa) 14.50
6. Jonathan Buese (Iowa) 14.25
8. Curtis Kleffman (Iowa) 13.95
9. Danny Kuklinski (Iowa) 13.70
10. Ben Ketelsen (Iowa) 13.60

Vault (winner plus Iowa)
1. Geoff Reins (Iowa) 16.15
3. Ben Ketelsen (Iowa) 15.70
4. Dustin Cranmer (Iowa) 15.55
6. Curtis Kleffman (Iowa) 15.20
7. Mike Jiang (Iowa) 15.05
8. Diego Mercado-Austin (Iowa) 15.00

Parallel Bars (winner plus Iowa)
1. Paul Ruggeri (Illinois) 14.95
3. Dustin Cranmer (Iowa) 14.50
6. Jonathan Buese (Iowa) 14.20
7. Diego Mercado-Austin (Iowa) 14.10
8. Curtis Kleffman (Iowa) 13.95
9. Ben Ketelsen (Iowa) 13.50
10. Danny Kuklinski (Iowa) 13.45

Horizontal Bar (winner plus Iowa)
1. Paul Ruggeri (Illinois) 15.00
2. Joel Snyder (Iowa) 14.25
5. Ben Ketelsen (Iowa) 14.10
6. Curtis Kleffman (Iowa) 13.90
8. Danny Kuklinksi (Iowa) 13.25
9. Tom Buese (Iowa) 13.15
10. Jonathan Buese (Iowa) 12.50

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