Iowa Heads To Big Ten Championships

March 31, 2009

IOWA CITY-

THIS WEEK — The University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team will travel to Ann Arbor, MI to compete in the six-team Big Ten Championships. Competition for team and all-around event finals is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. (CT) Friday. Individual event finals will begin at 6 p.m. (CT) Saturday in Crisler Arena. The meet will be broadcast live each night on the Big Ten Network.

THE COMPETING TEAMS — The six competing teams include Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota, Michigan, and Illinois.

LAST TIME OUT — Iowa grabbed a big win in a quadrangle meet featuring competition from the U.S. Military Academy, Springfield and William & Mary. The Hawkeyes took first with a final score of 339.95. Geoff Reins captured two first place wins on floor exercise (15.40) and vault (16.25). Mike Jiang placed first on pommel horse with a 14.65, while Tayler Scharman nabbed a first place on parallel bars with a 13.85.

LAST YEAR AT BIG TENS — The Hawkeyes placed sixth with a final score of 344.50. Geoff Reins grabbed the top-two finishes for Iowa, taking sixth on floor exercise (15.35) and tying for fourth on vault (16.00). Graduate Curtis Kleffman placed sixth on pommel horse (14.55) and eight in the all-around competition (85.30).

THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS — Last year, Penn State earned their second conference title with a final score of 360.45. Illinois came in at a close second with a 357.30, followed by Ohio State (354.35), Michigan (353.00), Minnesota (351.45) and Iowa (344.50).

IOWA’S RECORD — Iowa has a 4-12 record this season after competing in eight team meets. The Hawkeyes are currently ranked No. 10 in the latest GymInfo poll released Monday (March 30).

HEAD COACH Tom Dunn — In his 30th year at Iowa, Head Coach Tom Dunn, has recorded a 213-113-2 record at Iowa. In 1998 and 2006, Dunn was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and College Gymnastics 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 32 individuals to 64 all-America honors and 20 gymnasts to 32 Big Ten titles.

QUOTING COACH DUNN — “It has been a frustrating season with so much illness and too many injuries, but the team is as healthy as we have been all season as we prepare for the Big Ten Championships. Our goal is to hit a peak in Ann Arbor and qualify for the NCAA Championships. In addition to our Big Ten opponents, we will have to keep one eye on the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) meet where Illinois-Chicago, William & Mary, Navy and Temple University will all challenge us for an NCAA berth.”

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