March 3, 2012
MINNEAPOLIS — The University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team set a season high team score in a tri-meet against Minnesota and Brockport in the Sports Pavilion on Saturday night. The No. 12 Hawkeyes scored a 338.200 to top Brockport, but fell to No. 6 Minnesota.
The meet will be televised on tape-delay March 10th at 3:30 p.m. (CT).
“We had a rough start on pommel horse, but bounced back and ended up having a season best team score,” said head coach JD Reive. “Across the board, we did things a lot better tonight, but we still have room to improve.”
Iowa’s team score topped its previous best mark, 334.400 set on Feb. 11 against Minnesota and Nebraska, by almost four points. The Hawkeyes had five top-three individual finishes, led by event titles from juniors Matt McGrath, Anton Gryshayev and Broderick Shemansky.
Shemansky won the all-around title, scoring a career best 84.200 to win all-around for the second time this season.
“That’s a big one for him (Shemansky), and is important for his confidence,” said Reive. “It’s good for our team when he has those six events down, and it really contributes to our score and his confidence.”
The Hawkeyes were led by McGrath on floor exercise as the Wheaton, Ill., native scored a season personal best on the event. McGrath placed tied for fifth with a 14.700. Sophomore Angelo Bronzino (14.400) and freshman Devin Clarke (13.900) also paced the Hawkeyes on the event.
Junior Javier Balboa placed third on pommel horse, leading the Hawkeyes with a 14.100. Shemansky and senior Adam Wilson also led Iowa on the event as each scored a 13.800 to place tied for fifth.
“Balboa led us on pommel horse, and for him to do that after having a back injury not too long away was impressive,” said Reive.
McGrath and Gryshayev tied for first on still rings as each scored a 14.700 to provide Iowa with its highest individual placing of the meet. Bronzino (14.300) and Shemansky (13.900) also led Iowa on rings. Iowa’s team score on rings (57.600) topped Minnesota and Brockport.
Shemansky led the Hawkeyes on vault, placing fifth with a 14.800. Gryshayev and freshman Brandon Field finished seventh (14.700) and eighth (14.600), respectively.
Sophomore Jack McClay placed fourth on parallel bars, leading Iowa on the event with a 14.200. The Hawkeyes were also led by Shemansky and McGrath as each scored a 13.900 to place tied for sixth. Senior Zach Cazabon placed eighth with a 13.800.
Shemansky placed first in high bar, topping the field with a 14.300 to claim an event title. Freshman Mitchell Landau placed third with a 14.000 as well. Field, Bronzino and sophomore Samuel Wright each scored a 13.600 to place tied for sixth. Iowa scored a 55.500 on high bar as a team, the highest team score on the event in the meet.
Iowa will host No. 3 Illinois on March 17 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The meet will start at 7 p.m. (CT).