July 3, 2013
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Three University of Iowa men’s gymnasts — Javier Balboa, Brandon Field and Cory Paterson — will compete in the World University Games, July 7-16, in Kazan, Russia.
Balboa, a 2013 All-American who graduated in the spring, will compete for Mexico. Field, a sophomore last year, will compete for New Zealand. Paterson is an incoming freshman who will compete for Canada.
“Having these three athletes representing Iowa at the 2013 World University Games is a testament to the caliber of gymnastics that this program is now producing and attracting,” said UI head coach JD Reive. “Our competitive presence is just beginning to be seen, both on a national and international stage.”
Balboa earned his first All-America honors in 2013, placing sixth in the all-around and eighth on the still rings at the NCAA Championships. A native of Monterrey, Mexico, he is Iowa’s first all-around All-American since 2005 and the first to earn All-America honors in multiple events since Michael Reavis in 2005. The 2013 Big Ten still rings champion and first team All-Big Ten honoree, Balboa is a three-time Dean’s List student, a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a two-time UI President’s Committee on Athletics medallion winner. He earned Iowa’s Dick Holzaepfel Most Valuable Gymnast honor in 2012.
Field, a Papakura, New Zealand, native, competed on floor and vault in eight meets in 2013. He placed 17th on floor at the NCAA Team Finals, tallying a season-best 14.700. Field earned fourth on floor (14.250) against UIC and was Iowa’s top vault scorer against Minnesota, earning a season-best 14.900 for third place.
Paterson, an Oakville, Ontario, native, is an eight-year Canadian National Team member. He is a three-time Canadian Age Group all-around champion. Paterson has won over 250 medals in his nine-year gymnastics career.