April 24, 2014
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NCAA Championships: University of Iowa gymnasts Mitchell Landau and Matt Loochtan competed in The individual event finals of the NCAA Championships at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday, April 12.
Landau, who finished third on high bar in the team and all-around finals on Friday, April 11, placed seventh in the event as he recorded a score of 14.925.
Loochtan also took seventh on rings with a score of 14.925. He tied for seventh with a score of 14.950 in Friday’s finals.
The Hawkeyes had seven individuals — Matt McGrath, Lance Alberhasky, Mitchell Landau, Jack Boyle, Matt Loochtan and Doug Sullivan, and Cory Paterson — compete in the team and all-around finals of the NCAA Championships on Friday, April 11.
Landau turned in the top performance for the Hawkeyes, finishing third on high bar with a score of 15.100. Paterson tied for 17th (14.500) in the event and Boyle finished 22nd with a score of 14.350.
On parallel bars, Boyle (31st) and Alberhasky (42nd) tallied scores of 14.400 and 12.150, respectively.
In the all-around competition, Boyle finished 10th with an overall score of 84.650.
In the NCAA qualifier, the Hawkeyes placed fourth in their session with a team score of 425.950, but were unable to advance to the team and all-around finals. In the all-around competition, Boyle placed fifth with an overall score of 84.450.
B1G Championships: The Hawkeyes placed seventh at the 2014 Big Ten Championships. Iowa recorded an overall team score of 425.600. Michigan won its second consecutive Big Ten title with a score of 448.200.
In the all-around and team competition, redshirt senior Matt McGrath posted a score of 15.050 and finished seventh on floor. He also tied for 10th on rings with a score of 15.000. Sophomore Matt Loochtan tallied a score 15.100 and placed ninth on rings. Junior Mitchell Landau finished eighth on high bar with a score of 14.800, and sophomore Doug Sullivan tied for seventh on pommel horse with a score of 14.800.
All four Hawkeyes advanced to the individual competition. McGrath recorded a 15.100 on floor and placed fourth. Landau tallied a 15.025 to finish fourth on high bar, while Sullivan recorded a 14.575 and placed fifth on pommel horse. On rings, Loochtan tallied a 14.950 and placed ninth.
MCGRATH RECEIVES TWO WEEKLY HONORS: Redshirt senior Matt McGrath was named the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week and College Gymnast Association Gymnast of the Week for his efforts in Iowa’s victory in Lincoln, Neb. on March 15. The No. 7 Hawkeyes won the meet and set a new school record with a team score of 437.250. McGrath led the way, winning floor exercise (15.600) and vault (15.300) titles. He also finished runner-up on still rings (15.350). His performance on floor tied the school record (15.600), which was previously set by fellow teammate Matt Loochtan at Minnesota on March 8.
LOOCHTAN AND MCGARTH GO BIG AT MINNESOTA: Sophomore Matt Loochtan and redshirt senior Matt McGrath each set new individual event records at No. 6 Minnesota on March 8. Loochtan set a school record with a 15.600 effort on floor, which was previously set by McGrath in 2011 (15.500). McGrath set a new school record on vault with a 15.350 against the Gophers. The previous record of 16.3000 was set by Geoff Reins in 2008. An adjustment to the rules in vault competition would take one point off Reins record, allowing McGrath to best it with his effort.
HAWKEYES FINISH SEASON WITH NEW SCHOOL RECORD: The Hawkeyes set a school record with a team score of 437.250 at Nebraska on March 15. Iowa won the meet, placing first ahead of No. 5 Minnesota, No. 6 Illinois, No. 10 Air Force and No. 12 Nebraska. It marked the second time in 2014 that Iowa set a new school record in team score. The previous mark of 433.050 was set on Feb. 15.
IOWA GOES BIG ON RINGS: At the Arnold Classic on March 1, the Hawkeyes set a school record with a score of 75.350 on rings. Redshirt senior Matt McGrath proved his All-American status, winning the event with a 15.450. Sophomore Matt Loochtan finished runner-up with a score of 15.300, and freshman Andrew Botto tied for sixth with a 15.000. Redshirt junior Lance Alberhasky placed eighth with a 14.900 and sophomore Jack Boyle finished ninth with a 14.700.
THREE RECORDS FALL AT HOME: The Hawkeyes broke three school records when Iowa hosted No. 6 Minnesota and No. 11 Nebraska on Feb. 15. The Hawkeyes set a then school record of 433.050 overall team score. Iowa also set a new team record on vault with a score of 74.150.
Sophomore Doug Sullivan set a new mark on the pommel horse by recording a score of 15.250. The previous record of 14.900, held by Mike Jiang, Ben Ketelsen, Curtis Kleffman, and Jacob Becker, was established in 2011.
MORE RECORDS: Sophomore Jack Boyle tied Javier Balboa’s all-around school record with an 86.600 score at UIC on Feb. 23. At Oklahoma on Feb. 1, Iowa set a team record on floor as they recorded a 74.250 in the event.
MCGRATH NOMINATED: Matt McGrath was nominated for the Nissen-Emery Award in 2014. Considered the `Heisman Trophy’ of college gymnastics, the award is present each year to the best collegiate gymnast. Gymnasts are not only judged on their athletic achievements, but for their sportsmanship and performance in the classroom.
3 STUDENT-ATHLETES NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-BIG TEN: Redshirt senior Matt McGrath, redshirt sophomore Cyrus Dobre-Mofid, and sophomore Jack Boyle earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2014. McGrath, a Wheaton, Ill. native, is an engineering major. Dobre-Mofid is a sociology major from Hagerstown, Md. Boyle, also an engineering major, is a native of Naperville, Ill.