Men's Gymnastics Travels to Big Ten Championships

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THIS WEEK
The No. 8 University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team travels to Champaign, Illinois, to compete at the Big Ten Championships on Friday and Saturday. Competition is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. (CT) Friday at the State Farm Center. Friday is the team and all-around Finals. The event finals are on Saturday. The meet will air live on the Big Ten Network. 

FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow the meet on Big Ten Network. They can also follow online through live streaming and live stats. A link to both will be available on the Iowa men’s gymnastics schedule page at hawkeyesports.com. Fans can also follow along with updates on Twitter (@mensgymiowa) and Facebook (iowagymnastics).

LAST TIME OUT

• Iowa fell to No. 6 Penn State, 420.400-414.00, on March 25.
• Senior Andrew Botto won the all-around crown with a score of 80.850.
• Freshman Andrew Herrador won the event title on floor with a season-best score of 14.400.
• Senior Cory Paterson won the event title on high bar with a score of 14.050. 

BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS
The 2017 Big Ten Championships will be hosted by the University of Illinois on April 7-8. Tickets are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit fightingillini.com or contact the Illinois Ticket Office at 1-866-ILLINI-1. 

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS
The 2017 NCAA Championships will be hosted by Army West Point on April 21-22. Tickets are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit goarmywestpoint.com or contact the West Point Ticket Office at (845)TIX-ARMY. 

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is ranked No. 8 in the Road to Nationals Poll and in the April 3 Coaches Poll. 

AROUND THE NATION

• As a team, Iowa is ranked fourth on vault and high bar, sixth on pommel horse, eighth on rings, ninth on parallel bars, and tenth on floor nationally. 
• In the Big Ten, Iowa is ranked second on vault and high bar, fourth on pommel horse, fifth on rings, sixth on parallel bars, and seventh on floor. 

SCOUTING OHIO STATE

• No. 3 Ohio State defeated No. 4 Illinois, 417.350-415.250, March 24.
• Fifth-year senior Jake Martin was named Co-Big Ten Gymnast of the Year.
• Nationally, the Buckeyes are ranked second on pommel horse, third on parallel bars, fifth on rings and high bar, eighth on vault and ninth on floor.
• In the Big Ten, Ohio State is ranked first on pommel horse and parallel bars, third on rings and high bar and sixth on floor and vault. 
• Iowa fell to Ohio State, 403.450-387.550, at the Windy City Invitational January14. 

SCOUTING ILLINOIS

• No. 4 Illinois fell to No. 3 Ohio State, 417.350-415.250, March 24.
• Freshman Sebastian Quiana was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week March 27. 
• Nationally, the Fighting Illini are ranked third on high bar, fourth on floor, fifth on pommel horse, sixth on rings and seventh on vault and parallel bars. 
• In the Big Ten, Illinois is ranked first on high bar, second on floor, third on pommel horse, fourth on rings, and fifth on vault and parallel bars.    
• Iowa fell to Illinois, 409.950-397.100, Feb. 25. 

SCOUTING MINNESOTA

• No. 5 Minnesota defeated No. 7 Nebraska, 426.950-425.550, March 25.
• Sophomore Justin Karstadt was named Co-Big Ten Gymnast of the Year April 3 and Big Ten Gymnast of the Week on March 27.
• Nationally, the Golden Gophers are ranked second on vault, third on floor and rings, fifth on parallel bars, seventh on pommel horse, and tied for sixth on high bar.
• In the Big Ten, Minnesota is ranked first on floor, rings, and vault, third on parallel bars, fourth on high bar, and fifth on pommel horse.  
• Iowa fell to Minnesota, 406.850-411.200, at March 11.

SCOUTING PENN STATE

• No. 6 Penn State defeated No. 8 Iowa, 420.400-414.000, March 25.
• Nationally, the Nittany Lions are ranked third on pommel horse, fourth on rings and parallel bars, eighth on floor, ninth on vault, and tied for ninth on high bar.
• In the Big Ten, Penn State is ranked second on pommel horse, rings and parallel bars, fifth on floor, seventh on vault, and tied for fifth on high bar. 

SCOUTING NEBRASKA

• No. 7 Nebraska fell to No. 5 Minnesota, 426.950-425.550, March 25.
• Nationally, the Huskers are ranked fifth on floor and vault, sixth on parallel bars, eighth on pommel horse, ninth on rings, and 11th on high bar.
• In the Big Ten, Nebraska is ranked third on floor and vault, fourth on parallel bars, sixth on pommel horse and rings, and seventh on high bar.
• Iowa defeated Nebraska, 408.300-400.000, March 20. 

SCOUTING MICHIGAN

• No. 9 Michigan defeated No. 18 UIC, 414.950-368.600, March 25.
• Nationally, the Wolverines are ranked sixth on vault, seventh on floor, tenth on pommel horse, 11th on parallel bars, 12th on rings, and tied for ninth on high bar.
• In the Big Ten, Michigan is ranked fourth on floor and vault, seventh on pommel horse, rings, and parallel bars, and tied for fifth on high bar. 
• Iowa fell to Michigan, 397.100-387.550, at the Windy City Invitational Jan. 14. 

NATIONAL RANKINGS

• Senior Andrew Botto is ranked 13th in the all-around (80.933), 16th on rings (14.283), and tied for 13th on vault (14.667) based on his four-score average on roadtonationals.com.
• Junior Austin Hodges is tied for 13th on pommel horse (14.317) and 25th on parallel bars (14.050).
• Senior Cory Paterson is ranked 17th on high bar with a four-score average of 14.083.  
• Junior Dylan Ellsworth is tied for 15th on vault with a four-score average of 14.650.
• Senior Mark Springett is ranked 19th on floor with a four-score average of 14.283.

BIG TEN RANKINGS

• Senior Andrew Botto is ranked fifth in the all-around (80.933), sixth on rings (14.283), and tied for 7th on vault (14.667) based on his four-score average on roadtonationals.com.
• Senior Cory Paterson is ranked sixth on high bar with a four-score average of 14.083.
• Junior Austin Hodges is tied for eighth on pommel horse (14.317) , tied for 11th on high bar (13.933) and ranked 12th on parallel bars (14.050).  
• Junior Dylan Ellsworth is tied for ninth on vault (14.650) and 19th on rings (13.783).
• Senior Mark Springett is ranked tenth on floor (14.283) and tied for 12th on rings (13.917).
• Junior Elijah Parsells is tied for 15th on pommel horse with a four-score average of 13.800.
• Freshman Andrew Herrador is tied for 15th on high bar with a four-score average of 13.767.
• Freshman Josh Zeal is tied for 16th on vault with a four-score average of 14.317. 
• Freshman Nick Merryman is ranked 17th on pommel horse with a four-score average of 13.767. 

A POWERHOUSE CONFERENCE
The Big Ten Conference has been dominant this season. Of the top 10 teams listed on roadtonationals.com, seven are from the Big Ten, including No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Illinois, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 6 Penn State, No. 7 Nebraska, No. 8 Iowa and No. 9 Michigan.

TWO HAWKEYES NAMED TO WATCH LIST
Juniors Dylan Ellsworth and Austin Hodges were named to the 2017 Big Ten Men’s Gymnasts to Watch list, the conference office announced Dec. 15. 

• Ellsworth placed fifth overall during event finals at the Big Ten Championships last season. He went on to tie for 26th on vault and 18th on parallel bars during the second day of the 2016 NCAA championships.
• Hodges recorded a career-best score of 14.725 on pommel horse to finish seventh at the Big Ten Championships and ended the 2016 season with a 25th place finish on high bar during day two of the NCAA Championships. 

ROSTER BREAKDOWN
The 2017 men’s gymnastics team breaks down into six freshmen, four sophomores, three juniors and four seniors.

FRESHMEN CONTRIBUTORS

• Five freshmen have found their way into the Iowa lineup this season. 
• Andrew Herrador has competed in every meet for the Hawkeyes this season, making the lineup on floor, pommel horse, vault, and high bar. He won the event title and tallied a season-high 14.400 on floor against Penn State on March 25. He notched a season-high on 14.400 on vault against Nebraska March 20. He recorded a season-high 14.150 and won the event title on high bar at Nebraska March 4. 
• Mitch Mandozzi has competed in six meets for the Hawkeyes this season, making the lineup on vault and parallel bars. He posted a season-high 13.500 on parallel bars against Minnesota and Oklahoma on Feb. 10. 
• Nick Merryman has competed in every meet for the Hawkeyes this season, making the lineup on pommel horse, rings, parallel bars and high bar. He posted a season-high 14.100 on pommel horse against Penn State on March 25. 
• Brandon Wong has competed twice for Iowa on rings. He recorded a season-best 12.300 at California on Feb. 6. 
• Josh Zeal has competed in eight events this season on floor and vault. He notched a season-high 14.600 on vault at Minnesota on March 11.

ACADEMIC ALL-BIG TEN
Seven University of Iowa men’s gymnasts were named to the 2017 Big Ten Winter Academic All-Conference team. To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten, student-athletes must be letterwinners and be in at least their second academic year at the institution. They must also carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better. Seniors Andrew Botto, Cory Paterson, David Spanier and Mark Springett, junior Austin Hodges, and sophomores Todd Beyer and Jake Brodarzon were named to the Academic All-Conference Team. 

SCORING CHANGES
A new scoring system has been implemented this year.  The new system eliminates an element category in five of the six events, which means that each gymnast will do one less skill in their routine.  The old scoring system was based off of five element groups.  The result of the change is that each gymnast’s score will be .500 points lower than before and team scores will be 15 points lower.

NEW FACE
Former University of Iowa Gymnast Thomas Buese was named the University of Iowa men’s gymnastics assistant coach in August. Buese competed for the Hawkeyes from 2005-08. He was a four-time letter winner and was team captain in 2008. 

FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa men’s gymnastics program and access to exclusive coverage, “like” Iowa Men’s Gymnastics on Facebook and follow @MensGymIowa on Twitter and @IowaMGym on Instagram.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes travel to West Point, New York to compete at the NCAA Championships on April 21-22.