Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2017-18 | Hawk Talk Monthly — January 2018 | UIC/Stanford Notes
THIS WEEK
The eighth-ranked University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team returns to Chicago to face No. 5 Stanford and No. 16 UIC on Sunday, Jan. 21, at the UIC Pavilion. Competition is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (CT).
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow the meet online through live stats. A link to live stats is available on the Iowa men’s gymnastics schedule page at hawkeyesports.com. Fans can also follow along with live updates on Twitter (@mensgymiowa) and Facebook (iowamensgymnastics).
SEASON TICKETS
- Season tickets are $25 and all seating is general admission. Youth ages 18 and under and UI students receive free admission to all regular season home meets.
- Fans can purchase season tickets now at hawkeyesports.com/tickets, by calling 1-800-IA-HAWKS, or at the UI Athletics Ticket Office at the North Entrance of Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
LAST TIME OUT
- The Hawkeyes finished third at the Windy City Invitational on Saturday with a team score of 393.200.
- Senior Austin Hodges broke his own school record on pommel horse with a score of 14.700 and won the parallel bars title with a score of 14.250.
- Freshman Bennet Huang made an impressive debut for the Hawkeyes, finishing fifth on high bar (13.350) and seventh in the all-around (76.000).
IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa enters week two ranked eighth in the Road to Nationals Poll. Stanford and UIC are ranked fifth and 16th respectively.
AROUND THE NATION
- The Hawkeyes scored 67.200 on pommel horse on Saturday to secure the highest pommel horse score in the nation.
- Hodges and sophomore Nick Merryman earned top-five scores on pommel horse week one notching a 14.7000 (fourth) and 14.200 (fifth) respectively.
- Senior Dylan Ellsworth recorded the third highest score on vault (14.550).
- Hodges also had the second highest parallel bars score in the nation (14.250).
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
- Iowa will clash with No. 16 UIC for the second straight week.
- The Hawkeyes defeated the Flames, 393.200-356.800, on Saturday at the Windy City Invitational.
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
- No. 5 Stanford won the Cal Benefit Cup on Saturday, defeating Cal and SC United.
- The Cardinals are tied for second on parallel bars and ranked fourth on high bar and fifth on floor, pommel horse and rings.
- Senior Robert Neff is ranked No. 1 on high bar and in all-around.
- Stanford defeated Iowa, 434.350-423.250, at the NCAA Qualifiers on April 15, 2016.
HAWKEYE NEWCOMERS
- All four Hawkeye freshman made their debut at the Windy City Invite on Jan. 13.
- Chung earned his first top-10 finish for the Hawkeyes, placing ninth on rings (13.250).
- Huang competed in the all-around. He finished fifth on high bar (13.350) and seventh in the all-around (76.000)
- Taylor competed in two events (floor and vault) for the Hawkeyes.
- Tommasone earned a 15th place finish on pommel horse (12.250).
TWO HAWKEYES NAMED TO WATCH LIST
Junior Rogelio Vazquez and freshman Bennet Huang were named to the 2018 Big Ten Men’s Gymnasts to Watch list, the conference office announced Dec. 14.
- Vazquez notched two top-10 finishes at the Windy City Invitational with a fifth-place finish on rings (13.500) and a seventh-place finish on high bar (13.150).
- Huang, one of three freshmen on the list, debuted for the Hawkeyes at the Windy City Invitational, finishing fifth on high bar (13.350) and seventh in the all-around (76.000).
RETURNING EXPERIENCE
Iowa returns 12-of-17 gymnasts from last season. Senior Austin Hodges led the way at the Windy City Invitational, winning the parallel bars title (14.250) and shattering his own school record on pommel horse (14.700). Senior Dylan Ellsworth notched a runner-up finish on vault(14.550) and sophomore Nick Merryman finished third on pommel horse (14.200).
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
The 2018 men’s gymnastics team breaks down into one redshirt senior, three seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, and four freshmen.
7 GYMNASTS NAMED ALL-AMERICAN SCHOLAR ATHLETES
Andrew Botto, Austin Hodges, Josh Zeal, Cory Paterson, Mark Springett, Jake Brodarzon, and Brandon Wong were named All-American Scholar Athletes for the 2017 season by the College Gymnastics Association. Botto, Hodges, and Zeal earned first team All-American Schoar Athletes honors while Paterson, Springett, Brodarzon, and Wong earned second team All-American Scholar Athlete honors.
DUNN INDUCTED TO 2017 HALL OF FAME
Former University of Iowa men’s gymnastics head coach Tom Dunn was inducted to the National Iowa Varsity Club Athletics Hall of Fame on Sept.1 . Dunn led the Iowa men’s gymnastics program to 18 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships before retiring in 2010 as the “Dean” of Hawkeye head coaches. Dunn took over the Iowa program in 1981 and led the Hawkeyes to Big Ten titles in 1986 and 1998. Under his leadership, Iowa won five individual NCAA titles, 35 Big Ten individual tiles, and earned 67 All-America honors. He was named Big Ten Coach of the Year three times (1997, 1998, 2006), and earned regional Coach of the Year honors in 1986, 1998, and 2006.
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 Minneapolis to face Minnesota on Jan. 27. Competition is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. (CT) at the Maturi Pavilion.
