Iowa Hosts Illinois on Saturday

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THIS WEEK
The ninth-ranked University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team hosts No. 4 Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 3, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Competition is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. (CT).

PROMOTIONS
•    Saturday is Alumni Day. 
•    Season ticket holders can pick up their quarter zip at the east entrance. 

FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can watch the meet online with BTN Plus. They can also follow the meet online through live stats. A link to both 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 fell to Minnesota, 405.900-395.450, on Saturday. 
•    Iowa recorded six individual season-best scores, seven career-high scores, and one team season-best score. 
•    Senior Austin Hodges took the home the pommel horse crown with a 14.100.
•    Junior Jake Brodarzon won the rings title notching a season-best and tying his career-high, 13.850. 

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa enters week four ranked ninth in the Coaches’ Poll. Illinois is ranked fourth.
The Hawkeyes are ranked 10th on RoadtoNationals.com, with a 394.917 team average. The Fighting Illini are ranked third, with a 408.167 team average. 

SCOUTING THE FIGHTING ILLINI
•    Iowa will clash with No. 4 Illinois for the second time this season. 
•    The Fighting Illini defeated the Hawkeyes, 404.300-393.200 at the Windy City Invitational on Jan. 13. 
•    Illinois is ranked second nationally on high bar (67.250 ave.), third on rings (68.917 ave.) and vault (71.100 ave.), fifth on floor (68.250 ave.) and parallel bars (66.900 ave.), and sixth on pommel horse (65.750 ave.). 
•    Illinois defeated Penn State, 412.500-405.900, on Jan. 27. 

AROUND THE NATION
The Hawkeyes are ranked third nationally on pommel horse (66.333 ave.) and ninth on high bar (64.717 ave.).

POMMEL HORSE DOMINANCE
•    Hodges is ranked sixth on pommel horse with a 13.883 NQA. 
•    Sophomore Nick Merryman is ranked eighth on pommel horse with a 13.833 NQA. 
•    Senior Elijah Parsells is ranked 18th on pommel horse with a 13.283 NQA. 

FRESHMAN FLOOR PHENOM    
•    Freshman Bennet Huang is ranked 22nd on floor with a 13.800 NQA. 
•    Huang has led the Hawkeyes on the event, recording the highest floor score for Iowa at every meet this season. 

TOP 10 SCORES
•    Hodges earned the nation’s fourth-highest pommel horse score (14.700) and sixth-highest parallel bars score (14.250) at the Windy City Invitational on Jan. 13. 
•    Merryman notched the nation’s sixth highest pommel horse score (14.200) at the Windy City Invitational. 
•    Senior Dylan Ellsworth recorded the 10th-highest pommel horse score in the country (14.550) at the Windy City Invitational.  

HAWKEYE NEWCOMERS
•    All four Hawkeye freshmen competed at Minnesota on Jan. 27. 
•    Chung earned a career-high 14.050 on vault and 13.000 on high bar. 
•    Huang finished runner-up on floor (13.900) and recorded a career-high 12.300 on parallel bars. He finished second in the all-around with a career-high 77.300. 
•    Taylor notched a career-high 13.650 on vault. 
•    Tommasone tied for 12th on rings with an 11.950. 

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 a season-best 13.600 on high bar and finished third on parallel bars (13.550) and fifth on rings (13.250) at Minnesota on Jan. 27.  
•    Huang, one of three freshmen on the list, finished runner-up on floor (13.900) and recorded a career-high 12.300 on parallel bars at Minnesota on Jan. 27. He finished second in the all-around with a career-high 77.300. 

RETURNING EXPERIENCE
Iowa returns 12-of-17 gymnasts from last season. Senior Austin Hodges won the pommel horse title (14.100) and junior Jake Brodarzon won the rings title (13.850) at Minnesota on Jan. 27.  
 
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
The 2018 men’s gymnastics team breaks down into one redshirt senior, three seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, and four freshmen. 
 
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 Norman, Oklahoma, to face the No. 1 Sooners on Feb. 10. Competition is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. (CT). 

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