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THIS WEEK
The 10th-ranked University of Iowa men’s gymnastics team travels to Champaign, Illinois, to compete against No. 4 Illinois on Saturday at 6 p.m. (CT). The event will be streamed on BTN Plus. Live stats will be posted on hawkeyesports.com.
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can 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 live updates on Twitter (@mensgymiowa) and Facebook (/iowamensgymnastics).
HAWKEYES COMPLETE SEASON OPENER
• Iowa placed fourth at the Windy City Invite after three top-10 nationally ranked teams. They include: No. 3 Illinois (1st), No. 7 Michigan (2nd), and No. 5 Minnesota (3rd).
• Sophomore Bennet Huang placed sixth (79.050) and freshman Evan Davis placed eighth (78.400) in the all-around competition.
• Juniors Andrew Wong and Andrew Herrador both posted career highs in rings (13.150) and pommel horse (12.200), respectively.
HUANG LEADS HAWKEYES IN SEASON OPENER
• Huang placed sixth in the all-around at the Windy City Invitational with a score of 79.050.
• He led the Hawkeyes in floor, placing seventh with Iowa’s highest score of the event (14.000) .
• The sophomore placed in the top-10 in two events including floor and pommel horse (7th).
• Huang also contributed 12.750 points in rings, 13.550 points on vault, 12.400 on parallel bars, and 13.150 on high bar.
DAVIS DOMINATED IN COLLEGIATE DEBUT
• Davis placed eigth in the all-around competition at his first collegiate meet, contributing 78.400 points to Iowa’s team score.
• He placed in the top-10 in two events, including rings (9th), and high bar (9th).
• The freshman led the pack on vault scoring a 13.600 placing 19th.
THREE HAWKEYES OPEN HAWKEYE CAREER
• Davis placed eight in the all-around competition at his first collegiate meet, contributing 78.400 points to Iowa’s team score.
• Noah Scigliano competed in floor and placed 12th with a 13.600.
• Stewart Brown posted a 13.400 on vault and a 12.200 on high bar in his debut as a Hawkeye.
HAWKEYES RANKED HIGH IN HIGH BAR
• As a team, the Hawkeyes scored 66.550 on high bar at the Windy City Invitational, ranking them third nationally in the event.
• Junior Mitch Mandozzi led the Hawkeyes with a career best 14.450 on high bar to boost them into the third place ranking.
SCOUTING THE ILLINI
• Illinois is ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten according to the Big Ten Men’s Gymnastics Coaches’ Poll and is the No. 3 ranked team in the nation.
• Illinois is the raining Big Ten Champion and placed third at the NCAA Tournament in 2018.
• Senior Alex Diab and junior Sebastian Quiana were named to the Gymnasts to Watch List.
• Diab earned a national title on still rings in 2018, and garnered All-America honors on floor.
• Three other returnees combined for four All-America honors in 2018. They include: Johnny Jacobsen (parallel bars, vault), Michael Paradise (pommel horse), and Quiana (floor).
• The Illini secured the first two Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. Michael Fletcher won the first by winning the all-around title in a meet against UIC, and Clay Mason Stephens claimed the second by capturing two event titles at the Windy City
Invitational.
• Illinois placed first at the Windy City Invitational where they also claimed all six event titles.
IN THE RANKINGS
The Hawkeyes are ranked seventh in the Big Ten and 10th in the nation. As a team, the Hawkeyes are ranked third nationally in high bar.
THREE ALL-AMERICAN SCHOLAR ATHLETES RETURN
• Senior Jake Brodarzon, junior Brandon Wong, and sophomore Kulani Taylor were all named to the second team All-American scholars list. They each maintained a GPA between 3.200 and 3.499.
SEASON TICKETS
• Season tickets are available 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.
• Season tickets are $40 and all seating is general admission. Youth ages 18 and under and UI students receive free admission to all regular season home meets.
• Season ticket holders gain admission to five home meets at Carver-Hawkeye Arena against Minnesota and UIC, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Ohio State.
• Season ticket holders receive early entrance (1.5 hours prior to the start of competition at the west entrance) to all home meets, ensuring access to the Kids Zone, limited edition posters, and other promotions.
BIG HOME ADVANTAGE HOSTING BIG TEN’S
This postseason the Hawkeyes are set to host the Big Ten Tournament. The tournament is at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on April 5-6. Stay tuned to hawkeyesports.com for more information regarding tickets and promotions.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes open their home slate, hosting Minnesota and UIC at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on February 2nd at 2 p.m. (CT).
