CHICAGO – The University of Iowa men's gymnastics team finished second in a tri-meet against Stanford and UIC, defeating UIC with a team score of 396.100, on Sunday afternoon at the UIC Pavilion. MEET HIGHLIGHTS
The Hawkeyes won three event titles and recorded 11 individual season-best scores, eight career-high scores, and two team season-best scores. HOW IT HAPPENED Pommel horse: The Hawkeyes started the day on pommel horse, with senior Elijah Parsells taking home the event crown with a season-best 13.900. Sophomore Nick Merryman notched a second-place finish with a 13.650, while junior Kevin Johnson finished fifth with a season-high score of 13.200.
Rings: Junior Rogelio Vazquez led the way on rings, recording a runner-up finish and a 13.400. Freshman Dominic Tommasone made his debut on rings with a career-best 12.750.
Floor: Iowa dominated on floor, racking up a team score of 67.750, its best of the season. Huang won the event with a career-best 14.250, the highest score by a Hawkeye on floor this season. Freshman Kulani Taylor finished fourth with a career-high 13.900. Three other Hawkeyes recorded season highs, including redshirt senior Mark Springett (13.650), Vazquez (12.950), and sophomore Brandon Wong (13.000).
Parallel bars: Vazquez won Iowa’s third event title of the day, recording a season-best 13.900. Junior Jake Brodarzon notched a season-best score and Huang earned a career-best, scoring 12.400 and 11.500, respectively.
High Bar: Sophomore Andrew Herrador made his season debut, recording a season-best 13.300 and finishing fifth. Merryman finished sixth with a career-best 13.200, while Hodges earned a season-best 12.700. Vault: Two Hawkeyes earned season-best scores on vault including Wong (13.850), Mandozzi (13.600). Freshmen Addison Chung (13.550) and Taylor (13.050) notched career-best scores. All-Around: Huang finished in third with a career-best 76.650. Merryman notched a fourth-place finish with a season-best 75.900.
HEAR FROM COACH REIVE
“We performed fairly well for this early in the season; a healthy mix of improvements and counted falls against a formidable Stanford squad. I am pleased with the team’s determination to perform well and put in the work to make the improvements necessary to compete with the best teams. The event standings certainly highlight our strong individual performances. I expect continuous improvement and more depth as some very important routines are added back into the lineup as the season progresses.”
UP NEXTThe Hawkeyes travel to Minneapolis to face the Gophers on Jan. 27. Competition is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. (CT) at the Maturi Pavilion.