Buckeye Gymnasts Up For Challenge of Penn State – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/23/1999 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
February 23, 1999
Ohio State was able to tune up for Sat. night’s competition last weekend. Against one of the best teams from the West, the Buckeyes defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 227.100-226.225. With the win, the senior class remains undefeated for its career in home dual-meet action at 9-0. Overall, that class has a four-year record of 23-1, with the only loss coming to Penn State last year. Now, with number one resting on the outcome, the Buckeyes put it all on the line on Sat. against the Penn State Nittany Lions. %^$
%^$SIZING UP THE NITTANY LIONS%^$
%^$Penn State is led by a senior class made up of Danny Beigel, captain Tom Lashua, Ron Roeder and Dominic Valenti. At the head of the class is two-time All-American Roeder, who had a breakthrough year for the Lions last year, finishing mere tenths away from being a national champion on the rings and floor exercise. Junior Brandon Stefaniak currently leads the nation on the pommel horse. %^$
%^$BUCKEYES AMONG BEST IN THE NATION%^$
%^$Several of the Ohio State gymnasts rank among the national leaders in different events. Tim Elsner is number one in the nation for the floor exercise, number three in the all-around and tenth on the vault. Jamie Natalie is sixth on the pommel horse, ninth on the floor exercise and tied for ninth on the horizontal bar. Daren Lynch is fourth on both the vault and rings. Dough Stibel holds the top spot on the vault, sixth on the parallel bars, sixth on the horizontal bars and is ninth in the all-around. Peter Landry is fifth on the parallel bars and Jay Nardelli is tied for ninth with Natalie on the horizontal bar. %^$
%^$OHIO STATE THIRD IN THE LATEST POLLS%^$In the latest Coaches’ Poll, the Buckeyes are third. The full poll is as follows:%^$
%^$1. Penn State%^$2. Iowa%^$3. Ohio State%^$4. Michigan%^$5. Oklahoma%^$6. Nebraska%^$7. Illinois%^$8. Michigan State%^$9. California%^$10. BYU%^$%^$
%^$NO LET DOWN IN SEASON’S INTENSITY%^$
%^$Next weekend the Buckeyes travel to the University of Illinois for a coed meet, then return to St. John Arena the following weekend for another coed meet against the University of Illinois-Chicago. Ohio State met the University of Illinois-Chicago earlier this season when it competed in the Windy City Invitational in January. The Buckeyes will have one more meet at Temple before heading to Big Ten and NCAA competition.
