No. 3 Men’s Gymnastics to Play No. 11 Illinois on the Road – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
Jan. 28, 2003
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Following a slight 2.35 slip in total score from 213.0 posted at the Jan. 11 Windy City Invitational to 210.35 recorded against Illinois-Chicago, Ohio State will travel to Champaign, Ill., to face the No. 7 Fighting Illini in a co-ed dual meet at 7 p.m. Saturday in Huff Hall. The Buckeyes then will continue on the road to Las Vegas at the Winter Cup Challenge Feb. 7-8.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS
Illinois currently is ranked No. 11 after posting 207.050 points in its fourth-place finish at the Windy City Invitational. The Fighting Illini faced Minnesota on the road and was narrowly defeated 208.45 to 206.80.
Scott Wetterling has the highest all-around score for Illinois thus far this season with 52.0 points scored against Minnesota. At the Windy City Invitational, Adam Plummer posted 51.4 on the all-around and took fourth place behind two Buckeyes, Monahan at first and Houle at third, and Golden Gopher Alvarez who placed second. Wetterling rounded out the Top 5 by posting a 51.05. In his first collegiate competition, Freshman Justin Spring placed second in floor (9.25) and vault (9.175).
Head coach Yoshi Hayasaki is in his 27th year at the helm of the Illinois men’s gymnastics program and has been an Illini since 1971 when he began work on his masters degree. Hayasaki was a two-time NCAA all-around champion at Washington and a U.S. national champion. He was awarded 2000 Central Region Coach of the Year and the Honor Coach Award for his 25-plus years of service to the gymnastics coaching profession. BUCKEYES IN THE RANKINGS
Ohio State was ranked No.2 in the preseason poll behind defending national champion Oklahoma.After the opening two weeks of the season,the Buckeyes dropped to third after posting 213.0 points at the Windy City Invitational.Penn State moved into first place after recording 217.25 points while claiming the Navy Open Title.Oklahoma slipped to second after it compiled 214.275 in a victory over No.5 Michigan.
UNDERSTANDING THE RANKINGS
Unlike most sports,win-loss records count for very little in collegiate gymnastics.Instead,the highest scores for each individual team carry the most weight.Early in the season,weekly rankings are determined using the single highest team scores.In February,the highest home score and highest away score are averaged together to produce the rankings.By March,rankings are determined using the top two away scores and possibly the highest home score.The average of the three scores determines which teams will top the rankings.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
Ohio State returns all five 002 All-Americans this season.Bhavsar was an All-American on all- around,vault and pommel horse.Kerry Adderly , Houle and Huntwork were All-Americans on floor and Randy Monahan was an All-American on high bar.
HEAD COACH MILES AVERY
In five years under the direction of head coach Miles Avery,the Buckeyes have remained among the nation ‘s elite.Under Avery ‘s guidance Ohio State has produced one NCAA title,two Big Ten titles,three NCAA all-around champions and 11 All-Americans.
Avery has garnered one national coach of the year honor (2001)and two-consecutive Big Ten Coach of the Year awards (2001,’02).He also was named the 2002 Central Region Coach of the year.
In addition to his work at Ohio State,Avery serves as a clinician for the U.S.Junior and Senior National Teams and is on the coaching staff for the U.S.Junior and Senior National Teams.
ALL-AROUND HONORS
Randy Monahan won multiple honors after his first place all-around finish at the Windy City including Big Ten Men ‘s Gymnast of the Week and NCAA Men ‘s Gymnast of the Week named by Inside Gymnastics collegiate editor Jerry Wright. Monahan placed in the Top 10 on all six events and placed third in three events by scoring a 9.0 on rings,a 9.35 on vault and a 9.0 on high bar.In the competition,he compiled 53.850 points to claim the all-around title by one point.He also placed fourth on floor exercise (9.100)
NEXT UP:WINTER CUP CHALLENGE
Every winter,USA Gymnastics plays host to the Winter Cup Challenge.The event will take place Feb.7-8 in the Las Vegas Sports Center. Athletes in every age division starting at 15&up will compete.The Men ‘s Program Committee,of which OSU coach Miles Avery is a member,is the governing body for the event.
Scheduled to compete for Ohio State in the all-around senior division is Raj Bhavsar,Randy Monahan,Jamey Houle,Dick Huntwork,Kerry Adderly,and event specialistRyan Schwartzkopf. This will mark the first competition for Bhavsar since he won the 2002 NCAA All-Around National Championship.Schwartzkopf,a pommel horse specialist,only will compete on his event.Former Buckeye great Blaine Wilson also will compete.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP IN ST.JOHN
The Buckeyes will play host to the Big TenTournament March 28-29 at St.John Arena. Ohio State will defend its back-to-back 2001 and 2002 championships,which were held in State College,Pa.,and Minneapolis,Minn., respectively.A third-consecutive victory will mark the first Big Ten three-peat in school history.
NCAA TOURNAMENT SET FOR TEMPLE
The Buckeyes will look to extend their record to 23-consecutive trips to the NCAA champion- ship,which will be held in Philadelphia at Avery ‘s alma mater,Temple.It will be his goal to make the team feel at home,especially considering the home team has won the national title the last two years (Ohio State and Oklahoma,respectively). Winning this tournament is the ultimate goal for the team this year and would make the second national championship in three years.
