Illinois-Chicago Up Next for No. 2 Ohio State Men’s Gymnasts – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
Jan. 22, 2004
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 2 Ohio State men’s gymnastics team will travel to Chicago for the second time in a month to face Illinois-Chicago in dual competition at 8 p.m. EST Saturday.
The meet Saturday marks the second of seven road trips for OSU, including traveling to Champaign, Ill., for the Big Ten and NCAA championships.
TWO FOR TWO
Junior captain Randy Monahan has successfully captured both Big Ten Men’s Gymnast of the Week accolades for his performances in the team’s past two meets.
The honor was first awarded for his routines in the Windy City Invitational Jan. 10 in Chicago. During the meet, Monahan won the all-around competition with a score of 54.150 to help lead the Buckeyes to a first place finish out of six teams. Monahan also captured the rings and high bar titles, posting a then-career high 9.50 and 9.65, respectively.
Following the Buckeyes’ victory over the Golden Gophers, Jan. 17 at St. John Arena, Monahan was again named the gymnast of the week, as he recorded a career and NCAA high 56.500 on the all-around. Monahan posted career highs in four events – pommel horse (9.550), rings (9.600), parallel bars (9.150) and high bar (9.850). Capturing first place on rings, vault and high bar, Monahan finished in the Top 3 in all events.
The award is Monahan’s third, as he also received the honor last year following the Windy City Invitational meet.
NATIONALLY RENOWNED
In addition to his Big Ten accolades, Randy Monahan also was named the national gymnast of the week by the publication Inside Gymnastics Jan. 15 and Jan. 21 for his performances at the Windy City and against Minnesota.
“It is definitely an honor to receive this award,” Monahan said. “I had a good performance at the Windy City. I hope to keep going strong throughout the rest of the season.”
RECORD SETTER
Buckeye junior Randy Monahan’s all-around score of 56.50 against Minnesota was the highest in the NCAA since the new scoring rules were implemented for the 2001 season. The previous high was 56.35, set by Daniel Furney of Oklahoma.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS-CHICAGO
With the core of the team returning, No. 7 Illinois-Chicago looks to climb atop the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Key returnees include junior Neil Faustino, senior Matt Musielak and sophomore Nick Stavros. Faustino completed the 2003 ECAC championships with a second place finish in the all-around. Faustino recently competed in the 22nd Southeast Asian Games in Ha Noi, Vietnam, where he earned a gold medal on rings. Musielak was the 2003 ECAC high bar champion and Stavros looks to continue his success following a strong freshman campaign.
The Flames finished fourth at the ECAC championships and had 11 gymnasts qualify for the 2003 NCAA championships.
HEAD COACH CJ JOHNSON
Entering his 30th year as the head coach of Illinois-Chicago, CJ Johnson has been lauded with awards during his tenure for not only his success in competition, but for his contributions to the sport as a whole.
Since UIC gained Division I status, Johnson has been named the Mideast Region Coach of the Year on four different occasions; first in 1980 when his team was ranked 10th in the nation, then again in 1988, 1994 and finally in 1995.
During his coaching career at UIC, Johnson has coached numerous programs to many championships and awards, including a pair of Division II National Championships in 1978 and 1979. Illinois-Chicago’s national championships helped Johnson garner coach of the year accolades during those years. Illinois-Chicago made four consecutive team appearances in the NCAA Division I Regionals from 1994-97.
Johnson continued to mold top quality gymnasts in 2003, as he coached a school record tying 11 gymnasts to the NCAA Championships.
2003 – BUCKEYES VS. FLAMES
The Buckeyes posted a win over Illinois-Chicago, 210.65-207.6, in St. John Arena Jan. 25, 2003 in the team’s home opener.
Randy Monahan tallied 52.95 points and took first place in the all-around competition. Kerry Adderly posted a then-career high on parallel bars (9.0).
OF LATE
Ohio State has posted four victories over UIC the past five years. The Buckeyes could improve their overall record against the Flames to 22-2 should they record a victory Saturday night.
IN THE RANKINGS
The most recent GymInfo rankings have Ohio State holding down the No. 2 spot with an average score of 216.425. Penn State took over the top spot with a 217.375 average.
UP NEXT
The Buckeyes play host to Illinois Jan. 31 in St. John Arena in a co-ed competition. Last season OSU defeated Illinois, 215.85-212.2 in Champaign, Ill. OSU’s team score of 215.85 was a then season-high and the Buckeyes posted team season-highs on floor (36.35), vault (36.7), parallel bars (35.45).
Randy Monahan took first on rings and high bar with a 9.3 and 9.2, respectively. Monahan’s score on rings was a then-career high. On vault, Cody Trobaugh scored a career-high 9.45 to place first and Ronald Ferris (So., Austintown, Ohio) posted a first-place finish on parallel bars. Ferris’ 9.15 on parallel bars was a career high.
THREE IN A ROW?
Since the 2001-02 campaign, no Buckeye has been able to win the all-around competition three consecutive times. Randy Monahan claimed back- to- back all-around titles in 2003 during the Windy City and Illinois-Chicago meets.
The last time a member of the Scarlet and Gray was able to accomplish such a feat was in 2002, when former Buckeye Raj Bhavsar won five consecutive all-around titles, including the Big Ten and NCAA title.
STEADY CONTRIBUTOR
Freshman Willie Ito steadily has made his presence felt throughout the Big Ten, as he has garnered four Top 3 finishes over OSU’s past two meets. During the Windy City Invitational, Ito finished tied for first on high bar (9.65) and in the Buckeyes’ meet against Minnesota, Ito earned first place on parallel bars with a career high 9.400.
Ito recorded a 9.25 on pommel horse at the Windy City for a third-place spot, while improving to second on pommel horse with a career-high 9.650 a week later against Minnesota.
2004 TEAM CAPTAINS
Seniors Jamey Houle and Jamie Shepard (Sr., Dayton, Ohio), along with junior Randy Monahan were voted the 2004 captains by their teammates. All three student-athletes were awarded the honor at the team’s annual tribute to past Buckeye greats in the Varsity Exhibition Jan. 3 at the Steelwood Athletic Training Facility.
UP NEXT
Last season OSU defeated Illinois, 215.85-212.2 in Champaign, Ill.; OSU’s team score was a then-season-high. The Buckeyes posted season-highs on floor (36.35), vault (36.7), parallel bars (35.45), high bar (35.65) and all-around.
Individually, Ohio State had an competitor on every event. Randy Monahan took first on rings and high bar with a 9.3 and 9.2, respectively. Monahan’s score on rings was a then-career high. On vault, Cody Trobaugh scored a career-high 9.45 to place first and Ronald Ferris (So., Austintown, Ohio) posted a first-place finish on parallel bars. Ferris’ 9.15 was a career high.
LAST TIME OUT-MINNESOTA
Ohio State men’s gymnastics team defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 217.100 – 210.250, in the first dual meet of the season for both squads Jan. 17 at St. John Arena. OSU outscored Minnesota in four of six events- pommel horse (37.150-35.900), rings (36.450-35.050), parallel bars (36.700-33.700) and high bar (36.150-34.200). Six Buckeyes posted career highs.
“I am happy with our guys and I’m happy they were able to get through tonight’s competition,” Miles Avery, Ohio State head coach, said. “We have been banged up since the start of the season, but I know we will get things done at the end of the season. We are doing things well and I am really proud of them.”
Randy Monahan (Jr., Elizabethtown, Pa.) finished the meet as the top all-around competitor, compiling a career high 56.500. Monahan posted career highs in four events – pommel horse (9.550), rings (9.600), parallel bars (9.150) and high bar (9.850). Capturing first place on rings, vault and high bar, Monahan finished in the Top 3 in all events.
Senior captain Jamey Houle (Enfield, Conn.) surpassed his career high of 9.00 on vault by earning a 9.100. Freshman Willie Ito (Huntington Beach, Calif.) posted career highs on three events – pommel horse (9.650), rings (8.700) and parallel bars (9.400). Ito finished first on parallel bars and earned second place on pommel horse. Freshman Kristopher Kline (Westerville, Ohio) recorded a career high on floor exercise, posting an 8.200. Nicholaus Searcy (Fr., Dublin, Ohio) tied his career high of 8.950 from the Windy City Invitational Jan. 10 on vault and scored a career high, 8.950 on parallel bars. Cody Trobaugh (Jr., Dallas Texas) bested his score of 9.050 on parallel bars with a score of 9.200.
Ohio State’s team score of 217.100 is 5.125 points higher than the score the squad posted a year ago in Minneapolis, as the team compiled 211.975 points.
SPOTLESS
OSU holds spotless records against 11 teams when having faced them more than once. Army (2-0), Brigham Young (2-0), Cal- Santa Barbara (2-0), Cincinnati (7-0), Georgia (3-0), Georgia Southern (3-0), Miami (2-0), New Mexico (2-0), San Jose State (2-0), Western Michigan (4-0) and West Virginia (8-0) have yet to garner a win over the Scarlet and Gray.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
Ohio State returns two All-Americans who look to continue their success in 2004. Junior Kerry Adderly earned All-America honors on floor with a score of 9.312. Randy Monahan garnered the accolade when he placed fourth on the all-around, posting a career-high 54.55.
Both Adderly and Monahan have compiled a career total of two All-America honors.
FALLING IN THE WINDY CITY
Recording career highs at the Windy City Invitational is nothing new to Ohio State. Last season, two Buckeyes posted career highs, with two marks still standing. Jamey Houle recorded a 9.20 on pommel horse, a score he tied in the competition this year. Houle also earned a 51.75 on the all-around last season, a mark that continues to stand as Houle’s career high.
Randy Monahan earned a career high 8.80 on the pommel horse, before he bested the score in the NCAA championships later in the year.
BUCKEYES IN THE RANKINGS
The Ohio State men’s gymnastics team was ranked first in the coaches preseason Top 15 poll. The Buckeyes garnered nine of the 14 first-place votes to edge out two-time defending national champion Oklahoma.
“It’s nice to receive the respect from the coaches by them voting for us,” Miles Avery, OSU head coach, said.
“They realize we have most of our team back and have added impressive freshmen.”
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Ohio State boasts five freshmen who will make an immediate impact on the 2004 Buckeye squad.
Kristopher Kline (Fr., Westerville, Ohio) is a four-time national gymnastics qualifier and was coached by former Buckeye Mike Serra at Hocking Valley Gymnastics Center.
Also an alum of Hocking Valley Gymnastics Center and a protege of Serra, Billy Baker (Fr., Zanesville, Ohio) was the state champion in the all-around and the high bar in 2000. Baker also was a member of the Junior Olympic national team and a six-time national qualifier.
Willie Ito comes to Ohio State having participated on the U.S. Junior National Team (1999-’03) where he was the all-around champion in 2000. Ito also was a four-time high bar junior national champion and a three-time parallel bars junior national champion. He is currently training for a spot on the Olympic and world championship teams.
As a member of the junior national team (1999-’00) and (2001-’03), Grant Osborne has trained at the U.S.O.T.C in Colorado, Springs, Colo. After qualifying for the U.S. national championships for the sixth consecutive year (1998-’03), Osborne placed as high as second in the all-around competition (2002).
Redshirt freshman Jahir Johnson (Fr., Toledo, Ohio) is a six-time regional qualifier and a three-time national qualifier. Johnson also has participated in both the Class IV and VI Ohio Championships, where he captured the all-around titles.
2004 PROMOTIONAL CALENDAR
Throughout the men’s gymnastics home schedule, fans can enjoy group packages at discounted prices. Offers are valid on tickets and concession items. As well during the Penn State meet, the final home competition of the season, any gymnastics club attending will have the opportunity to register to win a piece of gymnastics equipment.
FIND OUT ON THE WEB
Keep track of the latest men’s gymnastics news, scores and stats by logging on to the official Ohio State athletic website at ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
