No. 1 Men’s Gymnastics Closes Out Regular Season vs. No. 4 Michigan – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
March 10, 2005
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 1 Ohio State men’s gymnastics team will close out its regular-season schedule vs. No. 4 Michigan. The meet, originally scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, was changed to 1 p.m. Sunday at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Prior to the Buckeyes’ final home meet of the year, seniors Randy Monahan and Cody Trobaugh will be honored.
This is the 70th meeting between the Buckeyes (10-2-1; 5-1-1 Big Ten) and the Wolverines (6-4; 3-4 Big Ten). OSU leads the series 36-33 and has won five of the last seven competitions.
A GLIMPSE AT MICHIGAN
Michigan began its season at the Windy City Invitational where it placed third behind winner Illinois and second-place Ohio State. The Wolverines then won two-consecutive meets, defeating then-No. 8 Iowa and then-No. 7 Oklahoma. After taking a week off from team competition, the Maize and Blue dropped decisions to No. 9 Minnesota and No. 5 Penn State. Michigan rebounded with a win over then-No. 8 Stanford before losing a close meet (206.8-206.0) to the French National Team in Antibes, France, in exhibition action.
The Wolverines are led by junior Justin Laury. So far in 2005, Laury has won two Big Ten Gymnast of the Week awards and recorded an UM all-around record (56.050) vs. Oklahoma.
Kurt Golder is in his ninth year at the helm of the UM program. A 1977 graduate of Michigan, Golder returned to his alma mater in July of 1996 and since his return, he helped Michigan claim the 1999 Big Ten and NCAA championships titles. In addition to the national crown in 1999, Golder coached the Wolverines to five-consecutive Top 4 team finishes at the NCAA championships. Golder was named regional and national coach of the year in 1999, along with earning Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 1999 and 2000.
A LOOK BACK – MICHIGAN (2004)
Then-No. 6 Ohio State fell to then-No. 7 Michigan, 219.450-219.725, March 13, 2004, in Cliff Keen Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich. Four Buckeyes recorded career highs during the evening.
Junior co-captain Randy Monahan paced the Buckeyes by winning his seventh all-around competition of the season, scoring a 55.325. Monahan finished first on vault, posting a career-high 9.6. Also finishing first on rings, Monahan recorded a 9.6. Ronald Ferris placed first on pommel horse posting a then-career high 9.55. Jamey Houle was second, recording a career-best 9.325. Senior co-captain captain Jamie Shepard placed third on rings, recording a season-high 9.4 and scored a 9.2 on high bar to surpass his former career high of 9.150. Kerry Adderly scored a 9.2 to finish first on parallel bars. Adderly’s 9.2 ties his career high.
As a team, the Buckeyes scored a 36.7 on floor, 35.775 on pommel horse, 37.65 on rings, 37.15 on vault, 35.6 on parallel bars and a 36.550 on high bar.
MONAHAN NAMED BIG TEN GYMNAST OF THE WEEK
Randy Monahan was named Big Ten Co-Gymnast of the Week for the week of Feb. 28 after guiding the No. 1 Buckeyes to a victory over No. 5 Penn State Feb. 26 at the Recreation Building in University Park, Pa. It is Monahan’s fifth career honor.
Monahan secured two first-place finishes, scoring a 9.55 on floor and a 9.725 on rings to help OSU tally the second-highest NCAA team total (222.075) on the road since 2000. The second-year co-captain also placed second on vault with a season-best 9.5 and concluded the competition tied for second on high bar, tallying a 9.55
STAYING ON TOP
Ohio State has swept the Top 3 spots on an event 14 times this season. Against Minnesota (Jan. 15) a trio of Buckeyes captured parallel bars and high bar. OSU continued its success vs. Illinois-Chicago, (Jan. 22) claiming the Top 3 positions on all six events. In its meet vs. Illinois (Jan. 29), OSU swept rings, while against Nebraska (Feb. 18), the Buckeyes nabbed pommel horse and high bar. OSU’s last sweep came against Penn State Feb. 26. Ohio State captured floor, pommel horse and rings.
LAST TIME OUT – JAPAN ALL-STARS
Ohio State broke from regular-season action to take on the Japan College All-Stars March 3 at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The Buckeyes dropped a 228.200-214.600-decision in the exhibition meet.
Freshman Mike Marino led the way for the No. 1 Buckeyes in the all-around, compiling a 52.950. Marino’s highest score of the meet was a 9.250 on pommel horse. DJ Bucher recorded the top score of the night with a 9.850 on parallel bars. Senior co-captain Randy Monahan rounded out the top Buckeye performers with a 9.75 on high bar.
LAST TIME OUT – OKLAHOMA
The Buckeyes lost to No. 4 Oklahoma, 222.825-222.675, March 5 at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla. With its score of 222.675, OSU compiled the third-highest NCAA road score since 2000.
Ohio State started off strong, winning the first two rotations. The Buckeyes claimed floor, 37.125-36.4, with the help of senior Randy Monahan’s season-high 9.625 for second place. Cody Trobaugh finished off the Top 3 with a score of 9.3. Junior Ronald Ferris led the way on pommel horse with a second-place 9.5 to push Ohio State to a 36.6-36.550 edge over Oklahoma. DJ Bucher finished third on the apparatus with a score of 9.3.
The Buckeyes dropped the third rotation, 38.300-37.825. Monahan was the top OSU rings competitor, scoring a 9.675 for third place. OSU rebounded on vault with a team score of 37.25, it’s highest output of the season. Freshman Jimmy Wickham and Monahan finished second and third, recording a 9.4 and a 9.35, respectively. Bucher led the way for the Buckeyes on parallel bars, finishing second with a tally of 9.275. Ohio State lost the event, 35.925-36.825. OSU concluded the evening with a 37.95 tie on high bar. Willie Ito placed first on the event with a 9.85 and Ferris finished second, tallying a 9.8.
BUCKEYES IN THE RANKINGS
Nationally, Ohio State is No. 1 on three of six events. The Buckeyes hold the No. 1 spot on pommel horse, averaging 37.792 points a meet. OSU also is No. 1 on rings (38.350) and high bar (38.167). Ohio State is second, third and fifth on floor (37.075), parallel bars (36.692) and vault (37.192), respectively.
Individually, DJ Bucher, Willie Ito and Randy Monahan lead the Buckeyes with Bucher, Ito and Monahan claiming the top spots on parallel bars (9.775) rings (9.833) and high bar (9.85), respectively. On pommel horse, Ronald Ferris and Ito own the three and four spots. Ferris is averaging 9.617 points a meet and Ito has compiled 9.608 points. Ferris is second behind teammate Ito on high bar (9.792) and Monahan is fourth on the apparatus, tallying 9.783 points.
IN THE BIG TEN
As they are nationally, the Buckeyes are the Big Ten leaders on pommel horse, rings and high bar. OSU also is first on floor, second on parallel bars and fourth on vault.
DJ Bucher, Willie Ito and Randy Monahan are Ohio State’s top performers in the league, with Bucher placing first on parallel bars, Ito nabbing first on high bar and Monahan claiming first on rings. Junior Ronald Ferris is second and third on high bar (9.792) and pommel horse (9.617) and Bucher is third in the conference on rings (9.7).
SURGING FORWARD
Ohio State continued its record breaking season when it posted an all-time team best score of 223.975 against Nebraska Feb. 18. In addition to its record team score, the Buckeyes notched a Buckeye team record on pommel horse with a score of 38.6. The tally stands as the top team score on any apparatus since new scoring rules were implemented in 2001.
BUCKEYES IN THE RECORD BOOK
Junior Ronald Ferris and sophomore Willie Ito re-wrote the Ohio State record books during the meet against Nebraska Feb. 18. Ferris and Ito recorded all-time records, with Ferris compiling a 9.925 on high bar and Ito tallying a 9.9 on pommel horse.
With the 9.925, Ferris is tied with teammate Randy Monahan for the best score on an apparatus. Earlier in the 2005 season, Monahan notched a 9.925 on rings vs. Illinois-Chicago (Jan. 22).
With his score of 9.9 on pommel horse, Ito surpassed his former OSU record of 9.675, re corded vs. Illinois Jan. 29. The career and Ohio State best marks the third time Ito has beaten his own score. Ito tied former Buckeye Ryan Schwartzkopf’s record of 9.65 last season vs. Minnesota (Jan. 17).
RAJ BHAVSAR NAMED VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT COACH
Former Ohio State men’s gymnast Raj Bhavsar was named a volunteer assistant coach of the Ohio State men’s gymnastics team head coach Miles Avery announced. Bhavsar joins the coaching staff led by Avery and assistants Arnold Kvetenadze and Doug Stibel.
“It’s a great honor to be named a volunteer coach,” Bhavsar said. “It’s my way of giving back to the program and hopefully I will be able to give this team a little extra edge to win a national championship this year.”
“We are happy to have such a high-level, high-caliber and world-class gymnast in this position,” Avery said. “It’s great he wants to do this for us and give back to the program. He will be able to motivate the guys with his competitive style and intensity.
SAVING THE BEST FOR THE ROAD
With its mark of 223.4 vs. Illinois Jan. 29, Ohio State recorded the highest team score in the NCAA on the road since 2000.
The record previously was held by Penn State, who tallied a 221.875 at Oklahoma.
WHO’S THE FRESHMAN?
In his first collegiate meet, freshman DJ Bucher re-wrote the Ohio State men’s gymnastics record book with his 9.85 and first-place parallel bars finish at the Windy City Invitational. The Mason, Ohio, native owns the individual OSU record on parallel bars, surpassing Raj Bhavsar’s 9.650, which he tallied at the 2001 NCAA Championships. Both scores are records under the scoring system implemented after the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
TAKING CHARGE
OSU has swept all six events in three meets this season. Ohio State claimed every event against No. 9 Minnesota Jan. 15. In the win over then-No. 12 Illinois-Chicago, the Buckeyes continued their streak, winning each event. Recently, vs. No. 11 Nebraska, the Buckeyes claimed each event and recorded an OSU all-time best 38.6 on pommel horse.
Last season, Ohio State swept all six events only once (Illinois-Chicago).
2005 CAPTAINS
Seniors Randy Monahan and Cody Trobaugh were selected team captains for the 2005 season by their teammates.
The honor is the first for Trobaugh and the second for Monahan. The Elizabethtown, Pa., native served as co-captain last season.
UP NEXT
Ohio State will be competing in the 2005 Big Ten Men’s Gymnastics Championships March 25-26 in Ann Arbor, Mich., at Cliff Keen Arena.
The Buckeyes will follow up the Big Ten championships with the 2005 NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships in West Point, N.Y.
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.
