Three Buckeyes Head to Las Vegas for Winter Cup – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
Feb. 18, 2015
Results | Live Stream | Weekly Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Three members of the eighth-ranked Ohio State men’s gymnastics team will compete at the 2015 Winter Cup Challenge Thursday and Saturday in Las Vegas at the Riviera Hotel and Casino’s Royale Pavilion. Senior Drew Moling, junior Alex Johnson and freshman Alexander Wilson will all contend for a spot on the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Prelims – Thursday, Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET
Finals – Saturday, Feb. 21 at 10:15 p.m. ET
SELECTION PROCESS & SCORING
Performances at Winter Cup will help determine the 15 men who comprise the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team through the 2015 P&G Championships in Indianapolis Aug. 13-16. The six members of the 2014 World Championships squad, plus the alternate, retain their spots on the national team. The remaining eight spots will be determined based on the following criteria: the Top 3 ranked all-around athletes who are not already on the senior national team; two based on the National Team Points System; two athletes selected by the Men’s Program Committee; and one selected by the national team coordinator.
The Top-42 gymnasts will advance to the final competition, along with the Top-3 gymnasts on each apparatus. The all-around and individual event champions will be determined via a combined two-day score.
WATCH LIVE
All three sessions of the competition will be streamed live at WinterCupChallenge.com/live, beginning at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 19, with the first of two preliminary sessions.
LAST TIME OUT
Ohio State suffered a 443.600-431.400 loss to No. 3 Penn State at Rec Hall in University Park, Pa., Feb. 6.
Penn State won five of six events on the evening, with the Buckeyes’ lone team victory coming on high bar. The Scarlet and Gray totaled season-best scores on three events, producing a 73.350 on parallel bars, a 73.300 on vault and a 72.650 aggregate on rings.
Wilson was the Buckeyes’ lone event winner, taking first on vault with a personal-best routine that earned a 15.050 from the judges. A native of Sugar Land, Texas, Wilson also tied for sixth on floor with a personal-best score of 14.500 and placed seventh on parallel bars with a personal-best 14.750.
BUCKEYES IN THE RANKINGS
TEAM
Ohio State fell to No. 8 in the CGA Week Six rankings following a bye week. The Buckeyes own the No. 5 team average in the nation on high bar (72.100) and are ranked in the Top 10 in four additional events: vault (seventh – 73.000); rings (seventh – 71.967); pommel horse (seventh, 70.350); and parallel bars (eighth, 71.733). Additionally, the team is ranked ninth in average all-around score (428.567).
INDIVIDUAL
Senior Larry Mayer is ranked fourth nationally on with a three-score average of 15.050, while Moling ranks ninth on both rings (15.267) and high bar (14.833).
BUCKEYE INJURY BUG
The Buckeyes have dealt with several injuries and illnesses to open the 2015 season.
Sophomore Sean Melton, the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a 2015 All-American, is dealing with a lower back issue and will not compete at Winter Cup as originally scheduled. A current member of the U.S. Senior National Team, Melton will petition to keep his spot on the squad.
Junior Jake Martin, also an All-American, is recovering from illness and will be held out of action at Winter Cup. He made his season-debut against Oklahoma and Iowa and also competed in several events at Penn State.
OHIO STATE NAMED BIG TEN FAVORITE
Ohio State was named the preseason favorite in the Big Ten Conference in a poll of league coaches.
Two-time defending national champion Michigan was voted second overall. Illinois was ranked third, followed by Penn State and Minnesota. Iowa and Nebraska completed the preseason rankings in sixth and seventh place, respectively.
UP NEXT
The entire squad returns to competition on Feb. 28 for Senior Day at St. John Arena against defending national champion Michigan. Meet time is 4 p.m. ET.
