No. 8 Ohio State Battles No. 5 Michigan on Senior Day – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
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Feb. 27, 2015
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The eighth-ranked Ohio State men’s gymnastics team welcomes No. 5 Michigan, the two-time defending national champions, to St. John Arena for a Senior Day showdown Saturday, Feb. 28. Events begin at 4 p.m. ET.
SEVEN BUCKEYES HONORED ON SENIOR DAY
Seven seniors – former team members Matthew Barr and Jeff Treleaven, along with current Buckeyes Cory Barnes, Alex Nork, Danny Steiner, Larry Mayer and Drew Moling – will be honored following the meet on Saturday.
Barr was a two-year letter winner who competed for the Buckeyes in 11 total meets on vault, rings and floor exercise in 2011 and 2012. He graduated from Ohio State with a degree in electrical engineering.
Treleaven was a three-year letter winner and three-time All-American for the Buckeyes from 2011-2014. He is graduating from Ohio State with a degree in computer science and engineering.
Barnes has served as team manager the past three seasons after suffering an injury his sophomore season. He graduated this past December Summa Cum Laude with a degree in political sciences and a minor in business.
Nork is a three-year letter winner for the Buckeyes and a 2014 CGA Academic All-American. He is set to graduate from Ohio State next fall with a degree in economics.
Steiner is a three-year letter winner for the Scarlet and Gray and a two-time All-American on floor exercise. He is set to graduate from Ohio State next spring with a degree in air transportation.
Mayer is a three-year letter winner for the Buckeyes who has competed on vault, parallel bars and rings. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and three-time Ohio State Scholar Athlete, he is set to graduate from Ohio State next winter with a degree in sport industry and a minor in business.
Moling is a three-year letter winner and two-time captain for the Buckeyes. With six career victories and 35 Top-5 finishes entering today’s meet, Moling is a two-time recipient of the team’s Hardest Worker Award and the 2013 recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. He is set to graduate from Ohio State next spring with a degree in sport industry.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
Michigan ranks in the Top 5 in the country on four events. The Wolverines are the top-ranked team in the country on vault (74.283), third on floor exercise (74.367), No. 3 on pommel horse (72.400) and No. 4 on high bar (72.183). Stacey Ervin is the top individual gymnast for UM with a No. 1 ranking on floor (15.567) and a No. 2 ranking on vault (15.350). Nick Hunter (14.933) holds the No. 8 ranking nationally on pommel.
SERIES HISTORY VS. MICHIGAN
Ohio State leads the all-time series with Michigan 102-94. The Wolverines posted a perfect 6-0 record against the Buckeyes in 2014 and are 1-0 this year after finishing second ahead of third-place OSU at the Windy City Invitational. Ohio State has not defeated the Wolverines since finishing first at the Windy City Invitational in 2012. The Buckeyes have not beaten UM in a head-to-head dual meet since 2007.
BUCKEYES IN THE RANKINGS
TEAM
Ohio State remained No. 8 in the CGA Week Seven 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
Mayer is ranked fourth nationally on vault with a three-score average of 15.050, while Moling ranks ninth on both rings (15.267) and high bar (14.833).
BUCKEYES AT WINTER CUP
Future Buckeye Alec Yoder was named to the U.S. Senior National Team at the conclusion of the 2015 Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas last weekend.
Yoder, a native of Indianapolis, finished eighth overall in the all-around with a two-day score of 171.250. He placed in the Top 10 in three events, highlighted by a third-place tie on pommel horse with a two-day total of 30.050.
Moling, freshman Alexander Wilson and junior Alex Johnson participated in preliminary round competition on Thursday. Moling posted the top finish for OSU, placing 32nd overall with an all-around score of 79.450, including an 11th-place score of 14.250 on rings. Wilson competed in three events, earning a top score of 13.850 and a 21st-place finish on parallel bars. Johnson was featured in four events – he tied for 11th on high bar with a score of 14.250.
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.
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, has been dealing with a lower back issue and will not compete. He last saw action against Illinois in January.
Junior Jake Martin, also an All-American, is recovering from illness and will also be held out against Michigan. He last competed Feb. 6 against Penn State.
UP NEXT
Ohio State remains in Columbus for the Arnold Challenge next Saturday, March 7, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Events begin at 2 p.m. ET.
