No. 8 Ohio State Hosts National Teams at Arnold Challenge – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
March 6, 2015
LIVE RESULTS | CONVENTION CENTER| ARNOLD SPORTS FESITVAL| Weekly Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The eighth-ranked Ohio State men’s gymnastics team hosts members of the Canadian National Team and Ukrainian National Team at the second annual Arnold Challenge March 7 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Events begin at 2:15 p.m. ET in Halls E and F.
Admission to the meet, in conjunction with the Arnold Sports Festival, costs $15. Children 10 and under are admitted for free accompanied by an adult. Fans can follow the team on Twitter (@OhioState_MGYM) for live updates.
BUCKEYES IN THE RANKINGS
TEAM
Ohio State remained No. 8 in the CGA Week Eight rankings following a bye week. The Buckeyes own the No. 3 team average in the nation on high bar (72.983) and are ranked in the Top 10 in four additional events: vault (seventh – 73.000), rings (seventh – 72.650), parallel bars (ninth, 71.733) and pommel horse (ninth, 70.767). Additionally, the team is ranked eighth in average all-around score (431.767).
INDIVIDUAL
Senior Drew Moling ranks sixth on rings (15.483), while senior Alex Nork is sixth on high bar (15.167). Senior Larry Mayer is tied for sixth nationally on vault with a three-score average of 15.133.
LAST TIME OUT
Ohio State tallied a season-best score of 432.200 against No.5 Michigan on Senior Day Feb. 28 at St. John Arena. The Wolverines won the meet with a team score of 437.050.
Competing once again without the services of All-Americans Sean Melton and Jake Martin, Ohio State won three of six events as a team and collected three event titles as Moling won rings, Nork won high bar and Mayer won vault. The Buckeyes also produced season-high scores on three events: rings (73.450), floor exercise (72.250) and pommel horse (71.250).
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.
FIVE UP, FIVE COUNT
Through Winter Cup, six gymnasts were allowed to perform on each event with the Top-5 scores counting toward the final team score. As of meets begin the weekend of Feb. 28, only five gymnasts are allowed to perform on each event with all five scores counting toward the overall team score.
2014 ARNOLD CHALLENGE RECAP
No. 3 Ohio State placed third at the Arnold Gymnastics Challenge, posting an overall team score of 429.500 to round out the Top-3 teams at the inaugural invitational.
No. 2 Michigan claimed first place with a team score of 437.500. No. 8 Iowa finished second (431.600), No. 11 Nebraska finished fourth (424.750), the Canadian National Team finished fifth (401.300) and Arizona State finished sixth (401.050).
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.
MARTIN & MELTON – GYMNASTS TO WATCH
Melton, a sophomore from Orlando, Fla., and Martin, a junior from Oviedo, Fla., were named Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch for the 2015 season.
A four-event All-American, two-time Big Ten champion and the 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Melton won a bronze medal in the all-around and team gold with the U.S. Senior National Team at the Senior Pan American championships in August. He also placed 11th at the P&G championships and collected a total of four medals at the Pan American Olympic Festival during the summer.
Martin was a two-event All-American and the Big Ten champion on vault for the Scarlet and Gray in 2014. He represented the Buckeyes at the P&G championships this summer.
A four-event All-American, two-time Big Ten champion and the 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Melton won a bronze medal in the all-around and team gold with the U.S. Senior National Team at the Senior Pan American championships in August. The Orlando, Fla., product also placed 11th at the P&G championships and collected a total of four medals at the Pan American Olympic Festival during the summer.
MOLING, JOHNSON & MELTON NAMED TEAM CAPTAINS
Moling, Melton and Johnson were named team captains for the 2014-15 season.
The Buckeyes will be led by a trio of captains for only the fifth time in the history of the program. The first time the squad featured three captains was 2001, when the Buckeyes won the third national championship in program history.
ALL-AMERICAN RETURNEES
Three 2014 All-Americans return to the squad this year in Melton (all-around, high bar, parallel bars, vault), Martin (all-around, vault) and Johnson (high bar). In addition, Steiner is a two-time All-American on floor exercise (2013 & 2012).
TEAM WELCOMES 10 NEWCOMERS
Ohio State welcomes the addition of nine freshmen for 2015: Wilson, Meyer Williams, Samuel DeWitt, Cody Teaney, Evan Bluemel, Seth Delbridge, Josh Hurwitz, Brandon Jacoby and Ryan Lemezis. In addition, Evan Eigner, a junior, transferred from Temple.
UP NEXT
Ohio State travels to Norman, Okla., for a dual meet with the No. 1-ranked Sooners on March. 14.
