Ohio State
No. 7 Illinois
Ohio State Drops Nailbiter to Illinois in Regular Season Finale
3/25/2025 7:00:00 PM | General, Men's Gymnastics
The Buckeyes lost by just 0.750 in Covelli on Tuesday to the Fighting Illini.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 6 Ohio State men's gymnastics team (9-4, 1-3 B1G) dropped a nailbiter to No. 7 Illinois (5-3, 2-2 B1G) in Tuesday's regular season finale, falling by a 322.450-321.700 margin.
The Buckeyes earned two individual event wins in the meet. Kameron Nelson earned his fifth floor title of the season and stuck his final pass to earn a score of 14.500. Drake won his third parallel bars title of the season with a 13.350.
Ohio State had eight additional podium finishes. Jesse Pakele captured the bronze on floor with a score of 14.050, sticking his final pass. Parker Thackston was the runner-up on pommel horse (14.350). Andrews earned a career-high 13.950 on rings to finish as the runner-up, while Tyler Rockwood got on the podium with a 13.750. Nelson earned his second podium spot of the day with a second-place finish on vault (14.250). Pakele was the runner-up on parallel bars (13.250), while Tyler Burgess tied for third (13.100). Thackston was third on high bar (13.250).
How it Happened
- Floor (54.000): Pakele (14.050, stick), Noah Copeland (13.400), Jacob Harmon (12.050), Nelson (14.500, stick)
- Pommel horse (53.050): Kristian Grahovski (13.500), Conlan Simpkins (12.550), David Ramirez (12.650), Thackston (14.350)
- Rings (tied season-high 54.650): Drake Andrews (career-high 13.950), Arthur Ashton (13.400), Nelson (13.550), Tyler Rockwood (13.750)
- Vault (55.250): Ramirez (13.500), Grahovski (13.900), Harmon (13.600), Nelson (14.250)
- Parallel bars (52.800): Andrews (13.350), Burgess (13.100), Ramirez (13.100), Pakele (13.250)
- High bar (51.950): Thackston (13.250), Copeland (12.900), Grahovski (12.500), Andrews (13.200)
What They Said
Head coach Rustam Sharipov: "I'm disappointed in the end of this meet and the regular season. We had chances to win our last home meet but couldn't get it done today. We'll shift our focus to fixing the details ahead of next week's Big Ten Championships."
Up Next
Ohio State travels to Ann Arbor for the 2025 Big Ten Championships on Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5.
#GoBucksÂ
