Michigan
Big Ten Team and All-Around Finals
Weekly Release #11: at Big Ten Championships
3/23/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sat., March 26-27 -- at Big Ten Championships (Iowa City, Iowa), 7 p.m. CST
Saturday, April 10 -- at NCAA East Regional (Champaign, Ill.), 7 p.m. CDT
No. 1 Wolverines Meet Big Ten Competition in Iowa
First-ranked Michigan is traveling to Iowa City, Iowa, for the Big Ten Conference Men's Gymnastics Championships, held at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Friday and Saturday (March 26-27). The Big Ten holds the top five positions in the national rankings: No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Penn State, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Iowa, No. 5 Illinois. Michigan State and Minnesota also appear in the national rankings, entering the competition ranked seventh and 16th, respectively.
1998 Big Ten Recap
After four straight second-place finishes in the Big Ten Championships, Iowa captured the Big Ten crown last season, winning with a total team score of 230.525. Penn State claimed second with 229.975 total team points, which included Mike Dutka's first-place all-around performance (58.350). Two-time defending champion Ohio State (229.600) finished third while Michigan State (227.975) finished fourth. Illinois (227.575), Michigan (226.625) and Minnesota (222.225) were the remaining competing teams.
Michigan vs. Big Ten Teams
The Wolverines current conference record for this season is 7-5. Michigan has beaten No. 2 Penn State at the Santa Barbara Invitational (March 6), No. 5 Illinois at the Windy City Invitational (Jan. 16) and in a tri-meet with Ohio State (Jan. 29), and No. 7 Michigan State at the Windy City Invitational and in two dual meets (March 14, March 20).
Michigan's History in Big Ten Championships
The Maize and Blue are looking to improve their finish for the third straight year under head coach Kurt Golder. The Wolverines are shooting for their first Big Ten Conference team championship since 1975, when Golder was on the roster for the Michigan men's gymnastics team.
Toman Defends His Crown
Sophomore co-captain Justin Toman (Wallingford, Conn./Lymna Hall HS) was the 1998 Big Ten champion on the parallel bars with a score of 9.750. John Corritore was the last Wolverine to claim this honor in 1978. Toman goes into this competition with a new career high of 9.850 on the parallel bars, received at the Illinois-Chicago meet (Jan. 23). He is also tied for fourth in the GymInfo national ranking (March 22) on the parallel bars (9.762).
Michigan Defeats Michigan State for Third Time
Michigan (231.850) edged out Michigan State (229.925) this past Saturday (March 20) at Jenison Field House in East Lansing. The Wolverines beat their own team season-best score of 230.400, received in a previous meet against the Spartans (March 14). The Maize and Blue recorded a 3-0 winning record against the Green and White this season.
Junior LaLo Haro (Puebla, Pue., Mexico/Instituto Iberia) contributed a winning, career-high all-around score of 58.000 to the Wolverines' new team high score, while freshman Daniel Diaz-Luong (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt HS) contributed a second-place score of 57.875. Sophomore co-captain Justin Toman made his mark in the individual events with a tie for first place on the floor exercise (9.800) and a second-place finish on the parallel bars with another score of 9.800.
Wolverines Take Top Spot in National Rankings
Entering the 11th week of competition, Michigan climbs from fifth to first place in the GymInfo national rankings (March 22). With the Wolverines' new season-high team score of 231.850 against Michigan State this past Saturday (March 20), Michigan was able to vault into the leading spot. This is the first week the Wolverines have held the top position in the ranking.
NAGC/M Top 20 Rankings (3/22/99)
(by Regional Qualifying Average)
1. MICHIGAN 229.175 2. Penn State 228.250 3. Ohio State 228.037 4. Iowa 227.887 5. Illinois 227.512 6. Nebraska 227.475 7. Michigan State 227.437 8. Oklahoma 225.575 9. Illinois-Chicago 224.425 10. Brigham Young 223.500 11. Massachusetts 223.237 12. California 222.900 13. Stanford 222.850 14. New Mexico 220.237 15. Air Force 217.175 16. Minnesota 217.075 17. Temple 216.900 18. Army 216.850 19. William & Mary 216.100 20. Navy 213.850
Michigan's National Team Rankings
In all six events the Wolverines hold spots in the top six in the most recent GymInfo national ranking (March 22). The Blue Tumblers are currently first in the nation on the parallel bars (38.575), second on the floor exercise (38.300) and the still rings (38.825), third on the pommel horse (38.462) and the vault (38.162) and sixth on the high bar (37.587). Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan State, Illinois and Nebraska are the only other teams that hold first through third-place positions in the ranking.
Michigan's Individual National Rankings
Sophomore co-captain Justin Toman makes a mark for Michigan in the GymInfo individual national rankings (March 22). Toman is presently ranked third on the floor exercise (9.775), tied for fourth on the parallel bars (9.762) and 14th on the high bar (9.650). Freshman Daniel Diaz-Luong (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt HS) is also a strong name for the Wolverines in the ranking as he is ranked fourth in the all-around (57.275), sixth on the parallel bars (9.737), tied for ninth on the pommel horse (9.725) and the vaut (9.637) and 10th on the high bar (9.712).
Junior LaLo Haro claims fifth place in the all-around (57.212) and is tied for 11th place on the vault with a 9.600 and 17th on the high bar (9.600). On the pommel horse, with a 9.750, freshman Scott Vetere is tied for sixth. Vetere also takes the eighth position on the parallel bars (9.712), 11th in the all-around (56.562), tied for 13th on the still rings (9.700) and tied for 15th on the vault (9.575). Sophomore Kenny Keener (Maryville, Tenn./Maryville HS) holds the second-place position on the still rings (9.812), while freshman Brad Kenna (Barberton, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit HS) is tied for 11th on the vault (9.600). Junior Ethan Johnson (Chevy Chase, Md./Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School) takes 18th place on the still rings with a 9.625.
Career Highs
Three all-around Wolverine tumblers recorded career highs in four events each at Saturday's meet (March 20) against Michigan State. Junior LaLo Haro received new personal-best scores on floor exercise (9.800), pommel horse (9.750), vault (9.800) and all-around (58.000). Freshman Daniel Diaz-Luong set new career highs on floor exercise (9.750), still rings (9.725), vault (9.775) and all-around (57.857), while fellow freshman Scott Vetere recorded highs on the pommel horse (9.875), still rings (9.750), parallel bars (9.875) and all-around (57.600).
Freshman Brad Kenna (Barberton, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit HS) beat his still rings (9.650) and vault (9.700) records, while first-year gymnast Josh Levin (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West HS) tied his parallel bar score of 9.450. Sophomore Kenny Keener (9.875) and junior Ethan Johnson (9.800) both set bests on the still rings.
Players Mentioned
