Michigan Uses Season High to Reach NCAA Team Finals

Friday, April 11

Philadelphia, Pa.

7:00 PM

Michigan

NCAA National Qualifier

4/11/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The University of Michigan men's gymnastics team placed second in the second qualifying session of the NCAA National Qualifier by posting a season-high team score of 217.950. With U-M and Illinois advancing from the second qualifier, it gives the Big Ten Conference five of the six spots in tomorrow's team and all-around finals. In the first qualifying session Ohio State (218.600), Penn State (218.575), and Iowa (214.075) all qualified into Saturday's finals.

Vetere placed in the top 10 in three events on the way to his runner-up all-around finish.

The Wolverines were led by senior captain Scott Vetere (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown HS), who finished in second place in the all-around competition (54.775), one spot ahead of freshman Justin Laury (Marietta, Ga./McEachern HS), who had a 53.700 all-around total.

U-M began its quest for its fifth national championship on the parallel bars and posted its highest score of the season (35.525). The Wolverines were led by Vetere, who finished fourth on the event and posted the U-M's top individual performance for the season (9.175). Vetere also turned in the Michigan's top performances for the floor exercise, placing eighth with a 9.000, and pommel horse, taking fourth place with a Wolverines season-best 9.500.

Sophomore Geoff Corrigan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Palmer HS) and freshman Gerry Signorelli (Colorado Springs, Colo./Mitchell HS) posted Michigan's top scores on the horizontal bar (9.300). The scores, which were good for a fifth-place tie, matched a team season best in the event.

Senior Brian Peterson (Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado HS) posted his highest score of the season on the pommel horse (9.300). Senior Jamie Hertza (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield HS) also turned in a solid performance on the pommel horse (9.100) to finish tied for 10th for the event.

U-M had a strong performance on the still rings (9.400) from Laury, who finished tied for sixth for the event. The Wolverines also received strong efforts on still rings from seniors Conan Parzuchowski (Northville, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit HS) and Vetere. Parzuchowski finished in ninth in the event (9.375) and Vetere tied for 11th (9.250).

Michigan was led on vault by Big Ten champion Andrew DiGiore (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors School), who continued his success by sticking his routine and finishing in first for the event (9.450). The Wolverines' 37.000 was the best vault score of the evening session.

Michigan will be in action again tomorrow at 4 p.m. at the Liacouras Center as it try to stake claim to its fifth NCAA championship.

Final Team Standings

Team Scores	FX	PH	SR	V	PB	HB	Total
1. Oklahoma	36.000	36.450	38.050	36.925	36.800	36.900	221.125
2. MICHIGAN	35.200	36.850	36.875	37.000	35.525	36.500	217.950
3. Illinois	35.900	37.400	35.950	36.700	35.175	36.550	217.675
4. California	36.275	36.400	35.250	36.750	35.900	36.700	217.275
5. Temple	33.500	34.825	37.125	36.125	33.875	33.950	209.400
6. Nebraska	33.950	34.750	34.700	36.150	33.925	33.950	207.425

Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores

FLOOR EXERCISE Jamie Hertza 8.650 Gerry Signorelli 8.850 (t10) Geoff Corrigan 8.700 Eddie Umphrey 8.350 Justin Laury 8.350 Scott Vetere 9.000 (8) POMMEL HORSE Kevin George 8.750 Gerry Signorelli 8.400 Jamie Hertza 9.100 (t10) Brian Peterson 9.300 (t8) Justin Laury 8.950 Scott Vetere 9.500 (4) STILL RINGS Kevin George 8.850 Geoff Corrigan 8.750 Conan Parzuchowski 9.375 (9) Eddie Umphrey 8.200 Justin Laury 9.400 (t6) Scott Vetere 9.250 VAULT Gerry Signorelli 9.100 Geoff Corrigan 9.150 Eddie Umphrey 9.200 (t10) Justin Laury 9.200 (t10) Andrew DiGiore 9.450 (1) Scott Vetere 9.050 PARALLEL BARS Geoff Corrigan 8.650 Gerry Signorelli 8.800 Kris Zimmerman 8.750 Conan Parzuchowski 8.300 Justin Laury 8.800 Scott Vetere 9.175 (4) HORIZONTAL BAR Geoff Corrigan 9.300 (t5) Gerry Signorelli 9.300 (t5) Brian Berends 8.900 Kris Zimmerman 8.900 Justin Laury 9.000 Scott Vetere 8.800 ALL-AROUND Scott Vetere 54.775 (2) Justin Laury 53.700 (3) ( ) denotes place in the top 10