Wolverines Defeat No. 6 Illinois in Home Finale

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In U-M's regular-season home finale, the No. 1-ranked University of Michigan mens gymnastics team defeated the No. 6-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini 216.350-212.500 Saturday (March 10) at Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines were led by sophomore Scott Bregman (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State HS), who earned the final Newt Loken Award of the year, posting the meets highest-score (9.650).

The Maize and Blue opened the meet on the floor exercise, claiming the team title with a score of 37.800-37.050. Bregman posted the highest score of the meet and took the individual title with a 9.650. Sophomore Kent Caldwell (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Latin HS) finished second, tallying a 9.600, while sophomore Ralph Rosso (Morganville, N.J./St. John Vianney HS) tied for third place with a score of 9.550. Junior Daniel Rais (Livonia, Mich./Franklin HS) rounded out the top-five with a score of 9.000.

On the pommel horse, U-M took home the team title, grabbing the top-five places to earn 35.350 points to Illinois 32.200. Freshman DJ Chan (Singapore, Singapore/Hale School) led the Wolverine charge, claiming his first-ever event title with a personal-best score of 9.000. Fifth-year senior co-captain Justin Laury (Marietta, Ga./McEachern HS) and junior/sophomore Paul Woodward (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles HS) finished second and third, respectively. Laury earned an 8.900, while Woodward finished third with an 8.750. Freshman Mel Santander (Southborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional HS) took fourth place (8.700), while Rosso claimed fifth (8.600).

After the first set of rotations, Michigan had a 73.150-69.250 running score lead.

On the still rings, U-M was edged out for the team title by .200 points, 36.950-36.750. Rosso was Michigans highest finisher with a third-place score of 9.350. Laury took fifth place, earning a 9.000 for his routine.

Despite falling shy of the team vault title by 1.750 with a score of 34.100, the Wolverines maintained their running score lead 144.000-142.050. Rais was the lone Wolverine in the top-five, posting a third place score of 8.950.

On the p-bars, Michigan increased its lead to 2.600 with a running score of 180.100-177.500. U-M claimed the team title with a score of 36.100-35.000. Senior/junior co-captain Andrew Elkind (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East HS) and Santander finished tied for first place; each earned a score of 9.150. Laury finished in fourth place with a 9.000.

The Wolverines closed out the meet on the high bar, tallying a team-point total of 36.250-35.450 to take the team event crown. Laury took the individual event title with a 9.250, while Elkind came in second posting a 9.200. Rais rounded out the top-five with a fourth-place finishing score of 9.000.

Laury finished with a second-place all-around score of 52.900, while Illinois' Wesley Haagensen took the all-around title with a tally of 53.550.

The Wolverines -- in their final regular-season meet of the year -- hit the road to challenge Big Ten foe Ohio State Saturday (March 17) at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The meet is set to begin at 7 p.m.

Final Team Standings

Team Scores	FX	PH	SR	V	PB	HB	Total
1. MICHIGAN	37.800	35.350	36.750	34.100	36.100	36.250	216.350
2. Illinois	37.050	32.200	36.950	35.850	35.000	35.450	212.500

Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores

Floor Exercise Justin Laury 8.700 Mel Santander 8.050 Ralph Rosso 9.550 (t3) Scott Bregman 9.650 (1) Kent Caldwell 9.600 (2) Daniel Rais 9.000 (5) Pommel Horse Ralph Rosso 8.600 (5) Andrew Elkind 8.350 Paul Woodward 8.750 (3) Mel Santander 8.700 (4) DJ Chan 9.000 (1) Justin Laury 8.900 (2) Still Rings Joe Catrambone 8.850 Aaron Rakes 9.250 (t4) Andrew Elkind 9.150 Ralph Rosso 9.350 (3) Justin Laury 9.000 (5) Vault Kent Caldwell 8.400 Scott Bregman 8.100 Daniel Rais 8.950 (3) Ralph Rosso 8.650 Justin Laury 8.050 Parallel Bars Paul Woodward 8.800 Ryan McCarthy 8.400 Ralph Rosso 8.550 Mel Santander 9.150 (t1) Justin Laury 9.000 (4) Andrew Elkind 9.150 (t1) High Bar Mel Santander 8.800 (t5) Daniel Rais 9.000 (4) Aaron Rakes 8.800 (t5) Joe Catrambone 5.700 Justin Laury 9.250 (1) Andrew Elkind 9.200 (2) All-Around Justin Laury 52.900 (2) ( ) denotes place in the Top 5