Weekly Release #12

Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sat., March 30-31 -- at Big Ten Championships (Minneapolis, Minn.), 7 p.m. CDT
Thu-Sat., April 12-14 -- at NCAA Championships (State College, Pa.)

This Week: Big Ten Championships
The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team (13-4, 8-1 Big Ten) begins the postseason in Minneapolis, Minn., at the Big Ten Championships hosted by the University of Minnesota Friday and Saturday (March 30-31). The two-day meet will be held at the Sports Pavilion; both days will begin at 7 p.m. CDT. Last year, the Wolverines finished fourth in the Big Ten Championships with a point total of 210.775. Andrew DiGiore (2003-06) was U-M's lone vaulter, and claimed the only Michigan Big Ten title with a 9.638.

Last Meet: Wolverines Fall to Ohio State in Regular-Season Finale
The Wolverines closed out the regular season with their first dual-meet loss of the season, falling to then-No. 3 Ohio State 215.850-220.500 on March 17 in Columbus, Ohio. Sophomore Kent Caldwell (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Latin HS) claimed the only individual title for the Maize and Blue, posting a first place score of 9.650. Caldwell's score assisted Michigan to claim the team floor title with a tally of 35.700. U-M closed the regular-season with a 13-4 overall record (8-1 in the Big Ten; 5-1 dual record).

Big Ten Titles Under Golder
Head coach Kurt Golder currently owns two team Big Ten titles, and has coached U-M athletes to 15 individual titles. Golder claimed his first conference title in 1999, when he led U-M to a National title. In 2000, the U-M head coach and the Wolverines defended their conference crown with the most points (232.100) since 1994's total of 274.550. Golder has mentored 15 individual Big Ten Champions, with fifth-year senior co-captain Justin Laury (Marietta, Ga./McEachern HS) being the only individual champion on the roster (2005, All-Around).

First-Ever Event Titles
Freshmen DJ Chan (Singapore, Singapore/Hale School) and Mel Santander (Southborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional HS) earned their first event titles, assisting U-M to a win over Illinois on March 10. On the pommel horse, Chan scored a personal-record of 9.000 to earn his first-ever title in the event. Santander posted a 9.150 on the p-bars to earn a share of his first career title, scoring 0.150 points shy of his career best.

Caldwell Owns the Floor
Sophomore Kent Caldwell claimed his sixth floor title of the year, giving him the most individual titles in one event among the Wolverines. There have only been two dual-meets (Illinois, Oklahoma) that Caldwell has not won the floor title this season. Caldwell is currently ranked No. 1 in the Nation on the floor exercise with a three score average of 9.667.

Michigan's 2006-07 Title Count (Includes Ties for First Place)

Floor Exercise
Scott Bregman (2)
Kent Caldwell (6)

Pommel Horse
DJ Chan (1)
Justin Laury (2)

Rings
Andrew Elkind (1)
Ralph Rosso (2)

Vault
Scott Bregman (1)
Daniel Rais (1)

Parallel Bars
Andrew Elkind (4)
Mel Santander (1)

High Bar
Joe Catrambone (2)
Andrew Elkind (3)
Justin Laury (1)

Wolverines Sitting on Top of the Big Ten
Big Ten Top 25 Three Score Averages (through 3/26/07)

Floor Exercise 1. Caldwell Kent (9.667) 2. Scott Bregman (9.550) t7. Ralph Rosso (9.383) 9. Jamie Thompson (9.333) 12. Dan Rais (9.233) 25. Mel Santander (8.967) Pommel Horse  2. Justin Laury (9.100) 6. Mel Santander (8.917) 9. Paul Woodward (8.850) t13. David Chan (8.617) 16. Ralph Rosso (8.583) 17. Andrew Elkind (8.550) Rings 3. Ralph Rosso (9.533) 9. Andrew Elkind (9.400) 10. Aaron Rakes (9.383) 15. Torrance Laury (9.250) 24. Joe Catrambone (9.050) 25. Justin Laury (8.967) Vault 12. Dan Rais (8.817) t13. Torrance Laury (8.750) 15. Ralph Rosso (8.750) 17. Caldwell Kent (8.717) 19. Scott Bregman (8.683) 21. Jamie Thompson (8.683) Parallel Bars 1. Andrew Elkind (9.550) 5. Justin Laury (9.367) t6. Mel Santander (9.267) 11. Torrance Laury (9.083) 12. Paul Woodward (8.983) High Bar 2. Andrew Elkind (9.317) 6. Joe Catrambone (9.150) 7. Justin Laury (9.133) 9. Aaron Rakes (9.083) 14. Dan Rais (8.933) 17. Mel Santander (8.800)

2007 GymInfo Rankings (3/26/07)
Michigan fell to then-No. 3 Ohio State 215.850-220.500 and dropped to No. 2 in the GymInfo rankings. U-M has a three-score average of 216.800, 0.67 behind No. 1 Ohio State. Michigan was No. 1 in the GymInfo rankings for eight-straight weeks after starting the season ranked No. 8.

Rank, Team Total Season Average  1. Ohio State 216.867 2. MICHIGAN 216.800 3. Oklahoma 216.667 4. Stanford 215.933 5. Penn State 215.883 6. Minnesota 212.933 7. Illinois 212.350 8. California 211.300 9. Iowa 207.517 10. Nebraska 204.600 11. Temple 203.033 12. Army 201.433 13. Illinois-Chicago 199.483 14. William & Mary 199.017 15. Navy 197.083 16. Air Force Academy 192.817 17. Springfield 184.917 18. M.I.T. 181.067 19. Texas 164.383 20. James Madison 163.650

On the Horizon
The Wolverines will close the season in State College, Pa., in the NCAA Championships on April 12-14. The event is hosted by Penn State University in Recreation Hall.

Contact: Joseph Conrad (734) 763-4423