Cameron Earns Spot on U.S. Senior National Team

Saturday, February 7

Las Vegas, Nev.

7:00 PM PT

Michigan

Winter Cup Finals

2/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics

Site: Las Vegas, Nev. (Sports Center)
Event: Winter Cup Challenge
Next U-M Meet: Saturday, Feb. 21 -- at Pacific Coast Classic (Oakland, Calif.), 7 p.m. PST

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Preseason All-Big Ten sophomore Chris Cameron(Winter Haven, Fla./Lake Region HS) of the No. 3-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team earned a roster spot on the U.S. Men's Senior National Team on Saturday night (Feb. 7), totaling sufficient qualifying points after claiming ninth in the all-around with a two-day 171.100 score during the Winter Cup Challenge at the Las Vegas Sports Center. Cameron finished fourth overall on rings (29.800) and parallel bars (29.600) and placed seventh on floor exercise (29.450).

With the honor, Cameron becomes the Wolverines' first male gymnast to make the senior national team since current assistant coach Scott Vetere served on the squad from 1999-2000. Cameron will hold a place on the team at least until the 2009 Visa Championships this August.

The Florida native added 25.250 on pommel horse, 28.900 on vault and 28.100 on horizontal bar during the contest to complete his all-around mark.

Sophomore Thomas Kelley(Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville HS) closed the competition in 13th in the all-around with a 169.000 weekend total, powered by a 29.050 on horizontal bar to tie for sixth. Kelley recorded 27.540 on floor, 25.700 on pommel horse, 28.350 on rings, 30.800 on vault and 27.650 on parallel bars.

U-M featured two top-10 scorers on pommel horse in fifth-year senior Paul Woodward(Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles HS) and junior Mel Anton Santander(Southborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional HS). Santander grabbed fifth with a 28.850, while Woodward ranked seventh with a 28.400.

A 2008 All-American on rings, senior/junior captain Phillip Goldberg(Dalton, Ga./McCallie HS) registered 29.850 to mark Michigan's top score on the event and seize third place overall. Goldberg's 15.300 during the Winter Cup finals currently stands as the top U-M score on the event in the 2009 campaign.

In addition to Cameron, six other gymnasts also qualified for national team roster slots during the competition and two former members received an invitation through petition. The Men's Program Committee will also name six additional athletes to the team at a later date.

Following an open week, Michigan heads to Oakland, Calif., to compete in the Pacific Coast Classic on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Oakland Convention Center. The meet will begin at 7 p.m. PST.

Event-by-Event Results

All-Around	Day 1	Day 2	Total
1. Joseph Hagerty, USOTC	88.150	89.750	177.900
9. Chris Cameron, U-M	84.850	86.250	171.100
13. Thomas Kelley, U-M	82.900	86.100	169.000
22. Mel Anton Santander, U-M	80.250	83.500	163.750
23. Justin Laury, HGA	82.050	81.300	163.350
FLOOR EXERCISE
1. Joseph Hagerty, USOTC	15.000	15.500	30.500
7. Chris Cameron, U-M	14.700	14.750	29.450
22. Justin Laury, HGA	14.400	13.300	27.700
22. Mel Anton Santander, U-M	13.700	14.000	27.700
26. Thomas Kelley, U-M	12.850	14.600	27.450
33. Ralph Rosso, U-M	11.850	13.700	25.550
POMMEL HORSE
1. Tim McNeill, Cal	15.250	15.100	30.350
5. Mel Anton Santander, U-M	14.750	14.100	28.850
7. Paul Woodward, U-M	14.400	14.000	28.400
21. Phil Goldberg, U-M	13.400	13.300	26.700
27. Ralph Rosso, U-M	13.450	12.400	25.850
29. Thomas Kelley, U-M	12.950	12.750	25.700
31. Chris Cameron, U-M	12.100	13.150	25.250
36. Justin Laury, HGA	11.150	11.900	23.050
STILL RINGS
1. David Sender, Stanford	15.200	15.450	30.650
3. Phil Goldberg, U-M	14.550	15.300	29.850
4. Chris Cameron, U-M	14.900	14.900	29.800
13. Ralph Rosso, U-M	14.500	14.300	28.800
19. Thomas Kelley, U-M	13.850	14.500	28.350
19. Justin Laury, HGA	14.500	13.850	28.350
27. Mel Anton Santander, U-M	14.000	13.900	27.900
VAULT
1. David Sender, Stanford	16.100	16.100	32.200
14. Thomas Kelley, U-M	15.350	15.450	30.800
28. Chris Cameron, U-M	14.300	14.600	28.900
29. Ralph Rosso, U-M	14.950	13.850	28.800
25. Justin Laury, HGA	14.650	14.900	29.550
32. Mel Anton Santander, U-M	11.700	15.450	27.150
PARALLEL BARS
1. Danell Leyva, Universal	14.850	15.200	30.050
4. Chris Cameron, U-M	14.750	14.850	29.600
12. Ralph Rosso, U-M	14.300	14.100	28.400
16. Thomas Kelley, U-M	13.550	14.100	27.650
18. Justin Laury, HGA	13.200	14.200	27.400
26. Mel Anton Santander, U-M	12.900	13.950	26.850
37. Paul Woodward, U-M	12.650	12.200	24.850
HORIZONTAL BAR
1. Paul Ruggeri, III, Illinois	15.350	15.150	30.500
6. Thomas Kelley, U-M	14.350	14.700	29.050
12. Chris Cameron, U-M	14.100	14.000	28.100
16. Justin Laury, HGA	14.150	13.150	27.300
28. Mel Anton Santander, U-M	13.200	12.100	25.300