Michigan
Windy City Invitational
Vault, Floor Lineups Excel as U-M Takes Fifth at Windy City Invite
1/17/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
» Seven freshmen took part in the meet and accounted for 17 routines.
» U-M's best event finish came on vault with a 74.50, with Anthony McCallum (2nd), Emyre Cole (3rd) and Anthony Stefanelli (5th).
» The Wolverines placed three competitors in the top 10 on floor with Cole taking fourth (14.65), Stefanelli taking fifth (14.60) and Marty Strech taking eighth (14.30).
Site: Chicago, Ill. (UIC Pavilion)
Event: Windy City Invitational
U-M Team Result: 5th Place of 6 Teams (413.700)
U-M Record: 1-4 (0-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Meet: Saturday, Jan. 23 -- vs. Oklahoma (Cliff Keen Arena), 5 p.m.
CHICAGO, Ill. -- The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team debuted seven freshmen and marked a team score of 413.700 to take fifth at the 43rd Windy City Invitational Sunday (Jan. 17) at UIC Pavilion.
Starting the 2016 regular season on vault, the Wolverines debuted three of the seven freshmen on the table and took three of the top five finishes, led by Emyre Cole with a 15.15 that resulted in a third-place finish. Anthony McCallum followed with a 15.30 that resulted in a second-place finish. Junior Anthony Stefanelli marked a 15.00 for fifth to aid in U-M scoring a 74.50 in the first rotation, besting Ohio State (72.95) on the event by more than two points.
U-M struggled with a 63.65 on parallel bars in rotation two but was led by a 13.95 from sophomore Dmitri Belanovski and a 13.80 from McCallum before moving to high bar in the third rotation. Senior Nolan Novak, competing for the first time on the bar in his U-M career, marked a team-best 14.15. Redshirt senior Michael Strathern notched a 13.80 as the Maize and Blue scored a 67.15 on the apparatus and sat in fifth heading into the fourth rotation on floor.
Floor exercise saw Stefanelli secure a 14.60 to take fifth, but it was Cole once again that showed out on his routine, scoring a 14.65 for a fourth-place finish. Redshirt freshman Marty Strech, competing in the all-around as an exhibition scorer, marked a 14.30. The Wolverines finished with a 70.65 on the event.
Michigan was forced to count several falls on pommel horse, scoring a 66.20 on the event. Belanovski and Novak (14.00) tied for the team lead and did their best to bail out the Wolverine effort. U-M's season opener concluded on still rings, where the Maize and Blue scored a 71.55 with a third-place 14.75 from senior Colin Mahar and a ninth-place finish from Belanovski (14.55).
In all-around competition, Belanovski took sixth with a 83.35, while Strech placed eighth with an 81.45.
Michigan begins its 2016 home campaign next Saturday (Jan. 23) at 5 p.m., as it plays host to defending NCAA champion and No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners at Cliff Keen Arena. For tickets, visit MGoBlue.com/tickets.
Players Mentioned
