March 23, 2004

INDIANAPOLIS - All six Big Ten squads were among the 2004 National Collegiate Men's Gymnastics Championships selections, announced today by the NCAA.

Host Illinois earned the top qualifying score of 221.215, followed by defending national champion Oklahoma's 220.045. Penn State is third at 218.830, and Ohio State enters fifth at 218.160. Iowa (6th, 216.970), Michigan (7th, 216.160), and Minnesota (11th, 212.040) round out the Big Ten selections.

The national qualifier, which consists of two pre-qualifying sessions, will be conducted April 2 at Assembly Hall on the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign.

The Fighting Illini are coming off a record performance in their home gym, as just this past weekend, Illinois claimed its first Big Ten championship since 1989 with a score of 221.975.

Three teams and the top three all-around competitors not on one of the qualifying teams, plus the top three individuals on each event not already qualified on a team or as an all-around competitor, will advance from each pre-qualifying session to the finals session. Final competitions will take place April 3-4, also at Illinois.

Oklahoma won 2003 the title with a sum of 222.600. Ohio State finished second at 220.700 with Penn State placing third at 219.950.

The 2004 qualifying teams and individuals are listed below.

TEAM COMPETITION

Big Ten Men's Gymnastics

Printer-friendly format	Email this article