Michigan
NCAA Individual Event Finals
Toman Wins Parallel Bars National Championship
4/24/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
Site: Lincoln, Neb. (Bob Devaney Sports Center)
Event: #1 Michigan at NCAA Championships Individual Finals
U-M Team Finish: Non-scoring
Next U-M Event: Season completed
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Led by sophomore co-captain Justin Toman's (Wallingford, Conn./Lyman Hall HS) national championship on the parallel bars and his four total All-America citations, five University of Michigan men's gymnastics team members collected a total of 10 All-America honors Saturday (April 24) at NCAA Individual event finals at Nebraska's Bob Devaney Center.
Toman earned the men's gymnastics team's 21st national individual title with a win on the parallel bars (9.8375), the first U-M championship since 1992 when Brian Winkler won the floor exercise. In addition to finishing first on parallel bars, Toman also gained All-America status on the high bar with a third-place finish (9.775) and on the pommel horse with a fifth-place finish (9.6625).
Toman's performance on Saturday, coupled with his runner-up performance in the all-around competition held during the team preliminaries on Thurday (April 22), give him four All-America honors in 1999, surpassing Gil LaRose (three in 1963) for the most All-America citations earned by a Wolverine in one year. Toman needs just one more All-America honor to become the most decorated male gymnast in school history. Arno Lascari (1962-64) was a five-time All-American during his Wolverine career.
On the vault, two Wolverine freshmen earned their first All-America honors as Brad Kenna (Barberton, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit HS) and Daniel Diaz-Luong (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt HS) tied for second place with a 9.7375. Diaz-Luong earned a second All-America honor with a 9.1750 on the high bar.
Still rings also presented Michigan with two more All-Americans. Freshman Scott Vetere (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown HS), who became an All-American in the all-around during team preliminaries, finished in third on the rings with a career-high score of 9.825, while sophomore Kenny Keener (Maryville, Tenn./Maryville HS) took fourth with a 9.775.
Michigan's five All-Americans this year tie the 1963 squad for the most All-Americans in one season in school history, while the 10 total citations are one better than the nine All-America honors earned by the 1963 Michigan team.
Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores
FLOOR EXERCISE LaLo Haro 9.2500 (T9) POMMEL HORSE Justin Toman 9.6625 (T5) Scott Vetere 9.2000 (8) STILL RINGS Scott Vetere 9.8250 (3) Kenny Keener 9.7750 (4) VAULT Brad Kenna 9.7375 (T3) Daniel Diaz-Luong 9.7375 (T3) Scott Vetere 9.6750 (7) PARALLEL BARS Justin Toman 9.8375 (1) HORIZONTAL BAR Justin Toman 9.7750 (3) Daniel Diaz-Luong 9.1750 (8)
( ) denotes overall finish
QUOTES
Michigan Sophomore Justin Toman
"It feels good knowing that I was able to contribute a personal-best score for the team yesterday. On the parallel bars, I fell on my face last year at the NCAAs so it was nice to come back and do well this year. The team championship meant everything; this is just icing on the cake."
Players Mentioned
