Weekly Release #10
3/13/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
Upcoming Schedule
Friday, March 16 -- vs. Michigan State (Crisler Arena), 7 p.m.
Fri-Sat., March 23-24 -- at Big Ten Championships (State College, Pa.)
What's Ahead for the Wolverines
The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team will close its 2001 regular season with a meet against in-state rival Michigan State on Friday (March 16). The 7 p.m. event will be held at Crisler Arena, marking the first time since the 1998 Big Ten Championships that the Wolverines have competed at Crisler.
Scouting the Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are No. 6 in the nation in the latest rankings ... The Spartans defeated Iowa 214.450-211.200 on March 10 ... This marks the final time the Spartans and Wolverines will face each other in dual-meet competition, as Michigan State is cutting its men's gymnastics program ... MSU is led by Jonathon Plante, who is ranked first in the nation on the pommel horse ... Michigan State on the web: www.msuspartans.com.
Wolverine Individuals Compete at Michigan State
The Wolverines sent several individuals to compete against No. 5 Michigan State and No. 6 Iowa on Saturday (March 10) at the Jenison Field House in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan did not field a full six-person team on any event and therefore did not have a final team score. Junior Brad Kenna (Barberton, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit HS) finished in a first-place tie on the floor exercise (9.350) and in a fourth-place tie on the high bar (8.750). Junior Daniel Diaz-Luong (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt HS) took home second-place honors on the still rings (9.350), along with sophomore Conan Parzuchowski (Northville, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit HS).
Michigan Says Goodbye to Senior Class
The Wolverines will say farewell to four seniors during the March 16 meet against Michigan State, as it marks the final home appearance by Jesse Coleman (Canton, Mich./Plymouth Canton HS), tri-captain Tim Dehr (Burr Ridge, Ill./Hinsdale Central HS), Kenny Keener (Maryville, Tenn./Maryville HS) and tri-captain Kevin Roulston (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township HS). Senior tri-captain Justin Toman (Wallingford, Conn./Lyman Hall HS) is red-shirting the season after suffering an injury during the summer and will compete during the 2002 season.
Vetere Standing Strong
Junior Scott Vetere (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown HS) earned the fourth Big Ten Gymnast of the Week award of his career and the second of the season on Feb. 18. Michigan's 2000 co-Male Athlete of the Year and 2000 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year has already gained one weekly honor (Jan. 31) and holds 11 first-place titles this year. Vetere, who already holds six of the seven school records, holds six of the 2001 season bests for the Wolverines.
| Pommel Horse | 9.450 | vs. Oklahoma/UMass (Feb. 18) |
| Still Rings | 9.650 | vs. Oklahoma/UMass (Feb. 18) |
| Vault | 9.550 | at Spanish National Team (March 3) |
| Parallel Bars | 9.250 | vs. Oklahoma/UMass (Feb. 18) |
| High Bar | 9.525 | vs. Oklahoma/UMass (Feb. 18) |
| All-Around | 54.600 | vs. Oklahoma/UMass (Feb. 18) |
Freshman Sets Career High at MSU
Michigan's lone freshman, Chris Gatti (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford HS) competed in a career-high four events at Michigan State on March 10. Performing on the floor exercise (7.750), still rings (8.400), vault (8.250) and high bar (7.150), Gatti tied his career high on the still rings and set a new high in his first time on the floor exercise.
Wolverines Remains No. 2
For the third consecutive week, the Wolverines are ranked as the No. 2 team in the nation. With a two-score average of 214.637, Michigan is nearly a point ahead of third-ranked Ohio State. The Wolverines continue to dominate the nation on the pommel horse, while ranking second on the parallel bars. Rounding out the separate apparatuses are a fourth-place ranking on the vault, fifth on the still rings and high bar and sixth on the floor exercise.
Big Ten teams hold seven of the top nine spots in the team rankings -- No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Illinois, No. 6 Michigan State, No. 7 Iowa, No. 8 Minnesota and No. 9 Penn State. Throughout January, the national rankings were based on the highest single meet score for each team. The rankings are currently based upon the highest two-meet average, and will move to the Regional Qualifying Average by mid-March.
GymInfo National Rankings (3/12/01)
(by Highest Two-Meet Average)
1. Oklahoma 215.650 2. MICHIGAN 214.637 3. Ohio State 213.600 4. Illinois 213.250 5. California 212.450 6. Michigan State 212.100 7. Iowa 210.837 8. Minnesota 209.675 9. Penn State 208.325 10. Massachusetts 206.200
Individual Gymnasts Ranked Nationally
Junior Scott Vetere continues to be ranked among the top 10, being fourth on the pommel horse and parallel bars, as well as seventh on the still rings. Sophomore Kris Zimmerman (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier HS) is also ranked among the nation's elite, named third in the all-around and fifth on the high bar. Tim Dehr and Daniel Diaz-Luong are both ranked eighth, on the pommel horse and high bar, respectively. Rounding out the Wolverines in the top 10 is junior Brad Kenna, who is ranked fifth on the parallel bars and seventh in the all-around.
Contact: Valerie Perkin, Louis Levine (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
