Michigan
Big Ten Team and All-Around Finals
Wolverines Finish in Fourth Place at Big Ten Team Finals
3/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The University of Michigan men's gymnastics team finished in fourth place (215.325) at the Big Ten Championships team finals Friday (March 28) at St. John Arena. The Wolverines, who matched their season best on the floor exercise (35.800), finished behind champion Penn State (220.550), host Ohio State (218.850) and Iowa (215.600). Five Wolverines qualified for Saturday's event finals by finishing in the top eight in one or more events.
The Wolverines were led by freshman Justin Laury (Marietta, Ga./McEachern HS), who finished in third place in the all-around competition (54.100), while freshman Andrew DiGiore (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors School) continued his vault success by posting the night's top score in the event with a 9.500, his best performance of the season.
Michigan began the evening on the horizontal bar and was led by Laury, who stuck his routine with a 9.200 that was good for a tie for seventh place. Senior Kris Zimmerman (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier HS) made his return for the Maize and Blue and chipped in with the Wolverines' second best performance (8.950) on the horizontal bar.
Laury turned in the Wolverines' best floor performance of the evening (9.025). U-M also received strong performances on the floor from seniors Jamie Hertza (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield HS) and Scott Vetere (Pennsburg, Pa./Quakertown HS), who both finished with a score of 8.950.
The Wolverines were led on the pommel horse by senior Brian Peterson (Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado HS), who matched his season best (9.200) to finish tied for fourth and qualify for Saturday's individual finals. Sophomore Kevin George (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral HS) turned in his second best performance of the year for the Maize and Blue on the pommel horse (9.000).
U-M received strong performances on the still rings from senior Conan Parzuchowski (Northville, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit HS), who led the Maize and Blue with a score of 9.400 to finish tied for second. Laury turned in a solid performance for the Wolverines on the still rings with a fourth-place 9.375, which marked his third highest output of the year for the event, and Vetere tied for sixth (9.200) to earn a finals spot.
The Wolverines had a strong team effort on the vault, led by DiGiore's 9.500 for first place. The Maize and Blue also received strong efforts from Gerry Signorelli (Colorado Springs, Colo./Mitchell HS), who turned in his season-best score on the vault (9.075). The Wolverines also received a season best on the vault from Parzuchowski (9.050).
Michigan was led on parallel bars by Parzuchowski and Laury, who both received a score of 8.750 for the event.
DiGiore (vault), Justin Laury (still rings, horizontal bar), Parzuchowski (still rings), Peterson (pommel horse) and Vetere (still rings) will compete in Saturday's individual event finals, which begin at 7 p.m. at Ohio State's St. John Arena.
Final Team Standings
| Team Scores | FX | PH | SR | V | PB | HB | Total |
| 1. Penn State | 37.100 | 36.875 | 36.975 | 36.900 | 35.450 | 37.250 | 220.550 |
| 2. Ohio State | 37.450 | 35.400 | 37.100 | 37.025 | 35.975 | 35.900 | 218.850 |
| 3. Iowa | 36.400 | 36.525 | 35.000 | 36.125 | 35.000 | 36.550 | 215.600 |
| 4. MICHIGAN | 35.800 | 35.600 | 36.975 | 36.625 | 34.825 | 35.500 | 215.325 |
| 5. Minnesota | 37.050 | 35.300 | 34.750 | 37.100 | 35.050 | 35.050 | 214.300 |
| 6. Illinois | 35.125 | 35.750 | 34.650 | 36.400 | 34.325 | 35.600 | 211.850 |
Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores
FLOOR EXERCISE Jamie Hertza 8.950 Gerry Signorelli 8.450 Conan Parzuchowski 8.550 Scott Vetere 8.950 Justin Laury 9.025 Derek Croad 8.875 POMMEL HORSE Kevin George 9.000 Gerry Signorelli 8.650 Brian Peterson 9.200 (t4) Scott Vetere 8.450 Justin Laury 8.750 Jamie Hertza 8.200 STILL RINGS Gerry Signorelli 7.900 Brian Peterson 8.200 Kevin George 8.900 Conan Parzuchowski 9.450 (t2) Justin Laury 9.375 (4) Scott Vetere 9.200 (t6) VAULT Gerry Signorelli 9.075 Conan Parzuchowski 9.050 Derek Croad 8.650 Andrew DiGiore 9.500 (1) Justin Laury 9.000 Scott Vetere 8.850 PARALLEL BARS Gerry Signorelli 8.625 Brian Peterson 8.125 Kris Zimmerman 8.525 Conan Parzuchowski 8.750 Justin Laury 8.750 Scott Vetere 8.700 HORIZONTAL BAR Kevin George 8.350 Gerry Signorelli 8.700 Brian Berends 8.650 Scott Vetere 8.250 Justin Laury 9.200 (7) Kris Zimmerman 8.950 ALL-AROUND Justin Laury 54.100 (3) ( ) denotes place in Top 8
Contact: Chris Kolesar (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
