Michigan
NCAA Team and All-Around Finals
Laury Helps Michigan Place Fifth at NCAA Team Finals
4/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
Site: Champaign, Ill. (Assembly Hall)
Event: NCAA Championships (Team Finals)
U-M Finish: 5th Place of 6 Teams (220.525)
Records: U-M (14-14)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, April 4 -- Individual Event Finals at NCAA Championships (Champaign, Ill.), 2 p.m. CDT
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Led by sophomore Justin Laury (Marietta, Ga./McEachern HS), who earned All-America honors for his fifth-place all-around finish, the University of Michigan men's gymnastics team placed fifth in the nation with a season-high score of 220.525 at the NCAA Championships Team Finals on Saturday (April 3) at the University of Illinois' Assembly Hall.
In one of the toughest team finals in years, Penn State emerged victorious with a score of 223.350. Oklahoma (222.300) was second, followed by Illinois (222.225), Ohio State (221.350), U-M and California (220.325).
Michigan started out strong on the vault, posting the highest team score of the night on that event with a 37.75. Sophomore Andrew DiGiore (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors School) scored a 9.50 followed by a a pair of 9.425s from junior Eddie Umphrey (Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva HS) and sophomore Luke Bottke (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage HS).
The Wolverines carried their momentum to the parallel bars, where sophomore Gerry Signorelli (Colorado Springs, Colo./Mitchell HS) paced the team with his 9.00, just ahead of Umphrey and junior Geoff Corrigan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Palmer HS), who scored a 8.95 each. After two rotations Michigan was in fourth place.
Moving to the high bar, junior Brian Berends (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville HS) started the team off on the right foot with a solid score of 9.075. Freshman Aaron Rakes (Lexington, Ky./Dunbar HS) followed with a 9.45 and Laury cleaned up with a stuck dismount and a score of 9.65.
After a bye rotation, Michigan stepped out on the floor fighting, again posting the highest team score of the night on that event with a 37.575. Corrigan and Bottke led the team by posting a pair of 9.425s, followed closely by Signorelli's 9.40. After five events the Wolverines were in third place behind Penn State and Oklahoma.
In the sixth rotation Michigan moved to the pommel horse and scored just below its season high on that event of 36.80 with a 36.50. Rakes led the team with a solid score of 9.40, followed by Laury with a 9.15 and DiGiore with a 9.025.
The Wolverines finished with a solid performance on the rings led by Umphrey and Laury with a 9.250 and a 9.225, respectively. Despite a great showing and two season high event scores, Michigan was unable to overcome the lead Penn State had established.
The Nittany Lions finished with a strong vaulting rotation to hold onto their lead and beat Oklahoma and host Illinois by a full point. Penn State also won the national title in 2000.
Five Wolverines -- Bottke (floor), Corrigan (floor), Rakes (pommel horse), Signorelli (parallel bars) and Laury (high bar) -- qualified for the Individual Event Finals (10 competitors in each event based on Saturday's performances) and will return to action tomorrow at 1 p.m. CDT at Assembly Hall.
Final Team Standings
| Team Scores | FX | PH | SR | V | PB | HB | Total |
| 1. Penn State | 37.000 | 38.225 | 36.800 | 37.200 | 36.850 | 37.275 | 223.350 |
| 2. Oklahoma | 37.200 | 37.025 | 36.775 | 37.500 | 35.975 | 37.825 | 222.300 |
| 3. Illinois | 36.925 | 38.450 | 35.775 | 37.650 | 35.825 | 37.600 | 222.225 |
| 4. Ohio State | 37.225 | 36.075 | 37.600 | 37.350 | 35.200 | 37.900 | 221.350 |
| 5. MICHIGAN | 37.575 | 36.500 | 36.075 | 37.750 | 35.500 | 37.125 | 220.525 |
| 6. California | 37.025 | 36.175 | 37.125 | 37.475 | 35.275 | 37.250 | 220.325 |
Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores
FLOOR EXERCISE Andrew Elkind 8.850 Gerry Signorelli 9.400 Luke Bottke 9.425 (9t) Geoff Corrigan 9.425 (9t) Edward Umphrey 9.325 Justin Laury 8.900 POMMEL HORSE Andre Hernandez 8.925 Gerry Signorelli 8.500 Aaron Rakes 9.400 (8t) Geoff Corrigan 7.700 Andrew DiGiore 9.025 Justin Laury 9.150 STILL RINGS Devin Deer 8.500 Gerry Signorelli 8.550 Aaron Rakes 8.675 Geoff Corrigan 8.925 Eddie Umphrey 9.250 Justin Laury 9.225 VAULT Gerry Signorelli 0.000 Luke Bottke 9.425 Geoff Corrigan 9.400 Eddie Umphrey 9.425 Justin Laury 9.250 Andrew DiGiore 9.500 (8t) PARALLEL BARS Gerry Signorelli 9.000 (9) Geoff Corrigan 8.950 (10t) Eddie Umphrey 8.950 Andre Hernandez 8.600 Justin Laury 8.500 Andrew Elkind 8.300 HORIZONTAL BAR Brian Berends 9.075 Gerry Signorelli 8.950 Aaron Rakes 9.450 Geoff Corrigan 8.875 Andre Hernandez 8.400 Justin Laury 9.650 (5) ALL-AROUND Justin Laury 54.675 (5t) Geoff Corrigan 53.275 (10) Gerry Signorelli 44.400 ( ) denotes place in Top 10
Players Mentioned
