Michigan Prepares to Host Big Ten Meet at Crisler Arena
3/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan will host the 2005 Big Ten Conference Men's Gymnastics Championships on Friday and Saturday, March 25-26, at Crisler Arena. The competition will begin at 7 p.m. each night, with Friday featuring the Team and All-Around competitions and Saturday featuring the Individual Event Finals.
| |
Tickets to the Big Ten Championships are on sale at the Michigan Ticket Office or by phone (734-764-0247 or toll-free 866-296-MTIX). Prices for single-session tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for senior citizens, college students with ID and children under 18. There will be reserved seating for each team's fans. Tickets will also be on sale at Crisler Arena on the days of the competition.
The Big Ten is the most dominant conference in men's gymnastics this year with all six of its teams ranked in the top 10 nationally. Michigan is currently ranked fifth in the country, behind No. 1 Ohio State, No. 3 Illinois and No. 4 Penn State. Iowa is in the No. 7 spot, and Minnesota is ranked at No. 10.
In the latest GymInfo national individual rankings, the Big Ten boasts the top-ranked individual in each event plus the all-around. In fact, Big Ten gymnasts hold the top four rankings in the all-around, led by 2004 NCAA all-around winner Luis Vargas of Penn State, and the top seven spots on the high bar, including 2004 NCAA high bar champion Justin Spring of Illinois.
Last year Illinois, which hosted the event, won the Big Ten championship. Penn State, which went on to win the NCAA championship, was second, followed by Ohio State, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota.
Michigan last hosted the Big Ten Championships in 1998 during head coach Kurt Golder's second season, when the Wolverines placed sixth. The following two years, in 1999 and 2000, Michigan won back-to-back Big Ten titles before finishing second in 2001 and 2002 and placing fourth in 2003.
Senior co-captain Geoff Corrigan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Palmer HS) and junior Justin Laury (Marietta, Ga./McEachern HS) will lead Michigan's effort to recapture the Big Ten crown on the Wolverines' home turf. Corrigan is currently ranked sixth in the conference on high bar (9.617) and fourth on parallel bars (9.533). Laury was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2003 and is a two-time NCAA All-American.
U-M Big Ten Championships Page
Contact: Justin Toman (734) 936-8256
Players Mentioned
