University of Illinois
Big Ten Championships
Illini Wrap Up Big Ten Championships
March 23, 2002 | Men's Gymnastics
March 23, 2002
Minneapolis, Minn. - Day two of the 2002 Big Ten Championships concluded tonight with the crowning of individual event champions on the University of Minnesota campus. Illinois had six competitors in the final day.
"We competed well tonight," said head coach Yoshi Hayasaki. "J.G. (Ketchen) had a very good meet to wrap up his Big Ten career."
Freshman Peter Shostchuk scratched out of the pommel horse finals due to an injury. Defending pommel horse champion Jonathan Plante could not defend his title as he placed sixth with an 8.80. Freshman Ben Newman scored an 8.25 for eighth place.
Senior Sean-Paul Crawford made his final Big Ten appearance on the rings and received a 9.375 for fourth place. Fellow senior J.G. Ketchen finished right behind Crawford in fifth with his 9.3625 rings score.
Illinois' top vaulter sophomore Scott Wetterling ended in fourth with a score of 9.525. Ketchen, who also holds two of this season's top vault scores, vaulted a 9.1625 for sixth place.
Ketchen was the lone competitor on the parallel bars. He finished third with an 8.8625. Sophomore Bob Rogers rounded out the competitors for the Illini as he finished fourth on high bar with an 8.75.
Big Ten Gymnast of the Year Raj Bhavsar of Ohio State took titles on floor (9.4875) and tied for pommel horse (9.40). Michigan's Jamie Hertza scored an identical 9.40 to claim a share to the pommel horse title. Kevin Tan of Penn State won rings with a 9.60. Golden Gopher Eric Steele vaulted a 9.425 for the crown while the Nittany Lions brought back two more individual titles. PSU's Kevin Donohue finished first on parallel bars (9.125) and high bar (9.4575).
Illinois will be off next week to prepare for the NCAA Championships on April 4-6 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
