Final Results

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illini men's gymnastics team earned five event titles to lead the Orange and Blue to a season-high 407.050 dual meet victory over Nebraska (399.850) on Saturday afternoon at Huff Hall.

"A win is a win. I'm excited about that," said head coach Justin Spring. "It puts our record 1-1 in the Big Ten conference, but with five count coming around the corner, and that being where our next three Big Ten match ups are, we've got to get rid of these falls. We will continue to test our guys more at practice and try to show up as a much more consistent team."

Illinois improved to 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten conference.

Senior Sebastian Quiana picked up event titles on both floor exercise (14.300) and on parallel bars (13.850). Senior Michael Paradise grabbed the top spot on pommel horse with a 14.100, while fellow senior Danny Graham set a career-high 14.500 on still rings for a first-place finish. Junior Max Diab scored a personal best 14.800 on vault to take first.

Freshmen Evan Manivong and Josh Cook set career-highs on floor with a 13.750 (T-6th) and a 13.400 (ninth), respectively. Manivong also had a personal best on vault with a 14.300 (sixth).

Emanuele Muehlhauser recorded a 13.250 on pommel horse for fifth-place, marking a personal best for the sophomore. Freshman Connor McCool earned a career best of his own on vault with a 14.400 to finish fourth.

Sophomore Hamish Carter posted a career-high 13.800 on still rings (third) and a season best 14.050 on floor (T-4th). Junior Jordan Kovach had a season-high of 13.650 on parallel bars to tie for third. Quiana recorded a season best 13.650 on high bar to place third.

The Fighting Illini notched a season best team score of 68.850 on parallel bars and 70.350 on floor.

How It Happened

First Rotation – Floor Exercise (70.350)

• The Orange and Blue swept the top three spots and had a season-high team score of 70.350, as Quiana came away with first after totaling a 14.300 on floor. McCool (14.150) and Diab (14.100) followed in second and third place, respectively. Carter earned fourth place with a season-best 14.050. Manivong tied for sixth place with Nebraska's Charlie Giles and Jake Bonnay, with a career-high 13.750. Cook's career-high 13.400 earned him a ninth-place finish.

Second Rotation – Pommel Horse (65.100)

• Paradise's meet-high 14.100 on pommel horse helped the Bartlett, Ill., native sit atop the podium. Muehlhauser scored a personal best 13.250 (fifth), while Carter followed in sixth place with a 13.100. Sophomore Ian Skirkey totaled a 12.650 for seventh, and redshirt junior had a 12.000 to claim eighth.

Third Rotation – Still Rings (68.600)

• The Illini had the top three performers on still rings, as Graham finished first on the apparatus with a career best 14.500. Diab took second with a 14.100, and Carter was third with a personal best 13.800. Kovach posted a 13.200 that was good for a fifth-place finish.

Fourth Rotation – Vault (72.150)

• Diab recorded a career-high 14.800 on vault to claim the event title. Carter came in third (14.550) and McCool followed behind in fourth (14.400). Manivong (14.300) and Quiana (14.100) took sixth and seventh place, respectively.

Fifth Rotation – Parallel Bars (65.850)

• After facing a few mid-lineup falls on parallel bars, anchor Quiana brought back the energy for the Illini as he picked up his second event title of the day with a score of 13.850. Kovach had a season-high of 13.650 to tie for third with Griffin Kehler of Nebraska. Graham finished in sixth (13.450), while Mistretta took ninth (12.500).                                

Sixth Rotation – High Bar (65.000)

• Earning third place for the Fighting Illini was Quiana with a season best total of 13.650. Carter grabbed fourth with a 13.400 and Cook placed fifth with a 13.150. Mistretta (12.500) tied for eighth with Nebraska's Evan Kriley.

Carter was the lone all-around performer of the day and earned a score of 81.300.

Event Titles

Floor Exercise – Sebastian Quiana (14.300)

Pommel Horse – Michael Paradise (14.100)

Still Rings – Danny Graham (14.500)

Vault – Max Diab (14.800)

Parallel Bars – Sebastian Quiana (13.850)

Up Next

The Illini will remain at home for another dual meet against Springfield College at Huff Hall on Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. CT. During the meet, club gymnasts will be competing for the club gymnastics meet.

Youth gymnasts, eighth grade and younger, will receive a voucher to redeem a T-shirt. Following the meet, the Orange and Blue will hold a post-meet autograph session.

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