2021 BIG TEN MEN'S GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

CHAMPAIGN, IL. – The seventh-ranked Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team is set to travel to Lincoln, NE on Saturday, Apr. 3 for the 2021 Big Ten Men's Gymnastics Championships, hosted by the University of Nebraska. The meet will take place at 7 PM CT and will be broadcasted live on the Big Ten Network. Limited tickets are available through the Nebraska website. 

The entire meet will take place in one day this season as opposed to the previous two-day event. Team, all-around, and event finals will be lumped into one single day on Apr. 3.

The Orange and Blue finished third in the regular season B1G standings with a 3-3 conference record, and a 4-3 record overall. As a team, the Illini rank fifth in the B1G with a 397.717 team average.

"Our team has experienced unprecedented setbacks this year but we never stop fighting!" head coach Justin Spring said. "The team is scoring the best it has in the gym all year long, so we're ready for postseason. All we can ever ask from our guys is that they're the best versions of their selves when it matters most."

LAST TIME OUT

The Illini last competed at the B1G Championships in 2019 due to the 2020 championship being canceled due to COVID-19. In 2019, the Illini placed 2^nd as a team after Penn State made a late surge to take the B1G championship by .250 points. 2019 B1G Freshman of the Year and current Illini junior Michael Fletcher finished third in the all-around competition with an 82.700, while Alex Diab took the rings title and Illini junior Hamish Carter took the high bar title. Illinois had four All-B1G team selections, with Hamish Carter, Alex Diab, and Michael Fletcher being named first team All-B1G and Michael Paradise earning second team All-B1G honors. Sebastian Quiana was named the 2019 B1G Sportsmanship award honoree for the Illini.

ILLINI AT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• 28 B1G Team Championships
• 154 total B1G Individual Event Champions (including all-around)
• 134 B1G Individual Event Champions
• 20 B1G All-Around Titles

2021 TEAM RANKINGS IN THE B1G

Team: 5^th

Floor Exercise: 5^th

Pommel Horse: 5^th

Still Rings: 3^rd

Vault: 6^th

Parallel Bars: 7^th

High Bar: 5^th

(Scores listed as 3-Score Averages)

2021 INDIVIDUAL TOP-10 RANKINGS IN THE B1G

All-Around: Hamish Carter (6^th, 81.433), Michael Fletcher (9^th, 78.633)

Floor Exercise: Connor McCool (5^th, 14.400)

Pommel Horse: Ian Skirkey (5^th, 13.950)

Still Rings: Danny Graham (5^th, 14.083)

Vault: Evan Manivong (2^nd, 14.717)

High Bar: Hamish Carter (2^nd, 13.867)

(Scores listed as National Qualifying Average)

ILLINI COMPETITION ORDER

Rotation 1- Still Rings

Rotation 2- Vault

Rotation 3- Parallel Bars

Rotation 4- High Bar

Rotation 5- Floor Exercise

Rotation 6- Bye

Rotation 7- Pommel Horse