Illini Men's Gymnastics Gears up for Big Ten Championships

Friday, April 4

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6 p.m. CT

University of Illinois

Big Ten Championships - Team Competition

Buy Tickets

Preview | Men's Gym Big Ten Championships

Illini Men's Gymnastics Gears up for Big Ten Championships

April 3, 2025 | Men's Gymnastics

PREVIEW

No. 7 ILLINOIS (5-3, 2-2 B1G) at BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Date \| Time	Friday, April 4 2025 \| Saturday, April 5 2025 \| 6 p.m. CT
Location	Crisler Center \| Ann Arbor, Mich.
TV	Big Ten Network
Live Stats	Day 1 \| Day 2
Printable Notes	Illinois
2025 Stats	Illinois \| Michigan \| Nebraska \| Ohio State \| Penn State
Record Book	Illinois
Social Media	X (Twitter) \| Instagram \| Facebook \| YouTube

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Fighting Illini are set to compete in the Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Mich., this weekend. The competition begins on Friday, April 4, with the Team Championship, followed by the Individual Championship on Saturday, April 5. Both events will start at 6 p.m. CT.

At the 2024 Big Ten Championships, four Fighting Illini men's gymnasts claimed individual event titles in the finals, marking the program's best performance since 2016. Returning standouts Brandon Dang and Amari Sewell led the way, with Dang securing the pommel horse title and Sewell earning the top spot on vault. Preston Ngai was among five gymnasts to qualify for the pommel horse final, where he posted a 13.575 to finish fourth. He also delivered a strong vault performance, scoring 14.625 and tying for fourth place.

The Fighting Illini Men's Gymnastics team secured a strong second-place finish at the Big Ten Championships with a team score of 413.750. Additionally, the Illini made history on vault, recording the second-highest score in program history with a 72.750.

Last Time Out

The Fighting Illini closed out their 2025 regular season with a thrilling upset victory over No. 6 Ohio State, edging out the Buckeyes 322.450-321.700. The win solidifies Illinois' position in third place in the Big Ten standings heading into the postseason.

Ian Sandoval (13.700) and Garrett Schooley (14.300) set the tone for the Orange and Blue in the first rotation, both achieving career highs on floor. On pommel horse, Max Farkhadau kicked things off with a season-high 14.250, while Will Hauke and Preston Ngai added matching scores of 13.750.

Brandon Dang, fresh off his FIG World Cup appearance in Antalya, Turkey, delivered a season-best 15.000 to secure another event title. On still rings, Ngai (14.050) and Logan Myers (13.150) helped the Illini maintain their lead at the meet's halfway point, with Ngai earning the event title.

Schooley then anchored the vault rotation with a dominant 14.350, securing the event title. Ngai continued his standout performance, posting a career-high 13.750 on high bar to claim another event title and seal Illinois' statement win.

In The News

Three Fighting Illini gymnasts earned regular season awards, the Big Ten announced Wednesday, April 2. Brandon Dang was named Specialist of the Year, Ian Sandoval earned Freshman of the Year, and Amari Sewell was recognized as Illinois' Sportsmanship Team honoree.

Sophomore pommel horse specialist Brandon Dang went undefeated during the 2025 regular season (7-0), earning four Big Ten Specialist of the Week honors (Jan. 21, Feb. 11, Feb. 25, March 4) and three CGA Specialist of the Week awards (Jan. 29, Feb. 27, March 5). He spent 11 straight weeks ranked in the national top three and recently joined Illinois' Top-10 All-Time Pommel Horse Titles list with 16 in just two seasons. The San Jose, Calif., native also secured a spot on the USA Gymnastics Senior National Team after winning the pommel horse title at the Winter Cup on Feb. 23. Dang has since represented the U.S. internationally, placing first in Baku, Azerbaijan, and sixth in Antalya, Turkey.

Ian Sandoval was unanimously selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. The Frisco, Texas native won five event titles in the first half of the season before an injury sidelined him for over a month. Despite his absence, Sandoval remained nationally ranked in every event and was the only freshman to do so. He finished the season ranked No. 2 in the all-around, making history as Illinois' first back-to-back Freshman of the Year winner (Dang earned the title in 2024).

Senior Amari Sewell was named Illinois' representative on the Big Ten Sportsmanship Team. Sewell claimed two vault titles this season, breaking into Illinois' Top-10 All-Time Vault Titles list with 12.

2025 Regular Season All-Americans

Four Illini gymnasts earned 2025 regular season All-America honors, as announced by the College Gymnastics Association (CGA) on Tuesday, April 1. Brandon Dang, Ian Sandoval, Garrett Schooley, and Amari Sewell were recognized among the nation's best.

The top eight performers in each category were selected based on their four-score average via Road to Nationals. Ties were included and broken by highest season score.

Dang (Pommel Horse) – Undefeated in the regular season (7-0), earning back-to-back CGA All-America honors.
Sandoval (All-Around) – Finished the regular season ranked No. 2 nationally. A three-time CGA Rookie of the Week (Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb. 12), two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Feb. 4, Feb. 11), and recipient of Big Ten Gymnast of the Week (Feb. 4) and NCAA Gymnast of the Week (Feb. 3) honors.
Schooley & Sewell (Vault) – Schooley earned four vault titles this season, while Sewell secured two.

Big Ten Weekly Awards Sweep

Illinois gymnasts swept the final Big Ten weekly awards of the regular season, as announced on Tuesday, April 1.

Preston Ngai – Gymnast of the Week
Brandon Dang – Specialist of the Week
Ian Sandoval – Freshman of the Week (third honor: Feb. 4, Feb. 11)

Ngai played a crucial role in Illinois' upset over No. 6 Ohio State, setting career highs on still rings (14.050) and high bar (13.750), winning both events. He also posted a 13.750 on pommel horse to help secure the victory.

Dang continued his dominance, delivering a season-high 15.000 on pommel horse to remain undefeated (7-0). This marks his fifth Big Ten Specialist of the Week honor this season and the seventh of his career.

Returning from injury, Sandoval made an immediate impact in the first rotation, scoring a career-high 13.700 on floor and contributing in vault, parallel bars, and high bar to help lead Illinois to victory

All Eyes On Us

Brandon Dang earned the conference's Specialist of the Year award, while Ian Sandoval was named Freshman of the Year. Amari Sewell was named Illinois' Sportsmanship Team honoree.
The College Gymnastics Association (CGA) announced that Brandon Dang, Ian Sandoval, Garrett Schooley, and Amari Sewell were named 2025 regular season All-Americans.
Preston Ngai and Garrett Schooley were named to this year's Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch list during the preseason.
Both Ngai and Schooley were letterwinners for the Illini last season.
Ngai competed in eight meets and showed up big in big moments, setting career highs at the Big Ten Championships (14.900 on vault) and NCAA Qualifiers (14.300 on pommel horse).
Schooley also competed in eight meets and secured two event titles during the season (vault, all-around) as he repeatedly set and re-set career highs in all six events and the all-around.