Dang, Schooley Medal at Day 2 of Big Ten Championships

RECAP

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Eight Illini competed in the Big Ten Individual Championships on April 5. The Illini saw at least one athlete qualify in each event from the team competition on April 4.

Garrett Schooley represented the Orange and Blue on floor, sticking his opening pass and putting together a 13.875 routine. He would finish third in the competition.

Three Illini competed on the pommel horse. Max Farkhadau started the scoring with a 10.900 (10th) and Will Hauke earned a 13.500 (seventh). Brandon Dang earned a 14.775 to remain undefeated on the season, winning his second-consecutive Big Ten Championships title.

Preston Ngai was Illinois' representative on the still rings, and he came through with a 13.725, debuting a new dismount to a stuck landing. His score would be good for fifth.

Schooley again competed later in the meet, this time on vault. His 13.850 was good for ninth.

On parallel bars, Ian Sandoval earned a 13.350 (eighth), while Dylan Shepard scored a 13.525 (seventh).

Sandoval also competed on high bar where he scored a 12.025 for 10th place. Ryan Vanichtheeranont closed out the night for the Illini with a 13.450 for the second day in a row. The score was good for sixth place.

Three Illini secured All-Big Ten honors at the championships. Dang and Sandoval earned first team honors on pommel horse and in the all-around respectively. Schooley was named to the second team on floor.

"It was an amazing night of gymnastics from all the teams tonight," said head coach Daniel Ribeiro. "Our guys represented the Illini famILLy with pride! Preston is getting better and better every day, Ryan and Dylan were incredibly clean in their routines, and Garrett competed some world-class gymnastics to earn a Second-Team All-Big Ten recognition. Brandon is something else. What he's done this year is nothing short of legendary. He deserved, and earned, another Big Ten Championships title and we couldn't be more proud of what he has and is accomplishing."

Illinois will return to Champaign before re-embarking back to Ann Arbor, Mich. for the NCAA Championships April 18-20.