Illinois Record - High Pommel Horse Score (15.450)

2x NCAA National Champion

3x NCAA Pommel Horse All-American

University of Illinois Graduate

2023 Big Ten Pommel Horse Champion

2023 First Team All-Big Ten

2x Second Team All-Big Ten

4x CGA Pommel Horse  All-American

2023 Nissen Emery Finalist

Individual Event Titles 

Career Highlights

• 2x NCAA Pommel Horse National Champion (2021, 2023)
• 3x NCAA Pommel Horse All-American (2020, 2021, 2023)
• Big Ten Pommel Horse Champion (2023)
• First Team All-Big Ten (2023)
• 2x Second Team All-Big Ten (2021, 2022)
• 4x Academic All-Big Ten (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
• 4x CGA Regular Season Pommel Horse All-American (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
• National Senior Team member
• No.5 All-Time Pommel Horse title-holder (21)
• Chi Alpha Sigma member
• Illinois Athlete of the Year Finalist
• 2023 Nissen Emery Finalist
• Holds the Second-most Single-Season Titles on pommel horse (10) in Illinois history 

Career Highs

Floor Exercise: 13.300 (at Iowa, 2/13/21)
Pommel Horse: 15.450 (at Winter Cup, 2/26/23)
Vault: 14.050 (vs Ohio State, 1/23/21)
High Bar: 12.650 (vs UIC, 1/11/20)

Graduate Student - 2023

• Academic All-Big Ten 
• First Team All-Big Ten
• Saw action in every meet
• Won ten titles on the season
• Set a career-high on pommel horse (15.450), breaking his own record as the highest pommel horse score in program history
• Big Ten Champion (pommel horse)
• NCAA Champion (pommel horse)
• CGA Regular Season All-American 
• NCAA Postseason All-American
• Illinois Athlete of the Year Finalist
• Had Second-most Single-Season Titles on pommel horse (10) in Illinois history 

Senior - 2022

• Academic All-Big Ten
• Second Team All-Big Ten
• Saw action in eleven meets, competing primarily on pommel horse
• Won first event title of the season on pommel horse vs. Ohio State, 2/5/22
• Set a new career high on pommel horse (15.400)

Junior - 2021

• Academic All-Big Ten
• 2021 NCAA Pommel Horse National Champion
• 2021 NCAA Pommel Horse All-American
• 2021 CGA Regular Season All-American 
• Second Team All-Big Ten
• Saw action in all nine meets for the Illini, competing primarily on pommel horse
• Earned four event titles
• Set new career high on floor (13.300) and vault (14.050)

Sophomore - 2020

• Academic All-Big Ten
• Saw action in seven meets on the season, competing on pommel horse primarily
• Recorded career-highs on floor (12.000), pommel horse (14.700), vault (13.650), and high bar (12.650)
• Claimed two event titles on pommel horse
• 2020 NCAA Regular Season Pommel Horse All-American

Freshman - 2019

• Pommel hose specialist who competed in 11 meets for the Illini
• Career-best pommel horse routines of 13.850 against Iowa and at the Windy City Invite
• Part of Illinois' pommel horse rotation in all three postseason meets

High School/Club

• Region 6 gymnast 
• Coached by Bob Donahue
• Attended Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School
• Spent time as a Special Olympics volunteer gymnastics coach

Personal

• Born February 4, 2000
• Parents are William and Christine Skirkey
• Has one sister, Stanzi
• Graduated in May with his bachelor's in electical engineering
• Pursing his master's in computer science 
• Chose Illinois because, "of the high ranking engineering program and the men's gymnastics team culture."