Fred Richard leads Michigan to third-consecutive Big Ten Men’s Gymnastics title, Illinois wins three events

Three sticks and a season-high score on vault helped Michigan take control and later secure the 2023 Big Ten Men’s Gymnastics Championships team title on Friday in one the most competitive conference-title meets of recent years.

The Wolverines’ vault rotation put the team in first after four rotations. Michigan then had one fall on parallel bars but performed well enough to enter high bar with a significant lead.

The team started off its final event with a fall, seeming to open a lane for Penn State, Nebraska, or Illinois to mount a comeback on their last events. But Michigan’s Crew Bold responded to the miss with a huge high bar set that got his team back on track. Adam Wooten, Evgeny Siminiuc, and Fred Richard closed out high bar with excellent routines to seal the victory.

Michigan finished the meet with a 412.4. Freshman Richard had the best performance in the NCAA this year to win the all-around title with a score of 85.95. 

Penn State and Nebraska finished second and third, respectively, with scores of 410.7 and 410.5. Illinois placed fourth with a 409.4, while Ohio was fifth with a 405.5. 

Control of the competition shifted multiple times throughout the night, and though Michigan started rotation six with a roughly two-point lead, most teams were in contention for the title ahead of their final five sets. Nebraska readied for the typically high-scoring vault rotation and seemed to be in the best position to topple the Wolverines. Penn State finished on parallel bars and Illinois on rings. 

The Huskers’ Zachary Tiderman opened the rotation with a stuck Yurchenko 2.5, earning a 14.95. But Nebraska ultimately counted a few too many landing deductions.

Penn State, meanwhile, hit five strong sets, and freshman Josh Karnes anchored the rotation to rocket the Nittany Lions into second place. The team exceeded expectations with its runner-up finish, having entered the competition ranked No. 4 in the conference. 

Michigan started out the meet with five hits on floor and a stellar routine from Richard, who scored a 14.5 to tie Nebraska’s Taylor Christopulos for the top score on the event. Wooten stuck his full-in dismount to gain the first of three sticks he’d finish the meet with and score a 14.05. 

On horse, the Wolverines stumbled somewhat, counting one high 11 and two scores in the low 12s. Richard and Markus Shears salvaged the rotation, though, scoring 13.55 and 13.75, respectively, to finish tied for seventh and third. 

Michigan had to count a two-fall routine on rings. But Wooten stuck a dismount to help the team rebound, and Javier Alfonso closed the rotation with a competition-leading 14.85, sticking his full-twisting double layout cold and showing off excellent strength elements.

The meet turned at the fourth rotation. Michigan put up a more than one-point season-high on the event after David Wolma, Richard, and Casey Cummings stuck their vaults. Wolma’s stick was especially electric: He planted a near-perfect Kas 1.5 to score a 15.0. Cummings scored a 14.7 and Ricard a 14.65.

Michigan led by roughly two points after vault, and Illinois — then in second place — had to move to pommel horse, which is usually lower scoring. The Wolverines had a fall in their lead-off routine but recorded strong scores later in the lineup that helped the team retain its lead. Richard scored a 14.85 for the competition’s best parallel bars score, and Siminiuc tallied a 14.45. 

Bold’s routine for the Wolverines put the team in winning position. He scored a big 14.0 after fingertip-catching his Cassina, Tkatchevs, and then sticking his dismount. Wooten followed Bold with his third stick of the night and a score of 14.25, while Richard punctuated his career-best all-around performance with a stuck layout double-double to score a 14.6 and secure Michigan’s win.

Richard finished the meet with the top score on three of six events. He won all-around by an almost three-point margin, with Christopulos finishing second with an 83.1. 

Illinois wins three, Nebraska nabs second-ever gold at Big Ten event finals 

Illinois swept the first three events at the Big Ten Men’s Gymnastics Championships apparatus finals on Saturday, with Nebraska, Penn State, and Michigan also claiming individual titles. 

The country’s No. 1 floor worker, Connor McCool, met expectations and captured the floor crown after sticking four out of six passes. McCool opened with a stuck 2.5-twisting double back, moved to a triple connection pass and front double full to layout, and finished by sticking his back 3.5 and triple-full dismount to score a 14.725. Penn State’s Matt Cormier finished second with a 14.45 after sticking his triple-full dismount, and Nebraska freshman Nathan York stuck his own triple-full dismount to finish third with a 14.325. 

On horse, Ian Skirkey hit his 6.5-difficulty routine to extend his streak of strong sets on the tricky event. He competed a Mikulak, Sohn, full Stockli, two E flops, and a triple Russian dismount to score a 14.8 for a more than six-tenth win. Penn State’s Chase Clingman finished second with a 14.15, and Illinois’ Maksim Farkhadau was third with a score of 13.825.

Reigning Big Ten rings champ Ashton Anaya secured another title after sticking his full-twisting double back dismount and scoring a 14.475. Anaya opened with an Azarian Maltese before showing off a butterfly pull to straight planche, Yamawakis, a back uprise Maltese, Nakayama, and cross pull-out. Ohio State’s Donovan Hewitt placed second with a score of 14.175, and the Wolverines’ Adam Wooten finished third with a score of 14.025.

Nebraska’s Taylor Christopulos stuck a huge Kas 1.5 to win the Huskers’ second-ever Big Ten event title. Christopulos’ score of 14.9 helped him sneak by Michigan’s Landen Blixt, who stuck his Yurchenko 2.5 to score a 14.875 for second place. Ohio State’s Kameron Nelson finished third after landing his front handspring double full and scoring a 14.625.

Josh Karnes of Penn State won parallel bars with a score of 14.35. Karnes performed a whip-it, peach handstand, Makutz, healy, Bhavsar, and double-front dismount. Michigan’s Evgeny Siminiuc was runner-up with a 14.25, and David Pochinka finished third with a score of 14.225.

Michigan had an excellent showing on high bar. Fred Richard hit his high-difficulty routine that featured a Cassina, Kolman, triple Tkatchev connection, Tak full, Tak half, and layout double-double dismount to score a 14.725 for the title. Wooten caught a Kolman, three Tkatchevs, and stuck his full-twisting double layout dismount to finish second with a 14.575. Donte McKinney placed third after a near-perfect routine with a score of 14.475.

One more note about Wooten: He again stuck all three dismounts on Saturday for the third meet in the row — meaning he’s stuck nine of his last nine dismounts.