World bronze-medalists Mikulak, Moldauer headline field for the 2020 Winter Cup Challenge

By Patricia Duffy | February 13, 2020
Mikulak, Moldauer headline field for Winter Cup Challenge
© John Cheng / Courtesy USA Gymnastics

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 13, 2020 – 2018 World bronze-medalist Sam Mikulak of Newport Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, and 2017 World bronze-medalist Yul Moldauer of Arvada, Colo./University of Oklahoma, lead a talented group of athletes who are expected to compete at the 2020 Winter Cup Challenge at the Westgate Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., Feb. 20-22. In addition to Mikulak and Moldauer, the rest of the 2019 World Team are also in the field: Trevor Howard of Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University; Akash Modi of Morganville, N.J./Stanford University; Shane Wiskus of Spring Park, Minn./University of Minnesota; and Allan Bower of Chandler, Ariz./University of Oklahoma.

The Winter Cup Challenge features both junior and senior competitive divisions. The first day of competition will consist of the Elite Team Cup for the junior division and day 1 for the senior division. The ETC is a team competition in which nine regional teams will compete against each other. Each regional team consists of six Junior Elite gymnasts. Following the ETC competition, awards will be given for the top three regional teams. For more information on the Elite Team Cup, and a full roster of the nine regional teams, click here.

The finals session will feature the top 28 senior athletes based on the 10-point system and the top 14 juniors from the ETC. Junior athletes will advance to the finals according to the all-around ranking from the first day of competition. For the senior division, all-around ranking will be determined on the first day of competition and individual event champions will be determined via a combined two-day score. For the junior division, All-around ranking and individual event champions will be determined via a combined two-day score. For information on the points ranking system used for advancement to the final round, click here.

The U.S. men have qualified a team of four athletes to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. They have the ability to qualify up to two more individual athletes through the All-Around/Individual Apparatus World Cup series as well as through the Pan American Championships. Assignments to the All-Around and Individual Apparatus World Cups will be finalized based off results from the Winter Cup Challenge.

Performances at the 2020 Winter Cup Challenge will help determine the 12 men who will comprise the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team through the 2020 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Fort Worth, TX. Following the first-day of competition, the top six ranked all-around athletes will automatically qualify to the 2020 senior national team. The Men’s Program Committee will select six more athletes to the Senior National Team from participants at the Winter Cup Challenge based off final results. Athletes who submit petitions will also be considered for National Team selection.

The Winter Cup competition schedule is as follows: Day 1, Feb. 20 – 12 p.m., juniors; and 6:35 p.m., seniors; and Day 2, Feb. 22 at 7:35 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for student/child for Feb. 20 (both sessions) and Feb. 22 (finals), with an all-event pass for $55/adults and $45/children and students. Tickets may be purchased on site on the afternoon of Feb. 19 and on both competition days. USA Gymnastics will be live-streaming all three competitive sessions via its YouTube channel. Approximately 63 juniors and 42 seniors will participate in the event. The International Gymnastics Federation’s junior and senior level rules will be used. For more information, go to WinterCup.com.

Athlete roster for 2020 Winter Cup Challenge
(Alphabetical by state, then last name)

Alaska
Andrew Layman, Wasilla, Alaska/ Denali Gymnastics, junior

Arizona
Allan Bower, Chandler, Ariz./University of Oklahoma, senior
Brandon Briones, Gilbert, Ariz./Stanford, senior
Anthony Mills, Tempe, Ariz./Arizona State, senior
Joseph Pepe, Peroia, Ariz./North Valley, junior

California
Donothan Bailey, Mission Viejo, Calif./ U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior
Jeremy Bischoff, Canyon Country, Calif./ Wallers GymJam, junior
Cameron Bock, Newport Coast, Calif./University of Michigan, senior
Arun Chhetri, Culver City, Calif./Gym Olympica, junior
Jack Critz, Huntington Beach, Calif./ SCATS, junior
Isaiah Drake, Los Angeles, Calif./Gym Olympica, senior
Colin Flores, Mountain House, Calif./WCOGA, junior
Bennet Huang, Palo Alto, Calif./Stanford University, senior
Sam Mikulak, Newport Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior
Brandon Nguyen, Elk Grove, Calif./EGA, junior
Vahe Petrosyan, Van Nuys, Calif./Gym Olympica, junior
David Rauchwerger, San Francisco, Calif./Accel, junior
Tyler Shimizu, Newark, Calif./WCOGA, junior
Timothy Wang, Riverside, Calif./Air Force, senior

Colorado
Taylor Burkhart, Morrison, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, senior
Adrian De Los Angeles, Long Beach, Colo./ U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior
Noah Giordano, Castle Rock, Colo./ 5280 Gymnastics, junior
Yul Moldauer, Arvada, Colo./University of Oklahoma, senior
Logan Myers, Morrison, Colo./ 5280 Gymnastics, junior

Connecticut
Luke Esparo, North Haven, Conn./New Era, junior
Luke McFarland, East Hartland, Conn./Daggetts, junior
Frankie Valentin, East Hartford, Conn./Air Force, senior

Florida
Steven Lukasik, Lutz, Fla./LaFleurs Tampa, junior
Sean Melton, Orlando, Fla./Ohio State University, senior

Georgia
Toby Liang, Roswell, Ga./Roswell, junior
Bobby Malone, Summerville, Ga./Stanford University

Iowa
Lucas Lorber, Davenport, Iowa/Eyas, junior
Kyden Martinez, North Liberty, Iowa/Eyas, junior
Zach Snyder, Swisher, Iowa/Emerge, junior

Idaho
Zackery Lerwill, Sugar City, Idaho/Madison, junior

Illinois
Grant Breckenridge, Libertyville, Ill./Stanford University, senior
Alex Diab, Glen Ellyn, Ill./University of Illinois, senior
Sebastian Ingersoll, Chicago, Ill./Lakeshore, junior
Paul Juda, Deerfield, Ill./University of Michigan, senior
Lais Najjar, Oak Brook, Ill./Lakeshore, junior
Max Olinger, Lake Forest, Ill./Buffalo Grove, junior
Rithik Puri, Chicago, Ill./Lakeshore, junior
Kai Uemura, Chicago, Ill./Lakeshore, junior

Indiana
Will Hauke, Indianapolis, Ind./DeVeaus, junior
Alec Yoder, Indianapolis, Ind./Ohio State University

Massachusetts
Matt Cormier Milton, Mass./MEGA MA, junior
Christopher Hiser, Longmeadow, Mass./Daggetts, junior
Ian Lasic-Ellis, Dover, Mass./MEGA MA, junior
Fred Richard, Stoughton, Mass./MEGA MA, junior

Maryland
Alex Kuzmenchuck, Bowie, Md./Paragon, junior
Khoi Young, Bowie, Md./Sportsplex, junior

Michigan
Landen Blixt, Fowlerville, Mich/Infinity, junior

Minnesota
Charlie Kramer, Minnetrista, Minn./North Shore, junior
Michael Moran, Minneapolis, Minn./University of Minnesota, senior
Shane Wiskus, Spring Park, Minn./University of Minnesota, senior

Nebraska
Dane Cramer, Lincoln, Neb./NSG, junior
A.J. Morgan, Lincoln, Neb./NSG, junior

New Jersey
Akash Modi, Morganville, N.J./Stanford University, senior

New York
Eddie Penev, Rochester, N.Y./Stanford University, senior

Nevada
Brennan Pantazis, Sparks, Nev./Pennsylvania State University, senior

Ohio
Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University, senior

Oklahoma
Gage Dyer, Yukon, Okla./University of Oklahoma, senior
Jordan Kovach, Anadarko, Okla./University of Illinois, senior

Oregon
James Friedman, Salem, Ore./OMEGA, junior
Adam Wolfe, Portland, Ore./MAC Gymnastics, junior
Zac Tiderman, Wilsonville, Ore./OMEGA, junior

Pennsylvania
Collin Cunane, West Chester, Pa./KMC, junior
Joshua Karnes, Erie, Pa./Lakettes, junior
Genki Suzuki, North Wales, Pa./University of Oklahoma, senior

South Carolina
Zachary English, Duncan, S.C./Palmetto, junior

Tennessee
Kameron Nelson, Jackson, Tenn./Hayden’s, junior
Ethan Boder, Knoxville, Tenn./GymTek, junior
Nicholas Tarca, Knoxville, Tenn./Premier Athletics, junior

Texas
Michael Artlip, Bellaire, Texas/HGC, junior
Garrett Braunton, Cypress, Texas/Cypress, senior
Caden Clinton, Cypress, Texas/Cypress, junior
Matthew Davis, McKinney, Texas/Army, senior
Jack Freeman, Palestine, Texas/University of Oklahoma, senior
Ian Gunther, Houston, Texas/Stanford University, senior
Dallas Hale, Richmond, Texas/EnRich, junior
Asher Hong, Tomball, Texas/Cypress, junior
Cameron Lee, Frisco, Texas/WOGA, junior
Zachary Nunez, Houston, Texas/Cypress, junior
Daniel Simmons, Cypress, Texas/Cypress, junior
Alexei Vernyi, Cypress, Texas/University of Oklahoma, senior
Colt Walker, Cedar Park, Texas/AcroTexas, senior
Colin Van Wicklen, Magnolia, Texas/University of Oklahoma, senior
Matt Wenske, Houston, Texas/University of Oklahoma, senior
Oliver Zavel, Lakeway, Texas/Crenshaws, junior

Utah
Taylor Christopulous, Layton, Utah/USA Gym World, junior
Cole Partridge, Bountiful, Utah/USA Gym World, junior
Colin Wingrove, Alpine, Utah/USA Gym World, junior

Virginia
Zachary Patrick, Virginia Beach, Va./Gymstrada, junior
Ahmir Postell, Virginia Beach, Va./Gymstrada, junior
Kiwan Watts, Richmond, Va./Arizona State University, senior

Washington
Benjamin Bloom, Mountlake Terrace, Wash./University of Washington
Dante Hays, Monroe, Wash./Metropolitan, junior
Sebastian Kane, Mercer Island, Wash./ Metropolitan, junior
Nicholas Kuebler, Seattle, Wash./Metropolitan

Wisconsin
Marvin Kimble, Milwaukee, Wis./Salto, senior
Robert Neff, Brookfield, Wis./ U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior

Wyoming
Brigham Frentheway, Cheyenne, Wyo./Frontier, junior

This press release originally appeared on usagym.org.