Four men's gymnasts to compete in NCAAs

Most members of the Michigan men's gymnastics team have put 1998 behind them, for better or worse, setting their sights on next year.

But four Wolverines still have unfinished business. After concluding successful individual seasons in their respective events, each will have the shot to take home a national title this weekend as they travel to Penn State for the NCAA Championships.

Sophomore LaLo Haro will compete tonight for the all-around title. Haro earned one of six at-large bids for the NCAAs two weeks ago at the regional competition in Amherst, Mass., where he recorded a score of 56.65.

After making the all-Big Ten team his freshman year, the Michigan co-captain struggled with new and more difficult routines early this season, and finished in a disappointing ninth place at the Big Ten Championships in March. But Haro pulled his ski

MALLORY S.E. FLOYD/Daily While the team portion of the Michigan men's gymnastics season is over, four Wolverines will vie for individual national titles this weekend at Penn State.

lls together when it counted, and he is again wowing crowds and impressing judges.

"He's just more dynamic - more explosive than your typical gymnast," Michigan coach Kurt Golder said of Haro's flashy style.

A surprising absence from tonight's all-around field will be Penn State freshman and Big Ten champion Mike Dutka. After a debacle at regionals, the Nittany Lions failed to qualify for the NCAAs as a team, and Dutka's score was not high enough for an at-large bid.

Aside from the prestige of the all-around, Michigan will also be represented in three of tonight's individual events.

On parallel bars, freshman Justin Toman captured the first at-large bid from the East region with 9.800. A member of this year's all-Big Ten team and the co-Big Ten champion in the event, Toman may be Michigan's best chance for an NCAA title this weekend.

"He looked real good today in practice," Golder said after a team workout yesterday. "I think he has a real good chance of becoming an All-American."

All-American status is awarded to the top six finishers in each event. After tonight's prelims, the top eight in each event will advance to the finals on Saturday, where they will compete for the honor.

Another freshman standout, Kenny Keener, will vie for a spot in the finals on still rings. Keener has led the Wolverines in the event all year, and tied his own school record of 9.750 at regionals to qualify for NCAAs.

Golder said that if Keener can continue his strong performance, he could make Saturday's cut.

"A lot of times it all comes down to the dismount," Golder said "He's pretty consistent on his dismount."

Senior Tim Lauring will represent the Wolverines on vault. Traditionally Michigan's forte, the event's spontaneity makes the results difficult to predict. Unlike NCAA women's competition, where the score is based on the average of two attempts, the men have just one chance to hurdle the horse.

Vault "is like a high jump. You either nail it or you don't," Golder said. "You could go from All-American to 20th place."

Lauring was part of a four-man Michigan contingent to reach the Big Ten vault finals, but with a 9.700, he and all-around qualifier Haro were the only two able to maintain the same intensity at regionals.

Although every qualifying athlete will participate tonight, only the all-around title will be awarded by the end of the evening. The night serves as a preliminary round for the team competition and the individual events.

Haro and the other all-around competitors will also be eligible to qualify for Saturday's individual finals on a single-event basis.

04-16-98