Men's gymnastics soars to No. 1 in nation

The Michigan men's gymnastics team can finally claim that it is the best team in the country.

Following the team's second straight score over 230, the Wolverines claimed the top spot in the latest National Association of Gymnastics Coaches poll. Michigan wrested the honor away from Penn State, who has been ranked number one for much of the year.

The team's previous highest ranking this year was No. 2, which the team held for over a month.

The ranking system that is used in gymnastics is different than in most sports, because it is computed instead of voted on.

The team's ranking is currently determined by taking the highest home score and the two highest road scores, eliminating the highest of the three, and then averaging the other two.

Because Michigan's three highest scores all came at home, none of them counted in determining the rankings.

But after the team recorded a team high at Michigan State this past Saturday, the average went up almost two points, raising the team from No. 5 to the top spot.

The ranking system provides some inconsistencies. Although Michigan has not beaten Ohio State or Iowa in head-to-head competition, the Wolverines rank ahead of both schools.

The ranking comes at the end of the regular season as the team prepares for the Big Ten Championships.

"I think that this ranking will affect both us and the other teams at Big Tens," Golder said. "I think that it will give our team a lot of confidence.

"I think that when the other teams see this that it will give them more incentive to beat us," Golder said. "The other teams will have it up in the lockerrooms, and have some comments about it."

The ranking is important to the team, but it doesn't fulfill any of the team's goals - it is only a result of them. The team has been focusing all year on performing their best, and eventually winning the NCAA Championships.

"We need to be careful not to put too much into it. It's nice, but it doesn't mean that much if we don't continue to perform well," Golder said. "I don't thnk that this team will let up, though. They haven't fulfilled all of their goals yet."

Kurt Golder's resurrection of the Michigan men's gymnastics program has climbed to a new altitude. The Wolverines are ranked No. 1 in the nation.

DANA LINNANE/Daily

03-24-99