This weekend, the Michigan men's gymnastics team makes the trek to Iowa to compete for the title of Big Ten champions. The meet will take place tomorrow through Saturday in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Big Ten Championships could be the most exciting meet of the gymnastics season. The honor of winning the Big Ten title may not seem to be the most prestigious award in the country, but this year it is.
Throughout the season , the Big Ten has dominated the rankings as well as most of the invitational meets. Currently, the Big Ten has seven teams ranked in the nation's top 20.
That might not sound particularly impressive, considering that in men's basketball, seven Big Ten teams graced the top 25 almost all year. But as in other sports, Big "Ten" is somewhat of a misnomer. Only seven Big Ten teams compete in men's gymnastics.
In addition, the teams hold six of the top seven spots in the rankings. Michigan leads the way, having recently claimed the top ranking.
The meet should also be a good preview of the NCAA East Regional. The top six teams in the Big Ten will probably qualify for the regional.
The six Big Ten teams ranked in the top ten - Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan State - have all moved around the rankings this year. Three have been ranked No. 1.
Breaking down the rankings, the Big Ten dominates. In each event the Big Ten has at least five teams ranked in the top ten. An athlete from a Big Ten school ranks either first or second in every event individually.
"I think that any of the top four - Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State and Iowa - have a chance to win Big Ten's and also a legitimate chance to win the national championship," Michigan coach Kurt Golder said.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the Big Ten and assess each team's chance to win this weekend.
No. 1 Michigan: The Wolverines have had their best performances of the season the past two weekends. In both meets against Michigan State they scored over 230, and finally recorded a top score on the road. The scores are a direct result of the team's growth throughout the year and increased health in recent weeks. The added diversity allows Golder to place his gymnasts in their best events. Daniel Diaz-Luong leads the all-around, currently ranked fourth nationally. Michigan is peaking right now. Look for them to continue their streak, as their confidence and talent are at the highest level of the year. The Wolverines will look to avenge earlier losses to Ohio State and Iowa.
No. 2 Penn State: The Nittany Lions have been one of the most consistent teams of the year without being spectacular. They've been ranked No. 1 for most of the season. The team is led by Brandon Stefaniak, whose scores have been consistently good - like his team's. Penn State is a very good team, but has not showed the ability to score as high as some other teams.
No. 3 Ohio State: The Buckeyes were the best team in the nation in February. They beat Michigan in Ann Arbor and became the first team to break 230 this season. Jamie Natalie is the top-ranked all-around performer in the country right now. Ohio State has beaten Michigan twice and may be offended at the Wolverines' No. 1 ranking. The Buckeyes hate Michigan and now have one more reason to perform well.
No. 4 Iowa: The Hawkeyes started the year ranked No. 1 and won the season-opening Windy City Invitational. Since then, the team has been consistently good but has not scored more than 230 this year. Competing at home will help the team as it did earlier this year when the Hawkeyes beat the Wolverines. Iowa has been a great program in the past, but doesn't seem to be performing as well as the Buckeyes or Wolverines this year.
No. 5 Illinois: The Fighting Illini started the year at their worst, and have been improving since then. At an early season meet in Ann Arbor, five out of six competitors fall in one event. The team finished second in the NCAA last year and most of that team is still in place including defending national all-around champion Travis Romagnoli. Currently he is ranked second in the all-around; his experience may give him an advantage.
No. 7 Michigan State: Until recent weeks it didn't seem as though the Spartans were in the same class as the top five teams. In both meets against Michigan, the Spartans topped 229 and set their season-high both weeks. The team is peaking right now, ranking first in the floor exercise and in the top 10 in all six events. Michigan State is the sleeper team that some schools won't be ready for. Only Michigan has seen the Spartans perform their best, and there is no reason why they won't continue that trend this weekend.
No. 17 Minnesota: Talk about March Madness. If Minnesota won the Big Ten Championships, it would be a bigger upset than Florida A&M beating Duke in basketball. Although the Golden Gophers are ranked, they are in a different class than the other six Big Ten teams, their average is more than ten points behind Michigan. Minnesota will probably be the only team from the Big Ten staying home for regionals.
The Daily's Big Ten Picks:
1. Michigan/Ohio State - The two best teams, too close to call.
3. Iowa - Home-gym advantage.
4. Michigan State - Streaking now.
5. Penn State - Great team, not No.2.
6. Illinois - Not going to be second nationally this year.
7. Minnesota - Should stay home for this one.
weekend in Iowa City at the Big Ten Championships.
03-25-99
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