No. 10 Huskers Start 2009 Campaign at Rocky Mountain Open

Lincoln, Neb. - The tenth-ranked Nebraska gymnastics team opens its 2009 season on the road this weekend with its annual trip to the Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Colo. The competition, beginning at 8:30 p.m. CST at the Cadet West Gym, features No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 13 Air Force, as well as non-conference opponents Arizona State, Washington and members of the United States Olympic Training Center. Nebraska will begin the competition on pommel horse, before continuing the competition in Olympic order.

This is the 14th time in 19 seasons that the Huskers have opened their season at the RMO, which began in 1981. Since then, Nebraska has clinched a first-place finish six times and finished second on six other occasions. NU’s last Rocky Mountain Open title was in 2000. Last season, NU earned third place at the RMO, only placing behind the USOTC and Oklahoma.

The RMO is a familiar stage for the Nebraska gymnastics program, as each year it provides NU valuable insight to where it stands nationally. Twelve returning letterwinners and two newcomers are slated to compete either with the team or in exhibition, giving NU a chance to test the waters of the 2009 competition early in the regular season.

Upon completing the Rocky Mountain Open, Nebraska will return home to face the Sooners for the second-consecutive weekend with a dual at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Sunday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m. The dual will mark the first of only three home meets for the Nebraska gymnastics team during the 2009 season.

Season Preview: Experience Guides Huskers to Set Sights on NCAA Finals
During the 2009 season, the Nebraska gymnastics team will again set its sights on becoming one of the top six teams to make the NCAA finals. Although filling the void left by three-time NCAA All-American Stephen T?trault will be no easy task, the Huskers boast 12 returning lettermen on the 2009 roster to help give Nebraska the experience needed to make the top six.

"Once you get in the top six you have the opportunity to move up," Nebraska Coach Francis Allen said. "If you’re seventh, you won’t get the chance to move up. We didn’t really have anybody in the all-around toward the end of last season, which just killed us in terms of really making an upward move in the team standings. So, this season’s goal is to make the top six."

This season Nebraska has the potential to rotate three gymnasts in the all-around position, including juniors Kyle Shanahan and John Robinson and sophomore Bear Danley. However, the all-arounders must steer clear of injuries in order to give Nebraska a competitive edge in the 2009 season.

"Kyle and Johnny are the guys we have to have healthy if we’re going to make the final six," Allen said. "We have so much banking on those guys in six events. They’re the best two guys we have on all six events."

In addition to NU’s top all-arounders, Nebraska’s solid returning roster includes NCAA All-American T.J. Schmidt, as well as event specialists Anthony Ingrelli, Tony Maras, Josh Rusler, James Mauldin, Daniel Br?l? , Garret Durst, and Josh Rusler.

Two new faces will also be joining the Husker lineup, including redshirt freshman Cory Baumgarten and newcomer Josh Dilworth.

With fourteen different gymnasts expected to compete for Nebraska this season, NU will have the experience necessary to regain national respect.

Seniors
With over nine years of collegiate experience between them, seniors T.J. Schmidt, James Mauldin and Jacob Ives will provide the Huskers with vast leadership experience during the 2009 season.

Schmidt enters his senior season as NU’s only returning NCAA All-American. A regular competitor on pommel horse, rings and parallel bar, Schmidt typically ranks within the top 10 nationally throughout the season on both pommel horse and parallel bars. Prior to the 2008 NCAA Championship, Schmidt held a steady fifth-place ranking nationally on parallel bars. During the 2009 season, Schmidt will certainly be making a push to once again make the NCAA event finals and earn prestigious NCAA All-America honors. Schmidt’s leadership and hard work ethic will be especially beneficial in acclimating some of NU’s younger competitors this season.

Mauldin was a consistent competitor for the Huskers on pommel horse, still rings, and parallel bars during his junior season. This season, Nebraska Coach Francis Allen expects Mauldin to crack the top-five on pommel horse, while continuing to improve both his rings and parallel bars routines.

Rounding out NU’s senior class is Ives, who will be used potentially on floor exercise, pommel horse, or vault for the Huskers. Ives made his collegiate debut in 2006 at the Rocky Mountain Open before becoming a consistent competitor for the Huskers in 2006. He went on to compete again in the RMO during 2007, but has not appeared in a competition since. Ives has provided vast support to the Husker gymnastics team through his hard work and perseverance.

Juniors
Nebraska’s junior class continues to be one of the strongest in Husker history. Six of the 12 returning lettermen comprise the junior class, including all-arounders Kyle Shanahan and John Robinson, who were top competitors for the Huskers last season.

Shanahan emerged as one of Nebraska’s top all-arounders during his sophomore season at Nebraska. Shanahan’s all-around success was unprecedented, as he earned his first all-around title against Iowa with a score of 87.30. He then went on to capture the all-around title for the second-consecutive week against Air Force with a score of 87.45. For his efforts, Shanahan earned prestigious MPSF Gymnast of the Week honors on March 25. Although Shanahan is recuperating from an off-season knee surgury, he is expected to become one of Nebraska’s top all-arounders midway through the season.

After competing on every event but floor exercise during the 2008 season, Robinson added the event midway through the season to compete in the all-around lineup for the Huskers. Robinson proved successful as an all-arounder, as he earned second place against both Stanford and Air Force. He continued to compete in the all-around in the MPSF Championships and the 2008 NCAA Championship tournament. Robinson is coming off an off-season ankle surgery, but will be ready to compete for the Huskers in the Rocky Mountain Open.

Several junior event specialists will also provide Nebraska with extra strength during the 2009 season. Tony Maras is returning after a stellar sophomore season. He began the season only competing on still rings, but finished the season competing on four different events. Maras was one of only four Huskers last season to advance to the second day of NCAA event competition, as he finished the tournament in 22nd place with a score of 15.70 on vault. Maras suffered a preseason Achilles tendon injury, but was cleared for competition during the 2009 season. Maras will likely compete on still rings and parallel bars this season.

Two-time letterwinner Daniel Br?l? competed in nearly every competition for the Huskers last season on four events, including floor exercise, vault, parallel bars and high bar. Br?l? became a regular in cracking the top-three in all of his events during the season. Br?l? wrapped up his sophomore year with a 12th-place finish on vault at the NCAA Championship Qualifier with a score of 15.60. Nebraska Coach Francis Allen expects Br?l? to "make his move" during his final two years at Nebraska.

Aerial specialist and two-time letterwinner Josh Rusler was an asset to the Husker team during the 2008 season, both athletically and academically. He not only competed in nearly every competition on floor exercise, vault and high bar, but captured Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll honors for the third time in his career and was named to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Academic All-Conference team for the first time. This season, Rulser is expected to compete on pommel horse and parallel bars for the Huskers.

Stefan Wallof rounds out the list of junior competitors during the 2009 season. Although Wallof did not make the lineup last season, he is expected to compete on parallel bars and may also make the floor and rings teams.

Sophomores
All three of the Huskers sophomores competed regularly in the 2008 meets, and are expected to make a huge impact for the 2009 squad.

An aerial specialist, Danley shined on five events for the Huskers last season, including floor exercise, pommel horse, vault, parallel bars and high bar. This season, Danley is anticipated to pick up one more event to become one of three Nebraska all-arounders.

Still rings specialist Anthony Ingrelli will add valuable experience and talent to the rings squad this season. In just his first season with the Huskers, Ingrelli earned two event titles before advancing to the second round of the NCAA event finals on still rings. Ingrelli was the only ringman from Nebraska to make the second round at the NCAA Championships. This season, Coach Allen expects Ingrelli to continue to improve with the difficulty of his rings routines.

After redshirting during his freshman season, Garret Durst emerged as a strong still rings competitor during the 2008 season. He started out the season competing on both still rings and vault, but focused on just still rings after five competitions. This season, Coach Allen expects Durst to be a consistent competitor in the still rings competition throughout the year.

Newcomers
The 2009 Nebraska gymnastics team features two newcomers on the roster, including Cory Baumgarten, a redshirt freshman from Plano, Texas, and Josh Dilworth, a freshman from Overland Park, Kansas.

Baumgarten traveled with the 2008 team to get a feel for competitions; however, this season will be his first season of eligibility for the Huskers. Baumgarten’s main focus is to polish his routines this season. Once his routines are solid, Coach Allen expects Baumgarten to be a contributor to the Husker lineup.

Dilworth trained under the Great American Gymnastics Express in Blue Springs, Mo., before competing in the United States Olympic men’s qualifier last Spring. His advanced level of competition will certainly help him in collegiate competition. Dilworth will make an immediate impact for the Huskers’ vault and high bar teams.

Scouting the Rocky Mountain Open Competition (Conference Opponents)
No. 2 Oklahoma
2009 Record: 0-0-0
Head Coach: Mark Williams
Top Returners: Chris Brooks, Jacob Messina
2008 MPSF Finish (Score): First (359.150)
2008 NCAA Finish (Score): First (363.200)

A Quick Look at the Sooners
Oklahoma enters the Rocky Mountain Open after coming off a first-place finish at the 2008 NCAA Championships last season. The Sooners also claimed the 2008 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship for the fourth-consecutive year. Year after year, the OU gymnastics team is a national powerhouse under Head Coach Mark Williams. OU’s lineup is led by senior co-captains Chris Brooks and Jacob Messina during the 2009 season. The Sooners also have five returning All-Americans, including seniors Russell Czeschin (FX), Chris Brooks (PB, HB), Jason Laughton (PH), Reed Pitts (FX) and sophomore Steven Legendre (FX, V, HB).

No. 13 Air Force
2009 Record: 0-0-0
Head Coach: Kip Simons
Top Returners: Josiah Loeser, Jake Schonig
2008 MPSF Finish (Score): Fifth (328.500)
2008 NCAA Finish (Score): NR

A Quick Look at the Falcons
Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Kip Simons, Air Force is coming off of one of the best seasons in program history. The Falcons moved to 13th place in the preseason poll after finishing 15th in the 2008 standings. Air Force boasts nine returning letterwinners and a talented class of newcomers to the program.