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No. 9 Nebraska at the Rocky Mountain Open
Jan. 14, 7 p.m. CT (6 p.m. MT)
Colorado Springs, Colo. (Cadet West Gymnasium)
Teams Participating: Nebraska, Oklahoma, Air Force, Arizona State, Washington
The Nebraska men's gymnastics team will open their 2012 campaign at the annual Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Colo. The meet begins at 7 p.m. CT and will feature three nationally ranked squads in No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 9 Nebraska and No. 11 Air Force, as well as Arizona State and Washington.
"We're excited to start the season at the Rocky Mountain Open," Head Coach Chuck Chmelka said. "The first meet of the season is always tough, but the guys are ready to get started."
This is the 17th time in 21 seasons that NU has started the year at the RMO. Since the meet began in 1981, the Huskers have captured six first-place finishes and nine second-place finishes in the collegiate division. Last season, Nebraska posted a score of 334.500 to finish second behind Oklahoma (346.500).
Fans can watch a live video stream of the meet via Air Force's website (GoAirForceFalcons.com). For updates on the team, visit Huskers.com or follow Nebraska men's gymnastics on Twitter.
Huskers Look to Continue Upward Trend
The Nebraska men’s gymnastics team finished 2011 by notching a top ten finish at the NCAA Championships. The Huskers return 12 letterwinners from last year’s squad and will also look for contributions from six newcomers in their 2012 campaign.
"I expect our team to be the hardest-working team in the NCAA," Chmelka said.
After losing four competitors to graduation, Chmelka expects seniors Will Eastman, Andreas Hofer, David Jacobs and Michael Killeen to step up into new leadership roles.
"I expect everything from our seniors," Chmelka said. "We need them to be leaders in the practice gym, competition arena, the classroom and in life skills."
The Huskers will also add six talented freshmen to the roster in Gabriel Jolley, Grant Perdue, Josh Ungar, Hayden Henrioulle, Ryan Irick and Connor Stillwell.
"I feel we have a very strong incoming freshman class," Chmelka said. "I expect them to have an immediate impact on the improvement of our team, both in the gym and in the classroom."
Nebraska Joins Top Men's Gymnastics Programs in Big Ten
The 2012 campaign will mark the beginning of a new era for NU men's gymnastics, as the team begins its first season as competitors in the Big Ten in January. The traditional strength of the conference in men's gymnastics points toward a competitive season for the Big Red.
The No. 9 Huskers were picked to finish sixth in the Big Ten Men's Gymnastics Preseason Coaches' Poll, illustrating the top-to-bottom strength of the conference. Three-time defending conference champion Illinois topped the poll, while Michigan and Penn State rounded out the top three.
Two Huskers were named to the Big Ten's 2012 Gymnasts to Watch list in the preseason. Senior Andreas Hofer and sophomore Wyatt Aycock were listed among the 14 conference gymnasts. Hofer has competed in the individual all-around finals at the NCAA Championships two times and finished in a tie for 11th at the 2011 NCAA Championships. Aycock will be looking to improve on his freshman campaign in which he posted a school record mark of 88.60 in all-around competition against Iowa and Minnesota.
Familiar Foes Ahead
The Huskers meet Air Force and Oklahoma for the first time on Saturday, but the Big Red will face the Falcons and the Sooners a combined five times throughout the 2012 season.
Nebraska is slated to square off against the Falcons this weekend before Air Force travels to Lincoln next Sunday. The two teams will meet each other and Oklahoma again on March 17 in Norman.
The Huskers will see more familiarity down the stretch in Big Ten action, with two matches against Iowa and three against Minnesota.
Looking Ahead
The Huskers will be back in action next week at the Bob Devaney Sports Center against the Air Force Falcons. The meet will take place on Sunday, Jan. 22 and is slated for a 1 p.m. start. Because of possible venue changes, fans should stay tuned to Huskers.com for the latest information on the start time and location of the meet.