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After a two-week layoff, the University of Nebraska men’s gymnastics team begins its home season with a dual meet against Oklahoma this Friday evening, Feb. 5, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center beginning at 7:30. This week’s meet is a double dual also featuring the Husker women against Oklahoma.
The Huskers, ranked ninth in the Feb. 1 NACGC Poll, are 4-0 on the season after winning the college division of the Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Colo., in their season opener on Jan. 22. The Huskers edged this week’s foe, sixth-ranked Oklahoma, by 0.10 points in the team competition. The Sooners, 5-1 on the season, are coming off a pair of home victories last weekend. OU defeated New Mexico (223.775-213) on Jan 29, and Air Force (225.925-213) last Saturday.
About The Sooners
Under Head Coach Greg Buwick (206-80/16 seasons), the sixth-ranked Sooners are 5-1 on the year, losing only to Nebraska at the Rocky Mountain Open two weeks ago.
In last Saturday’s victory over Air Force, the Sooners were paced by sophomore Gabe Hansen, who won the all-around with a score of 56.9, highlighted by first-place finishes on vault (9.70) and parallel bars (9.65). Hansen also finished second to OU teammate Todd Bishop on horizontal bar with a 9.80. Bishop won both the high bar (9.90) and pommel horse (9.80), while Brendon O’Neil finished first on floor exercise with a 9.80.
Nebraska, which won three of four meetings during the regular season last year, including a 231.05-227.85 victory in Lincoln, leads the all-time series, 27-16-1.
Last Time Out: Huskers Perform Well at Rocky Mountain Open
The fourth-ranked Nebraska men’s gymnastics team won the college division of the Rocky Mountain Open held at the Air Force Academy Jan. 22-23. The Huskers’ total of 221.15 was a tenth of a point better than fifth-ranked Oklahoma’s total of 221.05.
In the all-around competition, Nebraska was paced by all-arounders Jason Hardabura, Derek Leiter, Martin Fournier and Jim Koziol, all of whom finished in the top 11 overall. Hardabura finished third in the all-around with a score of 55.70, including a first-place showing on high bar (9.75) and second-place finishes on pommel horse (9.50) and still rings (9.55). Leiter was sixth in the all-around with a score of 54.95 and finished first on vault with a 9.75. Fournier, who was making his collegiate debut, was eighth in the all-around with a score of 54.30, taking first on parallel bars with a score of 9.65. Koziol finished 11th in the all-around competition with a score of 53.10, highlighted by a fifth-place showing on still rings (9.40).
In the individual event finals, Nebraska was led by Leiter, who captured a pair of titles, placing first on floor exercise with a 9.70 and tying for first on vault (9.70). Leiter also finished third on parallel bars (9.35) and fourth on pommel horse (9.30). Hardabura also turned in strong performances, finishing second on rings (9.60), third on pommel horse (9.50) and fourth on horizontal bar (9.25). Other Husker finalists included Fournier, who was fourth on parallel bars with a 9.30, junior Blake Bukacek, who was fifth on pommel horse with a 9.0 and sophomore Grant Clinton, who was seventh on still rings (9.20) in his first collegiate competition.
Newcomers Make Impact in NU Lineup
Three of NU’s four newcomers made their collegiate debuts at the Rocky Mountain Open. Freshmen Martin Fournier and Dustin Jakub, along with sophomore Grant Clinton, were instrumental in helping the Huskers win the Rocky Mountain Open.
Fournier, a freshman from St. Hubert, Quebec, finished eighth in the all-around with a score of 54.30, including a first-place finish on parallel bars during the team competition. Fournier had NU’s second-best vault score with a 9.30. During the individual finals, Fournier finished fourth on parallel bars with a 9.30.
Jakub, one of three Lincoln natives on the Husker roster, competed in three events (PH, V, and PB), scoring a 9.05 on vault and an 8.95 on parallel bars.
Clinton, who transferred from Texas Tech at the semester break, competed on three events (FX, SR, HB) at the Rocky Mountain Open and qualified for the individual finals on still rings with a 9.20, second only to All-American Jim Koziol’s 9.40 among NU competitors. In the individual finals, Clinton placed seventh with a score of 9.20. A sophomore, Clinton had been out of the sport for three years after sustaining injuries in a car accident before returning to competition this semester.
Leiter Shows All-American Form
Junior All-American Derek Leiter began the season in style at the Rocky Mountain Open, winning a pair of individual event titles and qualifying for event finals on two other events.
A junior from Lincoln, Leiter placed first on floor exercise with a 9.70 and tied for first on vault (9.70) after winning the team competition on vault with a 9.75. Leiter, who was sixth in the all-around with a score of 54.95, also finished third on parallel bars (9.35) and fourth on pommel horse (9.30) in the individual finals.
Hardabura Continues All-Around Success
After one of the most successful freshman campaigns in school history, Jason Hardabura shows no signs of letting up this year.
A member of the Canadian National Team, Hardabura led the Huskers with a third-place finish in the all-around at the Rocky Mountain Open (55.70), earning top-two finishes on high bar (9.75-1st), pommel horse (9.50-2nd) and still rings (9.55-2nd). During the individual event finals, Hardabura placed second on rings (9.60), third on pommel horse (9.50) and fourth on horizontal bar (9.25).
Last season, Hardabura finished ninth in the all-around at the NCAAs, the top place by a freshman last season. The sophomore from Oakville, Ontario, also won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship on floor exercise as a freshman.
Nebraska Coach Francis Allen
One of the most successful men’s gymnastics coaches in college gymnastics history, Nebraska men’s gymnastics Coach Francis Allen begins his 30th season at the helm of the Husker program. During his illustrious career, Allen, a two-time United States Olympic Head Coach, has compiled a 163-69-3 (.700) dual-meet record and has guided Nebraska to eight NCAA titles. He has coached 38 NCAA individual champions, nine U.S. Olympic gymnasts (earning 11 positions), nine GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and three Nissen Award winners. The longtime Husker coach has led NU to 13 conference titles, including the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation crown in 1997, and was selected as one of two recipients of the College Gymnastics Association Honor Coach Award in 1998. Allen, a three-time NCAA Coach of the Year, was a former co-caption, along with current NU assistant coach Jim Howard, at Nebraska in 1965 after winning the Big Eight Conference title on parallel bars in 1964.
Up Next
Next weekend, select individuals will travel to Las Vegas, Nev., to compete in the U.S. Winter Cup, Feb. 12 and 13. The Huskers’ next team competition is on Friday, Feb. 19, when NU will play host to Minnesota, beginning at 7 p.m. The Huskers will also face Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m. Both meets will be in the track area of the Devaney Center.