Huskers Look to Build Momentum after Toppling Top-Ranked Penn St.

The eighth-ranked Nebraska men’s gymnastics team returns to the road as the Huskers travel to Albuquerque to take on New Mexico Sunday, March 21, at 3 p.m. in The Pit. It is the Huskers’ final tune-up before the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships March 26-27.

The Huskers are 9-2 on the season after knocking off top-ranked Penn State, 228.975-226.875, on March 14. The Huskers have defeated a trio of top-five opponents this season, including Oklahoma (then No. 5) and No. 3 Iowa, but need a good road score to move up in the national rankings. The Huskers have scored 227 or better in each of their four home meets, but have not topped the 226-point plateau in three road meets this season.

The Lobos, 4-6 on the season, defeated Air Force, 218.925-216.05, March 13 in Colorado Springs and will compete in the Southwest Cup at Arizona State this Friday, March 19, before hosting the Huskers. Nebraska defeated New Mexico, 221.15-208.90, in the season opener at the Rocky Mountain Open in late January.

Scouting New Mexico
Under the direction of Head Coach Rusty Mitchell (247-104 in 33 seasons), the Lobos are coming off a 218.925-216.05 victory over Air Force over the weekend. New Mexico is led by two-time NCAA qualifier Lateef Crowder, who won the all-around at Air Force with a score of 56.325. Crowder, who is ranked ninth nationally in the all-around, placed first on floor exercise (9.75), still rings (9.825), and vault (9.70) to lead the Lobos. Crowder is ranked in the top 10 nationally on rings (seventh) and vault (fourth), while juniors Justin DeLaHunt (10th, floor) and Asher Lichterman (10th, vault) are also ranked nationally in their respective events. The Huskers lead the all-time series, 6-3, and have won the past three meetings, including a 231.05-222.30 victory last season in Lincoln. The Huskers have lost the last two meetings in Albuquerque since a 228.20-279.35 Nebraska victory during the 1993 season.

Comparing the Teams
Event New Mexico Nebraska
FX 37.425 (Ninth) 37.025 (14th)
PH 36.075 (17th) 37.625 (Ninth)
SR 37.162 (13th) 37.50 (11th)
V 37.475 (10th) 37.425 (11th)
PB 36.225 (16th) 37.225 (Eighth)
HB 36.10 (14th) 38.012 (Fifth)

Last Week: Huskers Down No 1. Penn St.
The eighth-ranked Husker men turned in season bests on four events to defeat top-ranked Penn State, 228.975-226.875, March 14 in front of 1,772 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Husker men, who improved to 9-2 on the season, were paced by all-arounders Jason Hardabura and Derek Leiter, who finished 1-2 in the all-around. Hardabura won his fourth all-around of the season with a score of 58.10, taking first on floor exercise (9.75) and finishing second on pommel horse (9.70), still rings (9.775) and horizontal bar (9.725). It was Hardabura’s third score of 58 or better this season as the sophomore scored 9.525 or better on all six events.

Leiter, who finished second in the all-around with a 56.775, earned first-place finishes on vault (9.825) and parallel bars (9.725). Junior Blake Bukacek tied his career high on high bar (9.75) to record his first event victory of the season. The Huskers also received strong performances from senior Jim Koziol and freshman Martin Fournier. Koziol earned top-four finishes on three events, including a runner-up finish on pommel horse (9.70) and a third-place showing on rings (9.70), while Fournier scored a career high of 56.15 in the all-around, including a third-place finishes on floor exercise (9.625) and parallel bars (9.575).

The Huskers led from start to finish as NU began with a season high 38.575 on floor exercise, paced by career bests by Hardabura and Fournier to build a 38.575-38 lead after one rotation. The Huskers extended their lead throughout the competition, recording season highs on still rings (38.275), vault (38.30) and parallel bars (38.125). The Huskers outscored the Lions in five of the six events en route to its third victory over a top-five opponent this season.

Huskers in the Rankings
Three Nebraska gymnasts are listed in this week’s NCAA rankings, released March !6. Sophomore Jason Hardabura is ranked fifth in the all-around with an NCAA three-score average of 56.50, and is seventh on high bar (9.712), 11th on still rings (9.662) and 16th on pommel horse (9.625). Junior All-American Derek Leiter is first in the nation on vault (9.75), fifth on floor exercise (9.70) and 14th on high bar (9.625). Freshman Martin Fournier rounds out the Huskers as he is 13th on parallel bars (9.60).

NU 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 167-71-3 (.699) 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.

Husker Health Watch
In addition to senior Marshall Nelson being sidelined by a torn left ACL all season, the Huskers have battled the injury bug in recent weeks. Freshmen Dusty Jakub (sublexed left ankle) and Jeff Kelly (back) will likely be sidelined the rest of the season. In addition, senior All-American Jim Koziol strained a left bicep muscle at Oklahoma on Feb. 26 and returned to the still rings lineup against Penn State. The injuries have left Nebraska with just six gymnasts on its active roster.

Tickets Available for NCAA Championships
Tickets are still available for the 1999 NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships, April 22-24, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Tickets range from $3 to $22 and can be purchased at the NU Ticket Office, across the street from Memorial Stadium, or by calling 1-800-8-Big Red.

Up Next
The Huskers travel to Norman, Okla., for the1999 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships next Friday and Saturday, March 26-27, beginning at 7 p.m. each evening.

1999 Season Highs
Floor Exercise: 9.75 Hardabura, vs. Penn St.
Pommel Horse: 9.75 Hardabura, vs. Iowa
Still Rings: 9.80 Hardabura, vs. Iowa
Vault: 9.825 Leiter, vs. Penn St.
Parallel Bars: 9.775 Leiter, vs. Minnesota
Horizontal Bar: 9.875 Hardabura, vs. Iowa
All-Around: 58.15 Hardabura, vs. Minn.

Team Bests
Team Score 229.00, vs., Iowa (2/21)
Floor Exercise 38.575, vs. Penn St. (3/14)
Pommel Horse 38.75, vs Iowa (2/21)
Still Rings 38.275, vs. Penn St. (3/14)
Vault 38.30, vs. Penn St. (3/14)
Parallel Bars 38.125, vs. Penn St, (3/14)
Horizontal Bar 38.775, vs. Iowa (2/22)

 

Huskers In the Rankings

March 16, 1999 Rankings
Team Events NCAA Avg. Rank
Floor Exercise 37.025 14th
Pommel Horse 37.625 Ninth
Still Rings 37.50 11th
Vault 37.425 11th
Parallel Bars 37.225 Eighth
Horizontal Bar 38.012 Fifth

Ind. Events Name Avg. Rank
All-Around Hardabura 56.50 Fifth
Floor Exercise Leiter 9.70 Seventh
Pommel Horse Hardabura 9.625 16th
Still Rings Hardabura 9.662 11th
Vault Leiter 9.75 First
Parallel Bars Fournier 9.60 13th
Horizontal Bar Hardabura 9.712 Seventh

Leiter 9.625 14th

How the Rankings are Determined
3/2 to 3/23 - Ranking by Three-Score Average (select highest home and two highest away scores. Eliminate the best of the three and average the remaining two).

NU Plays Host to NCAAs Next Month
This April, the college gymnastics world will ascend on Lincoln as the University of Nebraska will play host to the 1999 NCAA Championships, April 22-24. It is the 10th time that the Bob Devaney Sports Center has hosted the NCAA Championships, the most of any facility in the nation. Tickets for all three evenings can be purchased by calling 1-800-8BIGRED or (402) 472-3111. Sessions each evening will begin at 7 p.m.

Competition Schedule
Day Events
Thursday All-Around/Team Preliminaries
Friday Team Finals
Saturday Individual Event Finals

For more information, visit Nebraska’s NCAA Championship website at http://huskerwebcast.com/sports/gymnastics/index.html