Nebraska Stuns Top-Ranked Ohio State

Lincoln -- The Nebraska men’s gymnastics team stunned top-ranked Ohio State, 214.925-213.475, Sunday evening at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. This is the first home win of the season for the eighth-ranked Huskers and the first loss for the previously undefeated Buckeyes. Nebraska’s score is also their highest since the 2000 season.

Nebraska’s success was led by a slew of career high marks from throughout the Husker roster. In all, Nebraska posted 11 career best scores, three of which came from junior Mace Patterson on the floor exercise (9.4) and pommel horse (9.4), which led to a career high 54.825 in the all-around and a title in that event, as well as the floor and pommel horse. Patterson also earned top honors in the high bar (9.55), where he was the last competitor of the evening at a time when his score secured the win for Nebraska.

Freshman Paul Chumreonlert also had a big night, grabbing two career highs of 9.2 (pommel horse) and 9.475 (rings),  garnering the support of his teammates as his scores earned him a  pair of third-place finishes.

"Everybody is feeding off of everyone else," head coach Francis Allen said. "Paul [Chumreonlert] knew that he had his team behind him, and that is something that he’ll never forget. There is just a lot of chemistry there."

Senior captain Josh Rasile also saw a landmark evening as he set his first career high in the vault in more than two years with a 9.6 and a title in that event. Rasile also took the number one spot on the still rings (9.625), an event where he is currently ranked fifth nationally.

On top of their individual success, the Huskers combined for season high scores on still rings (36.825), vault (36.975) and parallel bars (35.275). Allen feels that the improvement is consistent with the way his team is forming as a whole.

"They’re building an identity," he said. "And identity is what the word team means. Without it, no team is going to be very successful."

Nebraska’s next competition will be next weekend, as the Huskers head to Oklahoma to meet up with the Sooners, Michigan, and Minnesota. Competition begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Nebraska will return to the Devaney Center for their final home meet of the season on Friday, March 12 against Oklahoma and Air Force. The meet is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.