Huskers Finish Third At Oklahoma

Norman, Okla. ? The Nebraska men’s gymnastics team traveled to Norman, Okla., where they finished third with a score of 213.875 Saturday afternoon. The eighth-ranked Huskers were one of four teams to attend the meet, along with No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 7 Michigan, and No. 9 Minnesota. OU took home top honors (221.475) followed by Michigan (218.225) and Minnesota rounded out the teams with a score of 210.70.

Nebraska’s first rotation began on the pommel horse where freshman Paul Chumreonlert led the Huskers with a career high mark of 9.35 and placed fifth in the event. As a team, NU combined to tie its season-high pommel score of 35.05 from the Rocky Mountain Open.

The Huskers performed a strong rings routine, spearheaded by senior captain Josh Rasile, who grabbed a 9.6 on his way to the event title. Junior Adam Tietze also put together a solid performance, matching his season high ring score of 8.35

It was Rasile once again on the floor exercise that spurred the Huskers toward their best floor rotation all season. As Nebraska’s final competitor in this event, Rasile stuck a 9.325, a career-high mark that ousted his previous personal best of 9.3. Rasile’s score was also good enough to earn him third place in the floor exercise. The Huskers' team total on the floor (36.275) set a season-high mark, betteing the 36.15 against Iowa.

"Josh [Rasile] has really been coming around on the three events we use him on," Head Coach Francis Allen said. "He’s just got a couple of things left to work on, and he is going to be legitimate national champion material."

Nebraska’s success continued into the parallel bar competition where four of six NU gymnasts set personal bests. Junior Josh Koopman got things started for the Huskers with an 8.9 . Following Koopman’s lead, sophomore Ray Hacker (8.8), freshman Jason Wassung (8.75), and junior Mace Patterson (9.2) all showcased individual bests, while Patterson tied for second place.

On the high bar, Patterson put together a brilliant routine to lead his team with a score of 9.55 and a second-place finish.

After the second of two short breaks from competition, the Huskers headed into their final event of the afternoon, the vault. Thus far this season, the vault has been NU’s most successful event, and Saturday was no different with Rasile landing a 9.4 for second place, followed by Patterson in third with a career-high mark 9.35.

Overall, Allen was pleased with how his team performed, but he still feels that there is room for improvement.

"I still think that once we get the whole thing in motion we’re going to be really good," he said. "However, we have got to get more routines done in the gym first before anything is going to happen for us."

Nebraska’s competition is Saturday, March 6, in Minneapolis, Minn. where they will take on the Golden Gophers at 2 p.m. The Huskers then return home to the Devaney Center on March 12 for their final home meet of the season against Air Force and Oklahoma at 7 p.m.

Team Scores
1. Oklahoma 221.475
2. Michigan 218.225
3. Nebraska 213.875
4. Minnesota 210.700

Individual Placers (NU Gymnasts Only)
Floor Score
3. Josh Rasile 9.325

Pommel Horse
5. Paul Chumreonlert 9.35

Still Rings
1. Josh Rasile 9.60

Vault
2. Josh Rasile 9.40
3. Mace Patterson 9.35

Parallel Bars
2(t). Mace Patterson 9.20

High Bar
2. Mace Patterson 9.55

All-Around
4. Mace Patterson 54.55