Nebraska Welcomes Talented Trio to Men?s Gym Roster

The <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>University of Nebraska men’s gymnastics team will welcome three new faces to the gym this fall as it prepares for the 2005 season.  <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Two freshmen and a transfer student make up Nebraska’s 2004-05 incoming class and Coach Francis Allen said that the newcomers fit in well with the returning members of the team.

 

“I really think that we’re going to have an experienced, competitive team this year,” Allen said.  “When you put these new guys in with the talent that we already have and add it all together, it makes for an extremely deep, good group.” 

 

Stephen Tetrault (tey-tro), a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, tops off Allen’s list of incoming gymnasts.  After moving to the United States in 2000, Tetrault attended Lincoln East high school and earned All-America honors during his freshman and sophomore year along with a state vaulting title as a sophomore. 

 

“Tetrault will be a big asset for us this year,” Allen said.  “He’s very good on pommel horse and vault and those are two events we’re really building on.”

 

While still in Canada, Tetrault was a member of the Canadian Junior National Team and was recently invited to the Junior National training camp in the United States, but declined to begin working with the Huskers.  In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Tetrault brings a strong sense of academics to NU as a math major on academic scholarship.

 

Native Nebraskan Andrew Podany will also see time in the Nebraska rotation this season.  Podany is a two-time high school All-American out of Papillion-LaVista where he trained under Coach Scott Zymbol.  He has earned three club titles in the vault, floor exercise and still rings, and was a national qualifier in the all-around. 

 

In addition to the freshmen, the Huskers also welcome a transfer student from Springfield College in Massachusetts.  Jon Charter, a native of Ft. Myers, Fla., joins the Huskers after training for several years at Tim Daggett Gold Medal Gymnastics while attending Springfield College.

 

The 2005 Nebraska men’s gymnastics roster has 15 members after the loss of senior captain Josh Rasile and the return of injured senior Steven Friedman.  The Huskers are slated to begin their season Jan. 14, 2005, when they head to Colorado Springs, Colo. for the Rocky Mountain Open.