Huskers Hunt for First Home Win Against Gophers

Coming off of its first dual win of the season on Feb. 26 against Iowa, the Nebraska gymnastics team returns home to finish out the regular season at the DevaneyCenter.  The Huskers have two remaining meets in 2005, the first of which pits them against the No. 7 Minnesota Gophers this Sunday, March 6 at 2 p.m.  The event also includes the No. 1 Nebraska women in a triangular with Minnesota and Air Force.

 

The struggle between Nebraska and Minnesota showcases the most evenly matched meet NU has experienced this season.  The two programs are ranked within two positions of each other in nearly every event and in the national standings, where the Huskers climbed to ninth this week behind the Gophers in seventh.  Additionally, the two squads are  neck in neck on an individual basis, with NU sporting a strong all-around lineup, while Minnesota boasts the talent of senior captain Guillermo Alvarez, who currently holds No. 1 spots on the floor exercise and vault. 

 

However, Nebraska freshman Stephen T?trault is second behind Alvarez on vault, making that event the focus of Sunday’s competition.  An outstanding performance from either side on this one event could make the difference in the outcome of the meet.

 

After dropping their last match with the Gophers, 211.45-212.725 in 2004, the Huskers are hungry to redeem themselves against their northern opponent, while continuing the success they found against Iowa last weekend.  A win for Nebraska would push their season record to 12-6, 1-3 in the MPSF heading into their final regular season meet against Air Force on Sunday, March 13 also at the DevaneyCenter.

 

Scouting the Gophers

The 3-8 Minnesota Gophers meet up with the Huskers after securing a season-high 216.625 in a loss to No. 4 Oklahoma last Saturday, Feb. 26 in Minneapolis, Minn.  The score is just 25 hundredths of a point above NU’s season best of 216.600, which it earned against Ohio State on Feb. 18.

 

Against the Sooners, Minnesota senior standout Guillermo Alvarez banked his highest career all-around score of 55.55.  Alvarez, who finished second in the all-around at the Winter Cup, now stands second in the national ranks behind 2004 all-around champ Luis Vargas of PennState.  Alvarez was recently named to the U.S. National Gymnastics Team and has thus far earned a pair of Big Ten Gymnast of the Week awards in 2005.

 

A handful of other Gophers have added to Alvarez’s achievements this season, although for the most part it has been a one-man show.  Senior Clinton Mays has posted Minnesota’s highest score on the rings in every meet this season, earning a career-high 9.70 and a trio of titles in the event.  Sophomore Kyle True has been strong on the high bar for the Gophers, while fellow sophomore Jake Lee has made consistent improvement in the all-around.

 

Despite a losing record, Minnesota has seen bright moments throughout the season, the most brilliant of which was an upset over then third-ranked Michigan, 216.05-215.925.  The victory was the first for the Gophers against the Wolverines since 2001 and the only top 10 ranked team Minnesota has toppled this year.  Indeed the win was also especially sweet for first year head coach Michael Burns who recently took over at Minnesota after serving as an assistant coach at Michigan since 1997.  Burns replaced 30-year coach Fred Roethlisberger who retired from the U of M following last season.

 

Husker History vs. Minnesota:  Annual Adversaries

The Gophers and the Huskers have competed at least once during the regular season in every year since first being recognized by the Big Eight in 1964.  Since then, the pair have amassed a 15-11-1 record that NU currently leads. 

 

Their last competition ended in a 212.725-211.475 Minnesota victory.  However, the competition was the only meet in 2004 where Nebraska standout Mace Patterson did not participate in the all-around due to injury.

 

The one tie between the two programs came in 1990, the year Nebraska won its seventh NCAA championship.  In fact, the Gophers were the only team that season to even come close to smothering what would go on to become an undefeated season for the Huskers.

    

Nebraska Places Three Among All-Around Best

The national polls released by the NCAA this week feature three Nebraska gymnasts ranked among the top 10 all-arounders in the country.  Sophomore Jason Wassung leads the list for the Huskers in fourth (53.208), followed by freshman Stephen T?trault in seventh (52.825) and senior Mace Patterson in ninth (51.617).  Together Wassung, T?trault and Patterson are the only trio from the same squad to place in the top 10 and one of only two teams along with Navy to place three all-arounders anywhere in national ranks.

 

Wassung has progressively climbed his way up the list over the last five weeks, while T?trault enjoys his second consecutive ranking.  Patterson, who spent the majority of his junior season as one of the nation’s top all-arounders, jumps back into the ranks this week for the first time all season following an all-around title against Iowa last week.

   

T?trault Vaults into Second Place       

Nebraska freshman Stephen T?trault rose five places in the national ranks this week, going from seventh to second on the vault.  With the jump, T?trault became Nebraska’s highest ranking individual gymnast and also one of three elite freshman in the country to climb to such a height this season.  Joining T?trault are DJ Bucher of OhioState, currently first on the parallel bars, and Tyler Yamauchi of Illinois, who is second on the still rings.

 

With just two meets left in the regular season, T?trault has claimed three vaulting titles and a career-high score of 9.65.  He is also ranked nationally on the pommel horse (19th) and all-around (52.825).

 

NETV to Hold Live Broadcast of Minnesota Meet

Nebraska-based television station NETV is set to carry a live statewide broadcast of the men’s gymnastics meet between Nebraska and Minnesota on Sunday, March 6 at 2 p.m.  

 

Kevin Kugler will be providing main coverage for the event, while former Nebraska All-American Derek Leiter will handle color commentary.  Leiter competed for the Huskers under head coach Francis Allen from 1997 to 2000, during which time he earned three All-America honors, two in the all-around and one on the vault.

 

CSTV will also broadcast the competition on a national basis over the next week.  Times and dates for that re-broadcast are given below.

 

? Tuesday, March 8  (8 p.m. CST)

? Wednesday, March 9  (1 a.m. CST)

? Friday, March 11  (9:30 p.m. CST)

? Saturday, March 12  (11 a.m. CST)

? Sunday, March 13  (2:30 a.m. CST)

 

Nebraska Tidbits

Did you know...

?The last time the Huskers beat Minnesota at the DevaneyCenter was in 2003 and was one of only two dual wins for Nebraska that season.

?A pair of home wins over the next two weeks would boost the Huskers to 13-6 on the season, their best finish since 1999 when they went 6-2 and tied for first at the MPSF Championships.

?Derek Leiter, who will be providing color commentary of this Sunday’s meet, was the last Husker to break or tie a Nebraska gymnastics record when he earned a 9.90 on the floor exercise in 2000.