Wood Advances to NCAA Pommel Horse Finals

Men's GymnasticsApril 07, 2006

Wood Advances to NCAA Pommel Horse Finals

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Norman, Okla. ? Nebraska senior Derric Wood advanced to the 2006 NCAA Championship event finals on the pommel horse by finishing 10th in the event with a score of 8.60 at the individual event qualifier on Friday. Wood will fight for All-America honors for the first time in his collegiate career tomorrow night beginning at 7 p.m.

“We’re proud that Derric (Wood) was able to go out and get the job done tonight,” Head Coach Francis Allen said. “He’s had a tremendous season and we’re excited to come out and support him in the finals.”

Junior Jason Wassung finished 12th in the nation in the all-around (51.80) for the Huskers. Although Wassung did not receive All-America status, which is reserved for the top eight places, the finish was the highest of his NCAA career.

Stephen T?trault, NU’s second all-around finals competitor, was forced to withdraw from the event early due to a recurring leg injury that acted up during the first rotation.

T?trault began his all-around campaign on the high bar with a neat, controlled set for a score of 8.30. However, the leg injury T?trault sustained during the team qualifier on Thursday flared up once more on his high bar landing, causing the sophomore to withdraw from the all-around competition and concentrate solely on the pommel horse, an event that would not aggravate the injury.

T?trault took to the horse in the fourth rotation where he earned a score of 8.60 to tie with Wood. However, a 10th-place tie is broken based on the highest score from day one, where Wood had an 8.70 and T?trault an 8.40. Thus, Wood will compete tomorrow.

Senior Ray Hacker’s impressive swing sequence on the still rings earned him a score of 8.775 in the event, but it was not enough to win him a spot at the event finals in an extraordinarily tough collegiate rings field. Hacker ends the season with a career- and team-high rings score of 9.075, which he earned at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships on March 25.

The youngest Nebraska competitor in the event qualifier, freshman T.J. Schmidt landed a perfect double-back dismount on the parallel bars for a score of 8.975, nearing his career-high of 9.15 which he set on March 11 at the Lloyd Nobel Center. However, Schmidt did not qualify for the event finals.

Unfortunately, fifth-year senior Tony Burtle was unable to compete on the vault or high bar during the individual event qualifier after suffering a torn left ACL during the vault warm-ups.

Friday’s competition also showcased the team finals in a battle for the title of 2006 NCAA Champion. Oklahoma claimed back-to-back NCAA team titles with a score of 221.40, followed by Illinois in second (220.975) and Stanford in third (218.375). With the win, the Sooners finish the season with a 21-0 record and both the MPSF and NCAA titles. This is Oklahoma’s third NCAA title in five years and the seventh in school history.

The 2006 NCAA Championships conclude Saturday, April 8 with the individual event finals beginning at 7 p.m. at the LloydNobelCenter in Norman, Okla.

Team Results Score

1. Oklahoma 221.40

2. Illinois 220.975

3. Stanford 218.375

4. Penn State 215.125

5. California 215.00

6. Iowa 211.00

Individual Event Results (NU Gymnasts Only)

*Indicates that a gymnast qualified for the event finals.

Floor Exercise Score

Jason Wassung 8.55