Huskers Finish in First, Clinch Spot in NCAA Finals

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Nebraska men's gymnastics team qualified for the NCAA Championship Finals after finishing in first place during the NCAA Qualifier round Friday afternoon. 

The Huskers notched a team score of 408.623 to secure their spot in the finals. 

The Oklahoma Sooners (406.190) and Illinois Fighting Illini (400.721) also qualified for the finals. 

First Rotation 
The Huskers started the first rotation on parallel bars. Junior Dylan LeClair started the meet off with a stuck landing and a score of 13.43. Junior Evan Kriley followed with a 12.50. Sophomore Dylan Young earned a 13.30 while senior Evan Hymanson earned a 12.40. Junior Dillan King finished the rotation with a 13.50. 

NU earned a 65.13 team score for the first rotation. The Huskers went into the second rotation in fourth behind Ohio State (70.89), Oklahoma (68.65), and Illinois (67.33). 

Second Rotation 
NU moved to high bar where they finished with a team score of 66.93. Senior Griffin Kehler started the rotation off with a score of 13.13. Senior Jake Bonnay followed with a 13.40. Evan Hymanson earned a 13.46 while sophomore Sam Phillips notched a 13.73. Dillan King finished the rotation with a 13.20. 

Nebraska went into the third rotation in fourth with a score of 132.065 behind Illinois (138.329), Ohio State (134.730) and Oklahoma (132.296). 

Third Rotation 
Sam Phillips led the Huskers through the third rotation as they competed on floor, finishing with a 14.43, a new career-high for the sophomore. Jake Bonnay followed closely with a score of 14.33. Junior Charlie Giles notched a 14.30 while sophomore Moritz Mueller earned a 13.90. Freshman Taylor Christopulos rounded out the rotation with a score of 13.65. The Huskers finished floor with a team score of 70.59.

The Huskers went into the fourth rotation in second place with a team score of 202.664 behind Illinois (203.627). 

Fourth Rotation 
The Huskers competed on pommel horse where they earned a team score of 67.63. Charlie Giles started NU off with a 13.56. Senior Mitch Tyndall followed with a 13.23. Sophomore Khalil Jackson earned a 12.93. Evan Kriley notched a 13.93 while sophomore Cooper Giles finished the rotation with a 13.96. 

NU went into the fifth rotation in second place with a team score of 270.295 behind Oklahoma (273.227). 

Fifth Rotation 
Nebraska competed on rings during the fifth rotation finishing with a team score of 66.79. Dylan LeClair started NU off with a score of 13.53, a career-high score. Evan Hymanson earned a 13.40 while Dylan Young notched a 13.63. Sophomore Nikita Bolotsky notched a season-high 13.66. Taylor Christopulos finished the rotation with a score of 13.56. 

The Huskers went into the sixth rotation in second place with a team score of 337.093 behind Oklahoma (339.492). 

Sixth Rotation 
Taylor Christopulos led the Huskers during the final rotation on vault with a score of 14.66. Charlie Giles followed closely with a 14.56. Evan Kriley and Dylan LeClair both earned a score of 14.16. Dylan Young rounded out the rotation with a score of 13.96. 

The Huskers secured a spot in the NCAA Championship Finals after finishing with a team score of 408.623. 

Up Next
The Huskers will compete tomorrow in the NCAA Championship Finals at 7:00 p.m. CT at the Maturi Pavillion. The meet will be streamed live on BTN. 

The other teams from Session I to advance are Oklahoma and Illinois. Session II is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. CT and the top three teams will also advance to the NCAA Championship Finals.