Mace Patterson Season 2002-03

2005

• MPSF Gymnast of the Week
• NCAA Event Qualifier (PH; HB-20th)
• MPSF Championships Event Finals (PH-7th; HB-8th)

2004

• NCAA Championships All-Around (injured)<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
• MPSF Championships (HB-3^rd)
• Two-time MPSF Gymnast of the Week

2003

• NCAA Qualifier (PH)
• MPSF Championships All-Around (5th)
• MPSF Championship Event Finals (PH-6th; HB 4th)
  

2002

• NCAA Qualifier (FX; PB; HB)

2005: After recovering from elbow surgery he underwent in November of 2004, co-captain Mace Patterson returned to the lineup for his final season with the Huskers. Although he competed in every meet in 2005, Patterson did not return to his spot in the all-around until NU’s meet with Oklahoma on Feb. 13., where he earned a score of 50.65. It was also in NU’s first dual with Oklahoma that Patterson stepped onto the podium for the first time in 2005, earning third place in the floor exercise with a score of 9.00. Two weeks later, as the Huskers welcomed the Sooners to the Devaney Center, Patterson boasted a trio of third-place finishes in the all-around (52.80), vault (9.35) and high bar (9.10). But it wasn’t until Nebraska upset No. 6 Iowa that Patterson banked his first event titles of the season, placing first in the all-around (53.35) and on the parallel bars with a career-high score of 9.35. Against Minnesota, Patterson tallied an top spot on the high bar (9.35) and earned his second consecutive all-around score of 53.35. In his final home dual, Patterson grabbed four event titles (FX, PB, HB, AA) over Air Forcr, posting his season-high all-around score of 54.70. At the MPSF Championships, Patterson put up a score of 9.40 on the high bar to advance to the finals in that event, where he finished eighth overall. He also advanced on the pommel horse where he finished seventh (6.3). At the NCAA Championships, Patterson advanced to the event preliminaries on both the pommel horse and the high bar, but failed to qualify for the finals in either.

2004: Nebraska’s top all-around competitor, Patterson led the Huskers in five of seven team season-high marks and earned the highest all-around score Nebraska has seen since 2000. Patterson owned Nebraska’s top scores in the all-around (54.825), floor exercise (9.4), pommel horse (9.40), parallel bars (9.20), and high bar (9.60). In addition, Patterson earned nine individual event titles in 2004; two on parallel bar, three on high bar, one on the floor, one on pommel horse and two in the all-around. Four of these titles; all-around, floor exercise, pommel horse and high bar, Patterson earned during his outstanding effort against Ohio State, which led the Huskers to their first dual win of the season. Heading into their final rotation on high bar, the Huskers needed a near flawless routine from Patterson for the win. Patterson came through and his 9.55 put Nebraska over the top for the victory over the No. 1 Buckeyes to earn him MPSF Gymnast-of-the-Week honors. Against Oklahoma and Air Force at Nebraska’s final home triangular of the season, Patterson took the all-around title with a career-best 54.975 along with the title on the high bar (9.6). At the MPSF Championships, Patterson grabbed a third-place finish on the high bar (9.137). During the NCAA competition in Illinois, Patterson qualified for the all-around finals with a score of 52.075, but was unable to compete because of torn chest muscle sustained during the opening rotation.

2003: A strong all-around competitor for Nebraska, Patterson held team season-high marks on the pommel horse (9.40) and high bar (9.20), and claimed three individual event titles in each event. Opening the season at Iowa, Patterson tied for first on the parallel bars with a season-high mark of 8.85. One week later, he went on to compete at the Rocky Mountain Open, scoring a career-high 9.40 on the pommel horse to advance to the individual event finals on the pommel horse, vault and parallel bars. During the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships, Patterson put up season-high marks in the all-around (52.30) and in the individual event finals on the high bar (9.20).Entering the 2003 NCAA Championships, Patterson ranked among the top-20 gymnasts in the nation on the pommel horse, high bar and all-around. One of only three Huskers to advance to the qualifying rounds of the national championships on individual events, Patterson put up a score of 8.90 on the pommel horse, to tie for 23rd in the event. By the end of the season, Patterson had set season-high marks in all six events and the all-around.

2002: One of three freshmen to compete at the NCAA Championships in his home state of Oklahoma, Patterson qualified on the floor exercise, parallel bars and high bar. During the regular season, the all-around competitor was one of two freshmen to earn an individual event title, claiming a first-place finish on the high bar against Air Force (8.60).

Prior: Patterson came to Nebraska after a successful junior career competing for Jordan Jovtev and Rustam Sharipov at the Bart Conner School of Gymnastics, Mike Thomas at American Gymnastics of Tulsa and Action Gymnastics Academy. He qualified for the Junior Olympic Nationals four times, earning All-America honors three times in the all-around. He was also named an academic All-American by USA Gymnastics.