Air Force, William & Mary, Simpson, Springfield, and Navy are set to appear at the USAG Men’s Collegiate National Championships in Springfield this weekend and kick off the postseason of NCAA men’s gymnastics.
The meet will consist of a team and all-around competition on Friday and an event finals round on Saturday, with both starting at 1 p.m. ET and streaming on Virtius. The matchup will also offer a partial preview of the following week’s ECAC Championships, where the Tribe, Simpson, Springfield, Navy, Greenville, and Army will face off.
Air Force and Navy met twice during the regular season. Air Force came out ahead at the All-Academy Championships in February, but Navy defeated the Falcons during a dual meet with Stanford in Week 10. Expect an intense contest for the top spot this Friday.
William & Mary and Springfield are closely matched, too: The Pride broke 390 last weekend for the second time this year, while William & Mary’s top score is a 386.0. Simpson’s best total of the year is 367.15.
The all-around competition should also be tight. Springfield’s Dominic Ramalho enters as the top-ranked six-event gymnast, with a four-score average of 76.983. Teammate Sam Kaplan, Army’s Joseph Buselmeier, and William & Mary’s Aidan Cuy will be vying for the all-around crown as well.
Here are routines to watch from each of the five teams.
Air Force
- Patrick Hoopes’ pommel horse. Hoopes competes one of the country’s most difficult horse routines, which includes a Kehr to F flop, full Stockli, Sohn, and much more.
- Erich Upton’s floor. Upton has scored as high as 14.2 this year with a routine that features a triple-double opening pass.
- Oliver Zavel’s parallel bars. Zavel has a top score of 13.9 this year. His routine includes a peach handstand, straddle front one-and-a-quarter, Bhavsar, and double-pike dismount.
Navy
- Connor Van Loo’s floor. Van Loo competes clean connection passes, a full-in, triple-full dismount, and has scored as high as 14.25 this year.
- Ronan McQuillan’s horse. The junior set a season-high 13.9 earlier this month with a routine that includes a D flop, E flop, Roth, and swing handstand dismount.
- Isaiah Drake’s parallel bars. Drake scored a season-best 13.95 earlier this month after moving through a whip-it, peach handstand, and nearly sticking his double pike dismount.
Springfield
- Dominic Ramalho’s floor. Ramalho set a season-high last weekend of 13.8 and performs a double layout, double front, front double-full dismount.
- Owen Carney’s vault. Carney competes a clean Kas full and set his best score of the season (14.45) last week against Army.
- David Handron’s rings. Handron has scored as high as 13.95 this year with a routine that includes a back uprise Maltese, and full-twisting double tuck dismount.
William & Mary
- Trenton Peazant’s vault. Peazant recorded a season-best score on the event last week after performing a clean Tsuk double full.
- Christian Marsh’s parallel bars. Marsh scored a 13.95 earlier this year with a routine that included a peach handstand, Diam, and stuck double front dismount.
- Will Harrington’s floor. Harrington scored a 13.8 earlier this year after mounting with a double layout, landing a double front, and sticking a full-twisting double tuck dismount.
Simpson
- Milo Staley’s pommel horse. Staley scored a 13.3 against OU and Nebraska last month, showing off clean travel elements and a swing-handstand dismount.
- Sterling Pariza’s floor. Pariza has the team’s top score on the event of 13.25 and performs a full-in opening pass and back 2.5 dismount.
- Michelangelo Villani’s vault. Villani notched a 14.0 against Greenville last month with his Kas half.
