Entering Friday, the highest men’s gymnastics team score in the country this season was 330.700. On Senior Night in Lincoln, Nebraska beat that total by well over four points. But it wasn’t enough.
The No. 5 Michigan men’s gymnastics team (7-3 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) showcased its elite talent, taking home four event titles and defeating the third-ranked Cornhuskers (3-3, 1-3), 335.950-335.200.
“At a competition where it’s senior night, judges will try to be lighter on that team,” Wolverines junior Fred Richard said. “But when it’s a head-to-head competition, if the next guy on the opposing team does a better routine, they have to score him a little bit higher. And so it kind of just creates this whole spiral effect of scores just being high.”
Friday’s meet kicked off on floor exercise with huge scores on both sides. Michigan freshman Solen Chiodi went first and posted a 14.6, at the time tying the highest individual floor routine score of the season. Richard followed with a 14.4 of his own.
After two high-scoring Nebraska routines, a 14.4 and 14.75 from Chase Mondi and Taylor Christopulos respectively, Wolverines sophomore Charlie Larson demonstrated why he entered the day ranked first in the nation on floor. After beginning his routine with a double-double back, he stuck a high-flying double layout to punctuate a 14.85 score.
While Michigan led by over a point after the first rotation, it struggled to stay out in front. On pommel horse, the Wolverines missed two dismounts, taking one-point deductions each time. While the Cornhuskers were consistent and made up nearly half a point on the apparatus, Michigan freshman Aaronson Mansberger put up a huge 14.6 routine to minimize the damage.
“I saw our guys handle themselves very well,” Wolverines coach Yuan Xiao said. “The first years that competed for us, in a high pressure situation, they handled it very well.”
In the third rotation on still rings, Nebraska took the lead. Entering the day with three of the top-10 gymnasts on the event, the Cornhuskers missed tying the highest team score of the year by just .05 points. Asher Cohen stuck a double-twisting, double-back dismount for a 14.45 and Chris Hiser added a 14.35 to lead the way.
Halfway through the meet, Michigan trailed by just under half a point, 167.800-167.500. On vault, Nebraska extended its lead by putting up the highest team vault score of the season, with each routine receiving at least a 14. Meanwhile, a pair of Wolverines took large steps on their landings pushing the Cornhuskers’ lead to well over a point.
But Michigan’s strongest events this year were the last two events of the meet. On both parallel bars and high bar, the Wolverines are now ranked No. 1 in the country this season. After Friday’s meet, that includes four of the top eight gymnasts in the country on parallel bars and four of the top nine on high bar.
Richard — ranked No. 1 nationally on parallel bars — led the way, sticking a huge double front dismount for a 14.95. Graduates No. 6 Paul Juda and No. 8 Evgeny Siminiuc, and senior No. 3 Logan McKeown all scored at least 13.800 as the Wolverines retook the lead.
“On parallel bars, great routine after great routine,” Richard said. “From Evgeny (Siminiuc) to Logan (McKeown) finishing it off. And Paul was looking amazing on every event.”
Beginning high bar with a slight lead, the Wolverines were pushed to the brink. Cornhuskers Cole Partridge and Max Odden both stuck impressive double-twist, double-layout dismounts to put up a 14.2 and 14.1, respectively. Christopulos, who entered the meet ranked No. 6 nationally, added a 13.95.
But for Michigan, scores in the high 13s from Juda, Siminiuc and sophomore Pierce Wolfgang were enough to keep them ahead leading into Richard’s finale. He pulled off a full twisting Cassina and used his high difficulty score to overcome a large hop on his landing for a 14.35 to clinch the meet, and a share of the Big Ten Regular Season Championship for the Wolverines.
“Results always show what’s going on behind the scenes,” Richard said. “The time, all the hard work we put in, the great leadership of our coaches, the team that we’ve built, the camaraderie, the mindset, it’s all showing. And it leads us time after time to winning these Big Ten titles.”
While Michigan will certainly celebrate another Big Ten title, its focus remains on the postseason. And with a high-pressure, high-scoring win over Nebraska, the Wolverines showed the country that they’re ready to compete on any stage.
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