Wolverines Clinch Share of Big Ten Regular-Season Title with Win Over Penn State
3/18/2022 10:41:00 PM
// Scott Kemps
» Michigan locked up at least a share of the Big Ten regular-season title for the second straight season.
» The Wolverines won five individual event titles on the evening; as a team, U-M won four events.
» U-M hit 28 of 30 routines (93 percent) and stuck five routines in the victory.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Score: #4 Michigan 408.400, #7 Penn State 401.800
Records: U-M (12-1, 3-1 B1G), PSU (11-4, 0-4 B1G)
Attendance: 1,233
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., April 1-2 — at Big Ten Championships (State College, Pa.), 7 p.m.
• Complete Results (PDF) | Photo Gallery
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The No. 4-ranked University of Michigan men’s gymnastics team clinched a share of the Big Ten Conference regular-season championship on Friday (March 18), defeating the No. 7-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions 408.400-401.800 inside Cliff Keen Arena.
The regular-season crown gives U-M back-to-back titles, and the Wolverines have now secured at least a share of the crown each of the last three seasons that it has been awarded. The regular-season title was not awarded during the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michigan (12-1, 3-1 B1G) led all night, though its lead only stood at 0.150 after floor exercise and pommel horse in the first two rotations. The Wolverines were able to break open the scoring after the third rotation, which saw them post a team score of 68.900 on still rings to bring the margin to 1.650. The largest score margin of the night came after the sixth and final rotation, 6.600.
U-M won four of six events as a team, claiming team titles on floor, still rings, parallel bars and high bar.
Five different Wolverines took home individual event titles against Penn State, with sophomores Chris Read and Javier Alfonso splitting the prize on still rings (14.20) in the third rotation and the Wolverines winning every remaining title. Senior Nicholas Guy won the individual title on vault with a 14.70, .
In the fifth rotation, Michigan swept the podium on parallel bars, with Evgeny Siminiuc taking first place (14.35) and Alfonso and junior Virgil Watkins tying for second (14.00).
Michigan ended the night by taking first and second place on high bar, with junior Crew Bold finishing first (14.70) and Siminiuc taking second (14.35).
Four Wolverines posted career-high scores against the Nittany Lions. Read’s score on still rings (14.20), Alfonso’s score on parallel bars (14.00), Miles Miller‘s score on high bar (13.40) and Bold’s score on high bar (14.70) all outpaced their previous career bests.
U-M hit 93 percent as a team, going 28 of 30 and sticking five routines.
Tweet of the Meet
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With tonight’s result, we lock up at least a share of the Big Ten Regular-Season title!#GoBlue?? pic.twitter.com/BX341nZUgW
— Michigan Gymnastics ?? (@UMichGym) March 19, 2022
With the Big Ten regular-season title locked up, U-M will set its sights on the Big Ten Championships, hosted by Penn State April 1-2 in State College. The Wolverines will look to defend their crown from the 2021 season and seek the 19th title in program history.