2021 Season Preview: Stanford the Early Favorite Once Again
As we all know and would like to forget, the 2020 season came to an abrupt end, taking away the opportunity to compete at the highest level one final time for a deserving senior class. It seemed almost impossible to think that the pandemic could drag into 2021 and hamper another year, yet here we are. Fortunately, there will be a season. It may look a little different with conference scheduling, virtual meets, and no fans, but NCAA Men’s Gymnastics is back.
Where did we leave off? Stanford was on pace to win back-to-back NCAA championships, dominating the competition in a shortened season. There were questions surrounding OU’s ability to remain a top team after the graduation of Yul Moldauer that were silenced as Mark William’s team was neck and neck with Michigan for the number two spot. A little bit further down the pack, Navy and William & Mary were putting together their best seasons in recent memory.
What can we expect for 2021? One thing is certain, Stanford is going to be very tough to take down. They will be the heavy favorites to take the title as the freshman Colt Walker joins Brandon Briones, Brody Malone, and Riley Loos to bolster the most talented team in the country. Walker comes into the NCAA as part of one of the strongest classes we have seen in quite some time. There will be a wealth of new talent to look out for all across the country. As we have come to learn in the midst of this pandemic, nothing is certain, and there are sure to be quite a few surprises as the season unfolds.
We’ve highlighted what fans should expect from the teams and how each plans to build on last season’s successes below. Our rankings are based on an average of those submitted by five CGA contributors:
Alex Wittenberg (former Minnesota gymnast)
Ben Cooperman (former Penn State gymnast)
Bailey Perez (former Stanford gymnast)
Jessica Frankl (CGA expert/photographer)
Max Soifer (former Washington gymnast)
*Please note that all 2020 finishes below are not official and are based on where teams ranked by scoring average when the season ended.
STANFORD
Key Losses: David Jessen, Connor Lewis, Bailey Perez, and Joey Ringer.
Key Additions: Colt Walker, Brandon Ngyuen, and Jeremy Bischoff.
2020 Finish: 1st
The Stanford Cardinal are coming off of another strong season, finishing 1st in the 2020 regular season rankings. Due to restricted indoor training regulations, the Cardinal have yet to return to school and have been training off-campus this pre-season. Despite this challenge, coach Thom Glielmi is confident in his team for the 2021 season. Glielmi stated, “I have to trust their experience, and their familiarity with our training program will keep them on track”.
Winter Cup 2020; Colt Walker (VT) 14.4 (4th)
The Cardinal lost four contributing seniors, but the addition of a big all-around score can be expected from freshman standout, Colt Walker. The Stanford Cardinal will be pushing high difficulty routines throughout the season as they compete to match that of their 2019 NCAA and 2020 Regular Season championship titles.
ROUTINE(S) TO WATCH: “It looks like we will have at least three routines per event that I think have something to offer the spectator: precise execution, original skills and combinations, or dynamic presentation. Routines that have at least two of those qualities: Gunther (PH), (Loos SR), Loos (VT), Phillips & Sun (PB), Wilson (HB)” Glielmi stated.
SLEEPER GYMNAST(S): Sophomore Riley Loos and Junior Ian Gunther.
2. OKLAHOMA
Key Losses: None.
Key Additions: Noah Giordano, Zach Nunez, and Daniel Simons.
2020 Finish: 2nd
The Sooners shed some high level talent heading into last year’s season and all eyes were on Mark Williams to see what he could do without Yul Moldauer and company. OU went into the season with a still respectable third place ranking and were even better than that. They finished second in the pandemic shortened 2020 and head into 2021 maintaining that ranking behind a loaded Cardinal team.
There has been no arguing that Oklahoma is always one of the best prepared teams in the country. A hectic preseason, however, has diminished one of their strengths. Williams stated: “The pandemic has made a mess of any training plan for the year… For many months we never had the entire team working out at one time. The last couple weeks of the semester were productive for us but it feels like our preparation is behind where we usually are in most years.”
Winter Cup 2020; Gage Dyer (FX) 14.65 (1st)
Fortunately, the Sooners will go into the season with a virtually unchanged team and expectations still high. “We’d like to be contenders for our conference championship and finish in the top group of teams at the NCAA Championships.” If there is any team who is likely to be unshaken by a global pandemic, it's Oklahoma.
ROUTINES TO WATCH: “Gage Dyer will have one of the most difficult floor routines in the US this year with SV of 6.2. He will also be competing a 5.6 SV triple full vault. I hope to see David Sandro, Vitaliy Guimaraes, Spencer Goodell, Matt Wenske and Gage Dyer fight to compete in the AA for the regular season.”
SLEEPER GYMNASTS: “David Sandro could have a breakout year with added difficulty and impact on almost every event for OU.”
Cameron Bock
3. MICHIGAN
Key Losses: Mitchell Brown, Parker Chiapuzio, Uche Eke, Socrates Gavallas, and Mack Lasker.
Key Additions: Evgeny Siminiuc, Javier Alfonso, Edward Yao, Evan Bock, Matthew Chertkow, Joshua Lin, Steven Lukasik, and Chris Read.
2020 Finish: 3rd
Michigan was leading the Big Ten and eyeing a spot on the NCAA Championships podium before the season was canceled. The Wolverines boasted the top high bar lineup in the country and were undefeated until Illinois handed them their first loss during Week 10.
But that Wolverines roster was also stacked with seniors who lent the Michigan squad experience and a number of routines — Michigan will be without 11 routines from last year’s roster in 2021, according to head coach Kurt Golder. A big task for Michigan this season will be filling in the spots vacated by those seniors and acclimating their many freshmen to the challenges of NCAA competition.
That said, Michigan still has Cameron Bock, Paul Juda, Jacob Moore, and Adam Wooten — a group that turned in some of the team’s top scores in 2020 and that has proven able to lead. Four of the top five contributors for Michigan last season are returning in 2021. And Golder isn’t particularly worried about losing depth. “Replacing some of those sets is always challenging,” he told the CGA, “but we have a lot of talent to do so.” His goals for 2021 are to go undefeated and to win the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. So yeah, not too worried.
Nor is Golder dwelling on the practice time that the Wolverines lost out on because of Covid. “We’ve had a team philosophy for years that goes: Blame Nothing, Blame No One, Be Prepared to Handle Everything,” he said.
ROUTINES TO WATCH: Cameron Bock, Paul Juda and Jake Moore in the all around; - Markus Shears (PH), James Read (SR), Nick Guy (VT), and Evgeny Siminiuc (PB).
SLEEPER GYMNASTS: Markus Shears, James Read, Nick Guy, and freshmen Evgeny Siminiuc and Javier Alfonso.
4. NEBRASKA
Key Losses: Josh Martin.
Key Additions: Taylor Christopulos, and Yanni Chronopoulos.
2020 Finish: 6th
Nebraska has been working their way up the national rankings for the past few years. In 2019, they placed third at NCAAs for their highest national finish since 1999. The Huskers’ sights are set even higher for 2021, with a goal of winning an NCAA team championship and notching as many All-American citations as possible, according to coach Chuck Chmelka.
The Huskers caught a big break for 2021 with Jake Bonnay being granted a medical hardship waiver: His eligibility was extended and he’ll be back to lead the squad in 2021 along with pretty much the entire roster from 2020. Nebraska will also have talented freshman Taylor Christopulos to rely on throughout this season — Christopulos ranked No. 8 on the CGA’s list of the 2020 recruiting classes. Khalil Jackson is also returning after taking a medical redshirt in 2020.
All of that means Nebraska boasts one of the deepest rosters in the country going into the 2021 season, with a healthy mix of young talent and senior experience. To contend for an NCAA title, Nebraska will need to tap into that talent to improve their rings lineup — they were ranked only 13th on the event last year — as well as their scores on vault and high bar. The team is back together training in their new practice facility and “working hard and improving weekly,” Chmelka said. “We will be ready for whatever is thrown at us hopefully!” Nebraska’s first test will come on Jan. 24, when they will take on Michigan at home.
ROUTINE TO WATCH: Sam Phillips (HB).
SLEEPER GYMNASTS: Mo Mueller and Khalil Jackson.
5. ILLINOIS
Key Losses: Sebastian Quiana, Satchel Hudson, Michael Paradise, and Jacob Light.
Key Additions: Sebastian Ingersoll, Logan Myers, Will Hauke, Ethan Boder, Leo Valentin, and Sam Stinsa.
2020 Finish: 7th
Illinois heads into this season having lost a solid group of seniors, but they have gained back a lot. Even the list above may be misleading, the Illini also return Clay Stephens and Michael Fletcher back from injury, arguably the two best gymnasts on their roster. Head Coach Justin Spring is confident with his team going into the season, “I believe our team is much stronger and has the depth we’ve been looking for, for a long time now. Our freshman, including the return of Clay Mason-Stephens and Michael Fletcher add a tremendous amount of scoring potential for us this year.”
It is typically challenging to prepare this large of a group of newcomers for the rigors of an NCAA season, even in a non-pandemic year. The word out of Champaign is that this team has not skipped a beat in light of recent events. Expect Illinois to immediately make a statement right out of the gate.
ROUTINE TO WATCH: Connor McCool (FX), Hamish Carter (HB), Clay Mason Stephens (PB).
SLEEPER GYMNASTS: “Freshman Will Hauke. He was injured a lot in JO… but he is ready now! His clean lines and form will allow him to score very well in the NCAA.”
6. PENN STATE
Key Losses: Sam Zakutney, Stephen Nedoroscik, Isaac Hammett, Brayden Borromeo, and Favian Valdez.
Key Additions: Michael Artlip, Brandon Campbell, Matt Cormier, Michael Jaroh, Troy Lipis, Matt Sulham, Ethan Dick, and Colin Wingrove.
2020 Finish: 8th
Penn State struggled last season with Sam Zakutney out for the majority of their competitions. Zakutney has graduated along with Nissen-Emery Award winner Stephen Nedoroscik, quite possibly the best NCAA specialist of all time. This would typically be cause for concern, but the Nittany Lions will be bolstered by the number one recruiting class in the country. “We will rely heavily on our freshman class to make up for routines lost to graduation” says Coach Randy Jepson. “We expect Ethan Dick, Matt Cormier, Michael Jaroh, Michael Artlip, and Colin Wingrove to contribute heavily on multiple events.”
Penn State will head into the season with their fair share of COVID-19 related challenges. Positive tests and contact tracing precautions have sidelined athletes throughout preseason. This is challenging for any team, especially one that will rely so heavily on underclassmen. The Nittany Lions could start slow, but expect them to be a force come end of season.
Coach Jepson sounded off in typical fashion, “As always we hope to challenge for Big Ten and National Championship honors, but first, we need to stay healthy, build consistency, and then go out and compete fiercely week after week.”
ROUTINE TO WATCH: “Pommel Horse specialist Nick Mock has picked up where Stephen Nedoroscik left off. He has improved in start value, strength, endurance, and consistency. I have been very impressed with his development from the summer and through the fall. He is definitely one to watch.”
SLEEPER GYMNASTS: “If I were to pick a sleeper gymnast for the season for us it would have to be Alex Frack. Alex has become very solid and polished in this, his senior season. While he might not have the highest start values as some of the big guns, he is ultra-consistent and clean and will always give us a great performance when we need it.”
7. OHIO STATE
Photo by: Alec Yoder
Key Losses: Michael Chan.
Key Additions: Donovan Hewitt and Kazuki Hayashi.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are coming off a strong 2020 season where they put up one of the highest scores in the B1G as they competed to make the NCAA team final. The Buckeyes have lost only a few routines going into the 2021 season and Coach Sharipov is ‘looking for his upperclassmen to lead the way and pick up where they left in the 2020 season’. A successful preseason has Sharipov confident in his Buckeye team, and he is planning on a strong start to the season.
Routine(s) to Watch: “There will not be just one routine to watch. We are planning to have upgrades from Jesse Tyndall on HB, FX. Angel Leon PB, HB. Justin Ah Chow V, PB and Freshman Kameron Nelson on FX” Sharipov stated.
Sleeper Gymnast(s): Justin Ah Chow, Jesse Tyndall and Angel Leon.
8. MINNESOTA
Key Losses: Timmy Kutyla
Key Additions: Noah Duran and Evan Ng.
2020 Finish: 10th
Like Iowa, Minnesota enters 2021 facing the daunting prospect of their last season ever. The Minnesota athletic department’s decision to cut the program was “no less than devastating,” coach Mike Burns said. “It’s been a year of piling on for sure, and while everyone was trying to deal with and manage the issues surrounding Covid this was just a real punch to the gut.”
Despite that devastation, the Gopher squad has been working hard in anticipation of the NCAA Championships, which is scheduled to take place in Minneapolis. Minnesota failed to qualify for NCAA team finals in 2019, and as hosts of this year’s NCAAs, they’ll be fighting hard to get back into finals. The Gophers also have their sights set on the Big Ten regular season race and tournament. “Like every year our goal is to win championships,” Burns said.
Minnesota’s top returning gymnasts include Shane Wiskus, Mike Moran, Colton Dee, and David Pochinka — a group that helped the team achieve a share of the 2019 Big Ten regular season title and who will be asked to bring up to speed younger talent like Crew Bold, Donte McKinney, and freshmen Noah Duran and Evan Ng. That group will also need to help Minnesota achieve a consistency they lacked last season: Their 2020 team scores ranged between roughly 391 and 405, in large part because of struggles on floor and pommel horse. Minnesota only graduated one senior, though, so they have a group of guys familiar enough with one another to make 2021 as successful a season as it is historic.
ROUTINES TO WATCH: Shane Wiskus in the all around. “He just continues to improve and is working on upgrades on all six events,” Burns said. “I think his parallel bars routine will be one to keep a close eye on for sure.” David Pochinka on parallel bars and high bar.
SLEEPER GYMNAST: Crew Bold. “His freshman year last year truncated on the front end (two bouts of the flu in the first part of the season and the end of the season being cut short due to the shutdown),” Burns said. “Crew was just starting to get back to full strength at the time of the shutdown so I feel pretty good naming him our Sleeper Gymnast of 2021!!”
9. NAVY
Key Losses: Lucas Beltran, Frank Bradley, Cian McConnell, Ryan Orce, Ben Provost
Key Additions: Syam Baradagunta, Ian Dinmore, Erik Engelke, Caleb Hickey, Ronan McQuillan, Matthew Rosendahl, and John Wendeborn.
2020 Finish: 5th
Navy has been on a tear since Kip Simons took over and this team continued to surprise last season. They steamrolled the competition to a fifth place finish in the pandemic shortened season. They have lost quite a few routines but Simons is not worried, “We lost a total of 10 routines from last year and have 7 talented freshmen who will step up to provide the depth we need to accomplish our goals.”
A combination of consistency and solid recruiting has been the catalyst for Navy’s recent success, expect that trend to continue this year. As for goals? Simons kept it short and simple, “Beat Army and pick up where we left off last season.”
ROUTINE TO WATCH: “Cash Buske on HB. High flying routine with lots of releases.”
SLEEPER GYMNASTS: “Giovanni Gambatese- after a successful Plebe year, he's comfortable in our system and has committed to the work necessary to succeed at the Division 1 level.”
10. IOWA
Key Losses: Nick Merryman, Mitchell Mandozzi, and Brandon Wong.
Key Additions: Michael Kogan, Zac Tiderman, and James Friedman.
2020 Finish: 9th
Iowa enters the 2021 season knowing it will be their last, at least in the team’s current form. That fact weighs heavily on everyone in the gymnastics community, yet coach JD Reive said his Hawkeyes have been “amazingly supportive” of one another in the face of it.
“I am quite proud of their patience and commitment through the entire ordeal,” he said. “It has not been easy for any of us. Because of Covid we were unable to train as a team until almost November, but the desire to train and prepare honestly didn’t falter. The team is excited to compete together. The experience has forced quite a bit of growth.”
The goal for the Hawkeyes, according to Reive, is to prioritize the pleasures of competition. They’ll have some help achieving that thanks to returning standouts Bennet Huang, Evan Davis, and Carter Tope, who should be able to lead the Hawkeye squad toward a memorable final campaign. In 2020, Iowa was again showcasing a consistency they have come to be known for these past few seasons, one that Reive will no doubt look to achieve again this season. Iowa will kick off the 2021 season on January 30 in Minneapolis.
ROUTINES TO WATCH: “Kulani Taylor and Bennet Huang on floor, Huang on pommel horse, Stewart Brown and Amari Sewell on vault, Brown and Evan David on parallel bars, and Noah Scigliano and Zack Tiderman on high bar.”
SLEEPER GYMNAST: Amari Sewell, who “defied all odds and really improved in comparison to last season,” according to Reive. “He could have a significant amount of success this year.”
11. CAL
Key Losses: Kyte Crigger, Anton Vorona, Jonathan Wang, Asad Jooma, and Harrison Plate.
Key Additions: Collin Cunane and Aidan Li.
Cal will be starting the season without several seniors, including all-arounder Kyte Crigger and a few event specialists. Despite some of these key losses, Coach Okada is excited to see his Golden Bears in action. Okada said, “While training around COVID protocols is continually keeping us on our toes, the team has risen to every challenge we’ve had so far in preseason. I expect that if this continues we will be a formidable team to compete against!” Cal’s nine man freshman class will be chomping at the block to fill the spots of their lost seniors and push the team to have a competitive season.
Routine(s) to Watch: “Aidan Li on pommel horse is a gymnast to keep an eye on. His circle is clean, his lines are excellent and when he hits, it will be big!” Stated Okada.
Sleeper Gymnast(s): Kyle Abe. Okada is ready for Abe to have a breakout junior year.
12. ARMY
Key Losses: Grant Cullen, Erik Del Cid, Liam O’Hara, Rex Scott, Alejandro Suarez, and Darrel Yamamura.
Key Additions: Connor Cavanagh, Adam Elahmadi, Benjamin Guerrieri, Steven Manolakis, Franco Peirano, Jackson Pophal, Brandon Rhode, and Judah Sung.
2020 Finish: 12th
Army embarks on the 2021 season with a young roster and the goals of winning All-Academy and ECAC Championships and qualifying for NCAAs. Last year the Black Knights were just beginning to hit their stride when the season was cut off. They posted a season-high 408.65 at home against William & Mary for their last score of the season, a sign that they were poised to qualify for the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive season.
The loss of so many seniors — who had presences in every event lineup — could seem disastrous for the Black Knights. But many of their top scorers are returning. Army will once again look to Mathew Davis, Jacob Nauman, and Rex Scott for big contributions and strong stewardship of the eight freshmen, who themselves could help Army turn heads.
Also going for Army, according to assistant coach Evan Eigner, is a squad that has adapted well to the challenges of the pandemic. “With our season starting later than anticipated, we have been able to build in both more recovery time to our training plan and more time to work on the ‘little things,’” he said.
ROUTINES TO WATCH: Mathew Davis on floor and Matthew Martin on pommel horse. “Davis looks to build off a season in which he was a conference champion and the first Army West Point gymnast to be an All-American on an event since 2005,” Eigner said. “Martin is one of the top pommel horse workers in the country and has the potential to be a conference champion and All-American on the event.”
SLEEPER GYMNAST: Miguel Aquino. “Last season was a great developmental year for Miguel and he has grown into a gymnast we expect to help us on a few events. He has raw power on floor and vault, is dynamic on horizontal bar, and has a workhorse mentality.”
13. AIR FORCE
Key Losses: None
Key Additions: Garrett Braunton, Jacob Becchetti, Jake Sampier, Dylan West, and Oliver Zavel.
2020 Finish: 15th
Air Force will start the 2021 season with two unusual advantages: The Falcons lost zero seniors after last season and have had a relatively stable preseason thanks to the academy’s ability to “implement protocol and procedures which have allowed us to train on an overall consistent basis throughout the season thus far,” head coach Josh Loeser told the CGA.
Returning the same roster while also picking up one of the most talented signees of 2020, Garrett Braunton, is huge for Air Force. The team plans to use those advantages to qualify for the NCAA Championships — and, more simply, to improve on last season, which “was painful,” according to Loeser. The Falcons were ranked 15th when last season ended and struggled throughout the year to balance increased difficulty and consistency. A more senior lineup, young talent, and a hunger to prove themselves could result in a much more successful season for the Falcons.
The team has also made strides mentally, Loeser said, and is beginning to “have a better understanding of the amount of work and drive required to get where they want to be.” Those advancements have helped cultivate a culture much more conducive to athletic success. The Falcons will get to put their improvements to the test on January 16, when they take on Arizona State and Oklahoma at home.
ROUTINES TO WATCH: “I’m not a huge fan of singling out one routine or athlete to watch, because I do not feel it is my place as a coach to dictate one athlete’s contribution over another when they are competing as a team,” Loeser said. “That should be an internal conversation between our staff and our athletes. I think people should watch the team as a whole, and they can decide what routines or athletes they enjoyed watching in competition.”
SLEEPER GYMNASTS: “I feel that one of our freshmen this year was overlooked due to the amount of talented guys that were recruited this past year. But I feel he will surprise quite a few people during the season. He will not be competing the most difficult routines this year, mainly because he is a freshman, but he has incredible potential and will add quite a bit to the team score and overall team dynamic.”
14. ASU
Key Losses: Kirk Malm, Chris Bartee, Colton Palmer, and Nick Garcia.
Key Additions: Clayton Cunningham and Jackson Harrison.
The reigning GymACT National Champions took advantage of the 2021 preseason by establishing a strong team culture, as they look to defend their title. A large freshman class has added to the Sun Devil’s energy, dedication and competitiveness in the gym. With such a large roster, ASU has been extra cautious with COVID protocols. They are eager to compete and do not want to limit their ability to do so because of injury or illness related to COVID. The Sun Devil’s are looking forward to another strong season and have set a goal to hit at least 85 percent of their routines at every competition.
Routine(s) to Watch: “Kiwan Watts high bar set. His routine has multiple upgrades including a tak full and cassina.”
Sleeper Gymnast(s): “Junior, Christian Jennings. He was a two event specialist in previous seasons, but will contribute in the AA for the 2021 season.”
15. SPRINGFIELD
Key Losses: Nick Cramer, Matt DeGrandpre, Giancarlo Lawrence, Stephen Lewis, Jeremy Vera, and Luke Wilcox.
Key Additions: Dave Handron, Dylan Colangelo, Colton O'Brien, Sammy Shafransky, Juan Gomez, Dane Cramer, Charlie Kramer, Aaron Kust, and Kael Donley.
2020 Finish: 16th
Springfield has made noticeable progress over the past few seasons and will look to continue the trend in 2021. Unfortunately, they have lost Stephen Lewis to graduation, quite possibly the best gymnast in Springfield history. The Pride will, however, bolster their roster with a talented group of nine freshmen. Head Coach Matt Davis expects them to contribute immediately and add some much needed depth for this team.
Davis gave the CGA a detailed look at how his team has handled the pandemic influenced preseason:
“The pandemic has greatly impacted our preseason. What we normally do to prepare for a season we have been unable to achieve this year in training. We were not able to get into the gym as much as we wanted, we were forced into 3 separate groups to limit the amount of gymnasts training at a given time, and we had to go full-remote by mid-November at Springfield College so we have been relying on our gymnasts ability to train back in their club gymnastics facilities as much as possible. Every year it is about being strong physically and mentally for a season and this year is no different. We will continue to adapt in the way we continue to prepare for this year and we remain very determined and focused to be ready for our competitive season to begin with our first competition being scheduled for mid-February.”
Despite the challenges, Springfield intends to keep the ball rolling. Look for this young team to continue to develop in 2021 with an eye towards cleanly executed routines.
ROUTINES TO WATCH: “A routine to watch this season will be first year Colton O'Brien on the pommel horse. He will be looking to compete between a 15.5 and 16.0 start value routine and has the talent to swing with the best in the NCAA.”
SLEEPER GYMNAST: “A sleeper gymnast for the upcoming season will be Sophomore Dominic Ramalho. He came on strong from the start of last season as a first year in the All Around and never looked back. He has continued to impress with his work ethic and with his addition of difficulty throughout his routines and will be a staple in many events for the Pride this season.”
16. W&M
Key Losses: Tim O’Neill, Tomas Palma, Zane Petras, and Nate Winneg.
Key Additions: Alek Kuzkemchuk, Sam Lee, and Ahmir Postell.
2020 Finish: 14th
When the 2020 season came to an abrupt end, William & Mary was having their best season in recent memory. They will look to continue where they left off, and fight for a coveted top-12 spot to qualify to NCAA Championships. Fortunately, they will have much of the same talent to build off to go along with three outstanding freshmen says Head Coach Mike Powell. “...or and vault, respectively, and Nate Winneg was our number two point scorer last year. But like every year, we have some guys developing really well and a strong freshman class. Aidan Cuy and Christian Marsh are looking to build on their breakout seasons last year. Andrew Lyubovsky wants to claim a few more spots in our record books, and Cutter Fugett is primed for his senior year.”
As mentioned earlier, the Tribe’s goal is to finally break into the championship limelight. “Ultimately, we have our sights set on championship season. I am optimistic that there will be an NCAA Championships this year, and if there is, we plan to be there.”
ROUTINES TO WATCH: “Collin Lillie’s career has been building on several events, and he put people on notice in the 2019 NCAA Finals on vault. While his vault will continue to impress, I believe his floor routine will be the one to watch this year. His explosive tumbling has become more and more precise, coming together into an stand-out routine for Collin’s senior year.”
SLEEPER GYMNAST: “While I am excited about our entire freshmen class, Sam Lee will be the Sleeper Gymnast in 2021. Sam’s gymnastics has developed so quickly over the last few years that he is not as widely known as some of his peers. He has jumped right into training at William & Mary where everything is looking up for him to have an immediate impact on the team.”
17. WASHINGTON
Key Losses: Jacob Jarret, Ben Bloom, Connor Petellin, and Daniel Gordon.
Key Additions: Andrew Layman, David Roane, Michael James, Sebastian Barquero, and Riley Sutton.
Coach Giancarlo Mora and the Huskies are eager to get back on the competition floor. They are facing the loss of Jacob Jarret and Daniel Gordon, however, they brought in Andrew Layman, a strong floor, vault and high bar competitor.
The team struggled with gym closures during the preseason but accompanied this with “high intensity practices to maximize lost time” Mora stated. The Huskies are hungry to compete as one of the most competitive teams in the GymACT.
Routine(s) to Watch: “Team captain, Ben Bloom’s HB should be an exciting routine to watch. He was ready to present it at last year’s cancelled USAG Nationals, and today he could not be more eager to be allowed to do so.”
Sleeper Gymnast(s): Coach Giancarlo is looking forward to seeing Oscar Hemmert and Connor Pattison “step up to the plate.”
18. UIC
Key Losses: Mike Peluso and James Marden.
Key Additions: Stephen Forbes, Levi Boluyt, and Tim Starook.
2020 Finish: 19th
UIC heads into the season with the task of replacing Mike Peluso and James Marden who Head Coach Charley Nelson described as “models of consistency for the Flames.” As anyone knows, strong leaders in lineups can be difficult to come by and Nelson will have to look to newcomers to take their place.
UIC is looking to become known as one of the stronger GymACT teams. It will be tough for them to catch Washington and Arizona State, but third place is well within their reach. “A program with a history like ours at a major academic institution should always be in the hunt to be at the top of the GymACT pyramid, and I think we're on pace for that in 2021. Though we've got our work cut out for us against the twin powerhouses of ASU and Washington, our perpetual rival Temple, and we have major surges coming from SoCal United and NIU”, says Nelson.
ROUTINES TO WATCH: “As far as routines to watch that distinction continues to come from Sam Montague's all around performance. We intentionally started him out slowly in 2020 with an expectation of a late season surge, but missed the opportunity come March. Sam is hungry and ready to go in 2021.”
SLEEPER GYMNAST: “Our sleeper, and another routine to watch, is Kelvin Stephens, Jr. on rings. Kelvin is as strong as any ringman in college gymnastics, but his development was slowed by two major injuries over the last four years. He's also only about 5 years in the sport, so we're on a dual drive of technique and skill development. We expected 2020 to be a coming out party, but we'll take 2021 instead.”
19. TEMPLE
2020 Finish: 18th
Temple will compete in 2021 with six new team members who will help the Owls on their quest to earn a podium spot at nationals. Coach Jesse Kitzen-Abelson expects Zac Raymond and Alex Skalkos, two of those new team members, to fill key lineup spots on floor, vault and high bar. “Not all of our freshmen have been able to train with us in Philadelphia,” Kitzen-Abelson added, “so there will be a few surprise routines that will emerge from the freshmen in the near future.”
Because of Covid, the Owls have not been able to train on campus, a situation that has cut into the team’s ability to prepare on parallel bars and vault in particular. The team has resorted to the Rocky Steps, two JO gyms, and Zoom and park workouts to compensate for missed training. Still, Kitzen-Abelson is optimistic about 2021: “The spirit and tradition of the Temple Owls is strong,” he said.
ROUTINES TO WATCH: Nicolino DiBattista in the all around.
SLEEPER GYMNAST: Taden Thurber. “Thurber was inching his way to hitting a phenomenal floor set last year,” Kitzen-Abelson said. “COVID got in the way, and he has unfinished business this year. He will finish his competitive career in 2021 and will seal it with a hit floor set.”
20. SC UNITED
2020 Finish: 23rd
Head Coach Heinz Schulmeister: “At this point I cannot answer any of your questions. Only 3 of our gymnast have been training on and off, most of our team members have not been able to train at all. At this time I am just trying to get them up to speed, which is a challenge by itself. I have no idea at this time what this will do to our season.”
21. ROCKY MOUNTAIN
2020 Finish: 22nd
22. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
2020 Finish: 21st
23. GEORGIA UNITED
Georgie United will be joining as GymACT teams for the first time in 2021.
24. NORCAL UNITED
2020 Finish: 20th
How has the pandemic impacted your team's preseason?
Head Coach John Lucas: “Nor Cal United has had a bit of a rough year. The Covid 19 shut down has kept most of our gymnasts out of the gym for an extended period of time. Most team members will be taking a gap year.”
Who will be a Sleeper Gymnast in 2021, and why?
“The gymnast to watch will be newcomer Ethan Johnson. He is attending UC Santa Cruz and will be competing on at least 4 events for us.”
25. NY ALLIANCE
2020 Finish: 24th
Are there any significant additions/subtractions from last year’s team? Of the additions, who will be contributing most, and on which events?
Head Coach Garison Clark: “NYA has Brannon Henderson as a very unique addition this year. Brannon competed for NYA in our first ever competition, the 2016 West Point Open. In 2018, he retired from competition and has since graduated from the University at Buffalo. Now, Brannon has returned to graduate school to further his education and come out of retirement to compete once more. He will contribute most on Pommels, Rings, PBars, and High Bar.”
What are your goals for this year?
“Our goal is to compete at the first ever GymACT East Conference Championships against Temple, UIC, NIU, and Georgia United.”
How has the pandemic affected preparations for this season? How have your guys responded to the uncertainty?
“The pandemic has made it extremely hard for us this year. It has caused us to lose a number of athletes that planned to compete this year, due to the pandemic effects on their academic institutions. It has also made it harder for us to utilize our usual training facilities. The guys have responded strongly by doing everything in their power to pursue competitions. They continue to work themselves in the gym and contribute to the team in unique ways outside of their own gymnastics. They have also been able to remain flexible in regards to changes that continue to happen to our schedule.”
Who is a sleeper gymnast you think could turn heads this season or surprise people? Is there one routine people should keep an eye out for this season?
“Team Captain Casey Cassara continues to be a leader for our team and progress his abilities. Starting gymnastics at 17 years old, he now has potential to compete a 15.0 start value routine on floor and is working to compete an upgraded vault for the first time. He has also put in a lot of work to progress the difficulty of routines on his other events (High bar, PBars).”
26. KC UNITED
KC United will be joining as GymACT teams for the first time in 2021.