When: Friday, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.;
NCAA men's gymnastics championships at a glance
April 16, 2021 at 2:30AM
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Maturi Pavilion
How to watch: Friday, streamed on BTN Plus; Saturday, BTN
The format
Twelve teams and 33 individual qualifiers will compete in two qualifying sessions Friday. The top three teams in each session move on to Saturday's team finals. Friday's qualifiers also will determine the fields for Saturday's finals in the all-around and individual events.
The teams
Friday's first qualifying session includes Oklahoma, Nebraska, Ohio State, Illinois, Navy and William & Mary. The second session includes the Gophers, Michigan, Stanford, Penn State, Iowa and California.
The favorites
No. 1 Oklahoma is trying for its 13th NCAA team title, which would break a tie with Penn State for the most in history. The Sooners are ranked among the top three in five of six events. No. 2 Michigan won the Big Ten title by 13 points — the largest margin of victory in 44 years — and boasts the nation's top two all-arounders in Paul Juda and Cameron Bock. The Wolverines lead the national rankings in high bar, still rings and pommel horse. Reigning team champ Stanford is ranked No. 3 and will chase its seventh NCAA team title.
Gymnasts to watch
Gophers senior Shane Wiskus has competed in only two college meets this season after moving to Colorado to train toward the Olympic trials. At the Big Ten championships two weeks ago, he was named gymnast of the meet, tying Bock for the all-around crown and winning titles in floor exercise, parallel bars and high bar. Juda, the Big Ten gymnast of the year, has the nation's highest all-around score and is ranked in the top two in three events; Bock tops the rankings in pommel horse and still rings. Other top competitors include Stanford's Blake Sun, No. 1 on parallel bars, and Oklahoma's Gage Dyer, No. 1 on floor exercise.
Gophers outlook
The Gophers were hampered by injuries and by Wiskus' absence this season. They finished sixth at the Big Ten championships and are ranked No. 10 entering the NCAA meet, their last as a varsity program. Three gymnasts — Wiskus, Donte McKinney and Crew Bold — earned regular-season All-America honors.
RACHEL BLOUNT
about the writer
Gophers’ final home game of season comes against Nittany Lions team in contention for College Football Playoff.
