No. 4 Michigan men’s gymnastics left State Farm Center victorious Friday night, taking home the 2024 Big Ten Championship title. The Wolverines edged ahead of the Illini after the final rotation by 4.350 points with a final score of 418.100 to 413.750. No. 3 Nebraska took third with 407.350 points, No. 6 Ohio State came in fourth with 406.550 and No. 7 Penn State finished fifth with 404.050.
Despite the second-place finish, the Illini had many impressive individual efforts throughout the contest. Perhaps the most notable performance came in the still rings from senior Ashton Anaya. After twisting through the air and landing on his feet, the bleachers of State Farm Center went into a frenzy as he finished with a score of 15.050, which led all competitors and doubled his career high. Seniors Logan Myers and Ethan Boder also placed in the top ten for the event. Sophomore Ryan Vanichtheeranont, senior Sebastian Ingersoll and sophomore Tate Costa joined them to give Illinois an event score of 68.450.
Illinois moved on to the vault, where graduate student Connor McCool, freshman Preston Ngai, graduate Evan Manivong, graduate student Michael Fletcher and junior Amari Sewell put up an event score of 72.750. Ngai electrified the home crowd with a score of 14.900, good for a career-high and placing him third overall. Sewell lived up to the buzz in the Illinois fan section before his run, earning a score of 14.800 and landing him fourth in the standings.
On the parallel bars, the Illini earned an event score of 69.400 behind sophomore Connor Micklos, Myers, Costa, senior Will Hauke and Fletcher. Hauke and Fletcher ended the event on a high note, scoring 14.200 and 14.100, respectively. That put them both in the top ten overall in parallel bars.
Illinois’ building momentum through three events took a hit on the horizontal bar, as Manivong, Myers, Ingersoll, Costa, and Vanichtheeranont put up an event score of 64.750, the lowest out of the competition for the event.
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Next up was the floor, as McCool put up an impressive 14.150, landing him fourth overall, and Manivong joined him in the top ten. Sewell, Fletcher and Costa also competed in the event, ending with a cumulative score of 68.500.
Illinois dominated pommel horse behind Ingersoll, Micklos, Ngai, Hauke and freshman Brandon Dang. Hauke’s 14.200 tied for best in the competition, and all five Illinois participants placed in the top ten.
Despite the final effort, Michigan pulled out the win on their final horizontal bar.
Costa represented the Illini in the all-around, coming in fifth place with a score of 79.950. Hauke was recognized as a Sportsmanship Honoree and Dang earned Freshman of the Year.
The top ten participants from each event will return to the second weekend session for the event finals on Saturday at 7 p.m.
