Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Men's Gymnastics Travels to Minnesota
1/31/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
Jan. 31, 2001
East Lansing, Mich. -
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LAST MEET - The Spartans defeated Illinois-Chicago but fell to Illinois with a final score of: Illinois 209.300, Michigan State 208.000 and Illinois-Chicago 195.200. Junior Jonathan Plante won the pommel horse for the second time with a 9.050. Sophomore Aaron Sheck tied for first on the high bar with a 9.000. Sophomore Brad Golden took third on the floor exercise with a 8.800, was third on the vault (9.050) and fourth on both the parallel bars (8.750) and the high bar with a 8.800. Freshman Taft Dorman was second on the floor exercise with a 8.900 and junior Marc Chiappetta turned in a second-place showing on the rings with a score of 9.100.
COACH's Corner - Rick Atkinson (Iowa State '85) is in his 13th season as head coach of the Michigan State gymnastics team. Under his tutelage the Spartans have advanced to regional competition seven times in the 1990s, including last year's NCAA Qualifier when the team took sixth.
IN THE RANKINGS - This week the Spartans are ranked seventh in the nation according to Gym Info with a high score of 208.000. The team is also ranked in the top 20 in each event: tied for seventh on floor (34.750), ninth on pommel horse (34.250), seventh on rings (34.800), tied for 10th on vault (35.600), fifth on parallel bars (34.450) and sixth on horizontal bar (34.850).
Individually, Jonathan Plante is fourth in the nation on pommel horse (9.350) and 13th in the all-around (50.550), while Brad Golden is tied for 17th on the parallel bars (8.750) and tied for 20th on floor exercise along with fellow Spartan Taft Dorman (8.900). Marc Chiappetta is tied for 13th on rings (9.100) and Aaron Sheck is tied for eighth on horizontal bars (9.000).
MSU DEBUTS- Freshmen Andrew Davis and Taft Dorman, along with senior Nate Dotson, made their Spartan debuts at the Windy City Invitational on Jan. 13. Davis competed in the individual all-around, scoring 47.250, while also counting a score for State on the parallel bars. Dorman competed on the rings and floor exercise, while Dotson saw action on the rings.
In Jenison Field House on Jan. 27 Dorman added to his resume by competing in the vault for the first time. Sophomore Aaron Sheck also added the vault and junior Jason Lewis added the floor exercise.
