Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Men's Gymnastics Travels to Ohio State
2/7/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
Feb. 7, 2001
East Lansing, Mich. -
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The sixth-ranked Michigan State men's gymnastics team will compete against No. 3 Ohio State on Friday, February 9, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. in Columbus.
Last weekend, MSU dropped a 209.875-to-208.825 decision at Minnesota. Junior Jonathan Plante is looking to retake the pommel horse title after taking second to Minnesota's Clay Strother last weekend. Sophomore Brad Golden turned in a high-scoring performance last weekend tying for first place on the parallel bars (8.750), earning a second-place finish on the floor exercise (9.075) and finishing sixth on the vault (9.100).
Junior Marc Chiappetta took the rings competition with a score of 9.050. Sophomore Aaron Sheck set a new season and career record on the parallel bars (8.700) while tying for third. Senior captain Tom Housley finished third on the floor with a score of 8.600.
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 - The Spartans are ranked sixth in the nation according to Gym Info with a high score of 208.412 this week. The team is also ranked in the top 20 in each event: ninth on floor (34.737), fifth on pommel horse (35.000), seventh on rings (34.787), ninth on vault (35.625), sixth on parallel bars (34.425) and eighth on horizontal bar (34.187). Individually, Brad Golden is ranked in three events: 12th on the floor (8.987), tied for 19th on the vault (9.075) and 13th on the parallel bars (8.750). Also ranked in the top 20 are: Jonathan Plante, who is second in the nation on pommel horse (9.450) and Marc Chiappetta, who is 13th on the still rings (9.075).
