March 4, 2000

Minneapolis, Minn. - The University of Minnesota men's gymnastics team defeated Illinois Chicago with a season-best team score of 226.175 to 217.700 Saturday afternoon at the Sports Pavilion. It was Minnesota's first win of the season. The Golden Gophers had a first-place finisher in each event.

Minnesota's Clay Strother placed first in the floor exercise with a 9.900 and Allen Sopko, Ryan Winterbourne and Illinois-Chicago's Nick Becker all tied for second with a 9.400. Strother also placed first in the pommel horse with a score of 9.925 while teammate Lindsay Fang placed second with a score of 9.900.

In the still rings, Ryan Winterbourne placed first with a score of 9.500, while teammate Justin Conner placed second with a score of 9.925.

In the vault, Minnesota's Bob Goss placed first with a score of 9.575, while Illinois-Chicago's Anthony Cirullo placed second with a score of 9.500.

In the parallel bars, Minnesota's Bob Goss placed first with a score of 9.550, while teammate Justin Conner placed second with a score of 9.525.

In the horizontal bar, Justin Conner placed first with a score of 9.600. Strother also won the all-around competition with a score of 56.675. Teammates Justin Conner and Todd Guilbeau placed second and third respectively with scores of 55.800 and 54.300.

Team Scores: Minnesota 226.175, Illinois-Chicago 217.700


Floor Exercise
1. Clay Strother, Minnesota, 9.900
2. Allen Sopko, Minnesota, 9.400
2. Nick Becker, Ill.-Chicago, 9.400
2. Ryan Winterbourne, Minnesota, 9.400


Pommel Horse
1. 1. Clay Strother, 9.925
2. Lindsay Fang, 9.900
3. Todd Guilbeau, 9.850.


Still Rings
1. Ryan Winterbourne, 9.500
2. Justin Conner, 9.225
3. Dave Johnson, Ill.-Chicago, 9.200


Vault
1. Bob Goss, Minnesota, 9.575
2. Anthony Cirullo, Ill.-Chicago, 9.500
3. Justin Conner,Minnesota, 9.450



Parallel Bars
1. Bob Goss, Minnesota, 9.550
2. Justin Conner, Minnesota 9.525
3. Greg Gabel, Ill. Chicago, 9.375



Horizontal Bar
1. Justin Conner, Minnesota, 9.600
2. Ryan Winterbourne, Minnesota, 9.275
3. Clay Strother, Minnesota, 9.000