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Flames Flashback: Men's Gymnastics Wins Back-To-Back ECAC Championships.
Aug. 12, 2010
As the 2010-2011 academic year approaches, UIC takes a look back at the previous year in athletics. CHICAGO - The UIC men's gymnastics team put together another strong season in 2010, defending its crown as Eastern College Athletic Conference champions and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships for the second straight year. UIC finished with first-place finishes in three events and top-three performances in every event but one. The Flames were led by three-time NCAA all-around finalist Andrew Stover. Stover led UIC with a first-place finish on high bar, second place on still rings and vault, third on parallel bars and sixth on floor exercise placing in the top spot in the all-around competition. The Fullerton, Calif. native earned All-East Accolades (horizontal bars and still rings), was named ECAC Senior Gymnast of the Year and eventually earned All-American status, becoming the first UIC gymnast to achieve such a feat since 2004. Stover was also a finalist for the Nissen-Emery Award presented annually to the nation's top senior male gymnast. The award honors excellence in gymnastics, good sportsmanship, fair play and a high standard of scholarship throughout the student-athlete's collegiate career. While Stover had a season to remember, the Flames were far from a one-man show. Senior Nikolai Korepanov finished first on the rings at the ECAC team finals while Kyle Voissem, the ECAC Rookie of the Year, took first place on bars to help lead the Flames to victory for the second straight year. Along with Stover, seven other Flames were honored with All-East accolades. Among those were Nick Persino (high bar), Voissem (parallel bars), Ned Kamimura (vault), Korepanov and Neal Thompson (still rings), and Dave Mohr (pommel horse).
The Flames were guided by veteran mentor "CJ" Johnson, the ECAC Coach of the Year and NCAA East Region Coach of the Year. Alongside Coach Johnson was longtime assistant Charley Nelson, who won ECAC Assistant Coach of the Year and NCAA East Region Assistant Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season. The Flames consistently earned weekly awards all year. Three freshmen, David Ishida, Keith Lage and Voissem each earned ECAC Rookie of the Week honors for the Flames. Voissem was named Rookie of the Week twice. Thompson also brought home a weekly honor as ECAC Gymnast of the Week. Stover earned ECAC the Cardinal. Gymnast of the Week for the Flames and was named NCAA DI Gymnast of the Week. "CJ" Johnson, the head coach of the UIC men's gymnastics team since 1974, announced his retirement effective August 31, 2010. He has garnered a bevy of Coach of the Year honors, including NCAA Division II Coach of the Years in 1978 and 1979; NCAA Division I Mideast Region Coach of the Year in 1980, 1988, 1994 and 1995; and NCAA Division I East Region Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2010. Charley Nelson, who was named NCAA East Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2010, will take over as UIC's head men's gymnastics coach. The Flames open up their 2011 campaign on Jan. 15 at the UIC Physical Education Building for the Windy City Invite. |
