<p>For Immediate Release
Friday, January 12, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771</p>
<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy gymnastics team will begin its 2007 slate when it hosts the Navy Open on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Macdonough Hall. The Midshipmen will compete against James Madison and William & Mary, last season’s ECAC Champions, with several local junior teams taking part in the event.</p>
<p>2007 SEASON PREVIEW</p>
<p>The Navy gymnastics team has plenty of momentum to build off of from last year heading into the 2007 campaign.</p>
<p>Looking back one season, the Midshipmen defeated Army to claim the N-Star and finished ahead of the Black Knights in placing second at the ECAC Championship. Boasting a 13-6 record, Navy sent eight gymnasts to the NCAA Qualifying Meet, with two of its own advancing to the preliminary round of the NCAA Championship. The Mids also tallied the second-highest team score at the USAG Collegiate Championship and picked up 10 All-America honors.</p>
<p>Navy will be without the services of all-around gymnasts Ben Peterman and Grant Regelin, both of whom graduated last spring. However, the Midshipmen will rely upon their experienced returning class to guide the team towards its goals in 2007. Those targets include the retaining N-Star, winning the ECAC Championship and earning team spot at the NCAA Championship.</p>
<p>Guiding this year’s talented corps is senior team captain Sean Blackman, a three-event gymnast that has excelled on the still rings over his career. A two-time USAG All-America gymnast on the rings and 2006 ESPN The Magazine At-Large Academic All-America selection, Blackman ranked as high as fourth in the country in the event last year and earned a medal at the ECAC Championship. He scored a 9.0 or higher in 12 of his 14 competitions, won the event six times and landed among the top-five performers on 13 occasions. Blackman has also worked this fall to try and earn a spot in the floor exercise and vault lineups.</p>
<p>“We hope Sean can lead by his actions by maintaining academic and gymnastics excellence amongst the team,” stated Navy head coach Dr. Sho ***ushima. “He is pushing very hard and making strides on the floor exercise and vault to try and break into the 2007 lineup.”</p>
<p>Looking to provide significant scoring in the all-around for the third-straight year is junior Christopher Tam. In 2006, Tam earned USAG All-America and ECAC Championship medal honors in the all-around, scored above a 50.0 twice and competed at the NCAA Qualifying Meet. He scored an 8.0 or higher in each of the six disciplines during three meets in finishing the year ranked 12th nationally in the all-around. Tam’s strongest event as a sophomore proved to be the high bar, where he scored a 9.3 and claimed the gold on four occasions.</p>
<p>“Chris is the hardest worker in the gym,” said ***ushima. “The result of his efforts will be a solid all-around performance.”</p>
<p>Classmate Brandon Cook aims to continue the success he has produced in the floor exercise and vault in 2007. He medaled in both events at the ECAC Championship and earned USAG All-America honors as sophomore, ranking as high as 12th nationally on the vault and 17th in the floor exercise. Cook produced scores of 9.0 or higher in both events during the same meet seven times, winning the floor exercise five times and the vault three times. He was one of two Midshipmen that advanced to the prelims of the NCAA Championship, where he placed 11th with a season-best score of 9.275.</p>
<p>“Brandon will continue to lead the team on the floor exercise and vault, as he has done in the past,” ***ushima stated. “This year, hopefully he will break into the lineup on the high bar and still rings.”</p>
<p>Junior Isaac Olson will join Tam once again on the high bar to produce significant scoring in the event this season. In 2006, Olson improved as the year progressed and performed at his best during the postseason. The junior placed second in the high bar finals with a 9.0 to place second and earn All-America honors at the USAG Collegiate Championship. One week before, he competed at the NCAA Qualifying Meet, thanks in large part to his 8.8 and 8.75 marks in the two preceding meets.</p>
<p>“Isaac is a very goal-oriented gymnast,” ***ushima said. “His effort towards his goals, not his talent, will produce a result.”</p>
<p>After immediately producing in their first season in Annapolis last year, sophomores Joseph Atzenbeck and Adam Stanton will be counted upon for similar results in 2007. Atzenbeck received USAG All-America honors on the pommel horse and parallel bars, as well as earning ECAC Co-Rookie of the Year recognition. The sophomore advanced to the NCAA Qualifying Meet in both events and ranked as high as 17th nationally on the pommel horse. In addition to the pommel horse and parallel bars, he also saw significant action in the floor exercise, vault and high bar events. </p>
<p>Stanton joined Cook as the other Navy gymnast to qualify for the preliminary round of the NCAA Championship, competing on the pommel horse. Stanton also corralled All-America distinction for his performance on the pommel horse at the USAG Collegiate Championship, where he won the event. One day prior during the prelims, he scored above an 8.0 on the pommel horse, still rings and parallel bars.</p>
<p>“Joe and Adam are both recovering from injuries,” stated ***ushima. "Their performance will be determined by how they recover and hopefully will be seen by mid-season.</p>
<p>“Joe is focusing on upgrading his routines and hopefully some of those upgrades will make it into his routines.”</p>
<p>In order to make a run at their goals set forth this year, the Midshipmen are looking for several of its returning gymnasts to progress in a variety of events. Junior Ty Fritz may make a larger impact among the scoring-four gymnasts in both the floor exercise and vault events. As a sophomore, he scored an 8.0 or higher in both events during the same meet on six occasions.</p>
<p>Sophomore Ken Lee saw action in four disciplines and emerged as a quality performer on the vault towards the end of the season, where he scored above an 8.5 in each of his final-three meets.</p>
<p>Sophomore Trey James and Trey Godfrey will look to fill some of the gaps this year. James competed on the pommel horse and high bar last year, while Godfrey exclusively served in the floor exercise. Classmate Bobby Ryerson did not see any action as a freshman, but could emerge for the Midshipmen on the still rings this winter.</p>
<p>Juniors David Ferris, Rich Mehlmann and Jon-Michael Chombeau and sophomore Matt Phelan each are expected to provide depth in a variety of areas this year. </p>
<p>The Midshipmen will open their 2007 slate with the first of two home meets this winter, the Navy Open, on Jan. 13, taking on James Madison and William & Mary.</p>
<p>Navy will spend the next month competing on the road, first traveling to the West Point Open on Jan. 26-27. One week later, the Midshipmen travel south to compete in the James Madison Invitational on Feb. 3. Navy will make its second trip to West Point within two weeks to take on the Black Knights for the Star Meet on Feb. 10. The Midshipmen will then travel to San Francisco, Calif., to take part in the All-Academy Championship on Feb. 17.</p>
<p>The team will host its final home meet of the year on Feb. 24, when it takes on James Madison in Macdonough Hall. The Mids return to action with a three-team meet against William & Mary and Penn State on March 3, before wrapping up their regular season at Temple on March 17.</p>
<p>The Midshipmen will begin postseason action at the USAG Collegiate Championship on March 23-24 on the campus of William & Mary. One week later, Navy will battle seven other schools in Philadelphia for the ECAC Championship. </p>
<p>Navy will look to compete as a team or send individuals to the NCAA Qualifying meet on April 12 at Penn State, with qualifiers advancing to the NCAA Championship on the following two days.</p>