Official Site
2/6
Ohio State Gymnast Jimmy Wickham Makes U.S. National Team
Wickham finishes first in country on vault
<!-- PHOTO TABLE BEGINS HERE -->
<!-- PHOTO TABLE ENDS HERE -->
<!-- remove this block --> <!-- end block --> Feb. 5, 2006
<!-- LINKS TO RELATED PAGES BEGIN --> <!-- LINKS TO RELATED PAGES END -->
After outstanding performances of floor and vault Saturday, Ohio State's Jimmy Wickham was named to the U.S. National Team at the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas. After qualifying Thursday for the second day of competition, sophomore Jimmy Wickham and freshman Jake Bateman joined 41 other top U.S. gymnasts for the second-round of competition vying for 14 spots on the U.S. National Team.
Wickham (Gulfport, Miss./Planet Gymnastics) is the only Buckeye to earn a spot on the national team after the Winter Cup Challenge. He topped competition on floor with a first place finish (15.650). Wickham's score of 15.650 was the highest score awarded on floor during the two-day challenge and .450 higher than the closest competitor. He continued to perform well on vault in the finals as he tied Clay Strother from Team Chevron for second with a score of 16.250.
With a two-day combined total of 32.450, Wickham is the U.S. National Champion on vault and is fourth on floor scoring 29.950.
"Jimmy was amazing," Miles Avery, Ohio State head coach, said. "After not performing well on floor on the first day of competition, he did what he needed to do on the second day in order to make the U.S. National Team."
Bateman (Kingsport, Tenn./Premier Gymnastics) represented Ohio State in the all-around and placed 18th with a score of 82.300. His best performance was on parallel bars where he tallied a 13.700(22nd).
On parallel bars, Bateman finished 16th out of the 41 gymnasts in the event finals.
Sophomore DJ Bucher (Mason, Ohio/Queen City Gymnastics) did not compete in the individual event and all-around finals at the Winter Cup Challenge after slightly injuring his knee. On-site trainers recommended Bucher not to perform to avoid worsening the injury. Avery will petition the Men's Program Committee for a spot on the national team for Bucher based on his fourth place finish in the qualifying round of the challenge. <!-- STORY AD BEGINS HERE -->
<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td width="5">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<!-- STORY AD ENDS HERE -->After a review of Bucher's scores from Thursday, he moved from seventh place to fourth place in the all-around because of incorrect scores.
Former Buckeyes Raj Bhavsar and Randy Monahan also competed well Saturday. Bhavsar finished 10th (84.350) in the all-around after turning in two Top 15 scores for a ninth place finish on high bar (14.200) and a 12th place finish on rings (14.300).
Monahan had three Top 15 performances as well. He finished fifth on high bar (14.850), tied for 11th on floor (14.400) and tied for 14th vault (15.850). Monahan ended the competition with an all-around score of 58.650 for 26th place. His two-day total of 29.300 placed him eighth on floor. Monahan also finished eighth on high bar with a combined score of 28.900.
Ohio State continues its season on the road as the team travels to UIC in Chicago for the second time this season at 7 p.m. Feb. 11 at the UIC Physical Education Building. Last time in Chicago, the Buckeyes captured first at the Windy City Invitational held by UIC Jan. 14.
2/6
Ohio State Gymnast Jimmy Wickham Makes U.S. National Team
Wickham finishes first in country on vault
<!-- PHOTO TABLE BEGINS HERE -->
<!-- PHOTO TABLE ENDS HERE -->
<!-- remove this block --> <!-- end block --> Feb. 5, 2006
<!-- LINKS TO RELATED PAGES BEGIN --> <!-- LINKS TO RELATED PAGES END -->
After outstanding performances of floor and vault Saturday, Ohio State's Jimmy Wickham was named to the U.S. National Team at the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas. After qualifying Thursday for the second day of competition, sophomore Jimmy Wickham and freshman Jake Bateman joined 41 other top U.S. gymnasts for the second-round of competition vying for 14 spots on the U.S. National Team.
Wickham (Gulfport, Miss./Planet Gymnastics) is the only Buckeye to earn a spot on the national team after the Winter Cup Challenge. He topped competition on floor with a first place finish (15.650). Wickham's score of 15.650 was the highest score awarded on floor during the two-day challenge and .450 higher than the closest competitor. He continued to perform well on vault in the finals as he tied Clay Strother from Team Chevron for second with a score of 16.250.
With a two-day combined total of 32.450, Wickham is the U.S. National Champion on vault and is fourth on floor scoring 29.950.
"Jimmy was amazing," Miles Avery, Ohio State head coach, said. "After not performing well on floor on the first day of competition, he did what he needed to do on the second day in order to make the U.S. National Team."
Bateman (Kingsport, Tenn./Premier Gymnastics) represented Ohio State in the all-around and placed 18th with a score of 82.300. His best performance was on parallel bars where he tallied a 13.700(22nd).
On parallel bars, Bateman finished 16th out of the 41 gymnasts in the event finals.
Sophomore DJ Bucher (Mason, Ohio/Queen City Gymnastics) did not compete in the individual event and all-around finals at the Winter Cup Challenge after slightly injuring his knee. On-site trainers recommended Bucher not to perform to avoid worsening the injury. Avery will petition the Men's Program Committee for a spot on the national team for Bucher based on his fourth place finish in the qualifying round of the challenge. <!-- STORY AD BEGINS HERE -->
<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td width="5">
<!-- STORY AD ENDS HERE -->After a review of Bucher's scores from Thursday, he moved from seventh place to fourth place in the all-around because of incorrect scores.
Former Buckeyes Raj Bhavsar and Randy Monahan also competed well Saturday. Bhavsar finished 10th (84.350) in the all-around after turning in two Top 15 scores for a ninth place finish on high bar (14.200) and a 12th place finish on rings (14.300).
Monahan had three Top 15 performances as well. He finished fifth on high bar (14.850), tied for 11th on floor (14.400) and tied for 14th vault (15.850). Monahan ended the competition with an all-around score of 58.650 for 26th place. His two-day total of 29.300 placed him eighth on floor. Monahan also finished eighth on high bar with a combined score of 28.900.
Ohio State continues its season on the road as the team travels to UIC in Chicago for the second time this season at 7 p.m. Feb. 11 at the UIC Physical Education Building. Last time in Chicago, the Buckeyes captured first at the Windy City Invitational held by UIC Jan. 14.