Oct. 18, 2011
CHICAGO - The UIC men's gymnastics team released its 2011-12 schedule and among the tough schedule is 2011 National Championship team, Stanford. The squad looks to win its fourth-consecutive conference title and return to the NCAA's.
"The 2012 schedule is really exciting for UIC," head coach Charley Nelson says. "We are coming off of our third ECAC title, and I don't think there is anything our conference opponents want more than to beat us. We have a chance to preview the conference meet when we travel to Philadelphia to face Temple and Springfield College in mid-February. We'll tune up for that conference battle with some real challenges. The season starts with most of the Big 10 coming to Chicago for the 42nd Windy City Invitational. There's no better way to start the season than competing in front of a raucous standing room only crowd."
The Flames open the 2011-12 campaign with the Mixed Pairs meet Dec. 3 inside UIC's Physical Education Building (PEB) in Chicago, Ill., at 2:00 p.m. (CT), before returning to action Jan. 14 when the squad plays host to the Windy City Invitational, which is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. One week later (Jan. 21), the team squares off with Minnesota in a dual meet in Minneapolis, Minn., at 7:00 p.m., before closing out the month of January in a dual meet with Iowa inside the PEB at 5:00 p.m.
The team then competes in back-to-back road meets, beginning with the Winter Cup on Feb. 2 at 6:00 p.m. in Las Vegas, Nev., and then a competition at Temple at 6:30 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pa. UIC then returns to the PEB for a dual meet against Minnesota on Feb. 25 at 5:00 p.m.
The Flames battle Air Force March 2 and March 4 in Colorado Springs, beginning at 8:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively.
"UIC will also have great opportunities to showoff west of the Mississippi," Nelson says. "We start March with a something of a grudge match as the UIC-Air Force rivalry grows. We meet Air Force twice each season, and we have split the weekend the past two years. UIC also finished just ahead of Air Force at the NCAA Qualifier last season. I'm certain they'll want to defend their home turf."
The UIC team then returns to the PEB in a dual meet with Stanford March 11 at 1:00 p.m. The final two meets of March are on the road as the squad travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face Michigan at 6:00 p.m., followed by UCLA-Berkley March 24 at 5:00 p.m.
"March will be a challenge," Nelson says. "We play host to the defending NCAA Champions Stanford, and we travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to meet the past defending championship team, Michigan. Both of those competitions will really force us to step it up and it couldn't come at a better time with the conference championship just a couple of weeks later."
"We also will get to travel to Berkeley for the first time in at least 16 years; and this is really a special opportunity," Nelson says. "Cal's program was nearly cancelled at the end of last season, but it was saved by a rallying of gymnastics supporters from across the country. I'm especially proud to be a part of a season that begins the next 100 years of that program. And, this trip will be even sweeter because of the presence of Hal Frey. Hal was the UIC Gymnastics coach at Navy Pier, and despite being a brand new two-year institution, his team's dominated the state of Illinois and were a force nationally. After conquering the Central Time Zone Hal moved on to Cal where he won multiple NCAA Championships. The March 24 competition will be a great opportunity to have his two legacies together on the same floor."
The Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships begins April 6 at 6:00 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pa., and continues April 7 at 2:00 p.m. The NCAA Championships begins April 19 and continues through April 21 in Norman, Okla.
"Easter weekend will bring the ECAC Championship at Temple," Nelson says. "We have lost some pieces, but that was true over the last few seasons. I'm really excited about our freshman class, and I'm certain they'll turn some head's. Not to mention find themselves fighting their way onto the award stand in Philadelphia."
--UIC--
