The UIC men's gymnastics team hosted the 48^th annual Windy City Invitational Saturday night at Navy Pier.  Competing on the site where the program was founded in 1947, the Flames finished fourth in the four-team field that included repeat champion Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa.

"When you invite the big dogs into your house, you never know what you're going to get," said head coach Charley Nelson, "and with 13 freshmen that was an even bigger question.  I'm pleased with how they reacted.  I have some competitors, no doubt."

 

Before the invitational began, redshirt senior Pratik Patel received the Edward J. Saleh Award and scholarship.  Named for former UIC gymnast Ed Saleh, who died tragically in a motorcycle accident, the award annually goes to the Flame who best exemplifies academic and athletic excellence.  Edward's brother Rich was on hand to present Patel with the award.

Rotation 1 – Floor Exercise

• Sophomore Asad Jooma and freshman Sam Montague anchored the Flames' lineup on the first exercise, and posted the team's top two scores on the floor.
• Jooma scored a 12.550 and Montague posted a 12.450.  They finished 15^th and 16^th respectively overall.
• Sophomore Satchel Hudson also broke the 12-point barrier.

Rotation 2 – Pommel Horse

• Michael Peluso achieved UIC's top score on the pommel with his 12.550 mark.
• He finished just outside the top 10, registering 12^th in the field.
• Colin Schwartz, another freshman, attempted the most difficult maneuver of all his teammates, and executed well enough to earn a score of 12.300.
• "We've got plenty of work to do, but l got several comments that said tonight was the best pommel horse performance for UIC in years," a pleased Nelson stated, adding "that's not the case in the practice gym."

Rotation 3 – Rings

• Peluso turned another team-leading performance by virtue of his 11.800 score.
• Steen Haugsted, competing for the first time on the evening, posted an 11.550 tally.

Rotation 4 – Vault

• The Flames posted four scores above 13 on the vault.
• Jooma's 13.800 gave him the team's top mark on his second apparatus.
• His score was good for ninth place in the overall standings.
• Victor Bello, Colby Lawson, and Hudson joined Jooma in the over-13 club.

Rotation 5 – Parallel Bars

 

• Haugsted was by far UIC's best gymnast on the bars, turning in a score of 13.150.
• He finished 10^th on the apparatus for UIC's second top-10 individual showing of the evening.
• "Steen was the shining star of the evening for the team," Nelson stated.  "He's going to be the guy we need to follow in terms of execution."
• Jooma, Bello, and Hudson were tightly bunched around the 12-point mark to add to the team's score.

Rotation 6 – High Bar

• Freshman Lawson completed a successful first collegiate meet with a team-high 12.150 on the bar.
• Taylor Styer put up a mark of 11.900.

All-Around

• Hudson and Montague were the Flames' two all-around competitors.
• Montague scored 68.900, with Hudson right on his heels at 68.200.
• "Sam and Satchel did well in the all-around," Nelson noted.  "Overall we just have to fix some execution, and that will get us to the promised land."

Up Next

• The Flames will return to the friendly confines of UIC Pavilion for their first dual meet of the season.
• Iowa will return to the Windy City to go head-to-head with UIC next Sunday.
• The meet will start at 2:00 pm.