Carrying a significant amount of late-season momentum, UIC will compete for the Eastern College Athletic Conference championship at Springfield (Mass.) College on Saturday.  The Flames achieved their four highest scores of the season in the last four meets, and several individuals set new personal standards.

"Competing for a conference championship, you know you're going to get everyone's best shot," head coach Charley Nelson said, "but the Flames are up for the challenge!  We have been getting better every week individually and as a team.  Several individuals should be in the mix for event titles.  We have come close to going five-for-five on every event these past few meets but haven't quite gotten there like I know we can.  What better time than conference to get over the hump – and when we do, we are going to surprise a lot of people."

Navy is the defending conference champion.  The Flames last took the team title in 2011.  It has been since 2015 that they have placed an individual atop the awards stand.

Through the Rotations

• Sam Montague was fourth on floor and sixth in the all-around at last season's conference meet, and has progressed to postseason form in recent weeks.  He was the ECAC Gymnast of the Week after setting four career highs March 23.
• Colin Schwartz has had the team's highest score on pommel horse in the last three meets, including taking first place in a dual meet with William & Mary.
• Senior captain Wes Diveney will be competing in his final ECAC meet.  He has UIC's top average on rings.
• Kaleb Booth has ECAC Specialist of the Week and Rookie of the Week awards to his credit.  He is atop a strong Flames vault squad.
• Xan Weaver, who has made strides in the all-around in recent weeks, has maintained his status as the team's best parallel bars worker.  Schwartz and Eric Barnd also have averages above 12.
• Sam Norwood has the team's top high bar average.  Montague has been consistent on the bar, and Paul Burney has proven to be capable of putting up big numbers when he hits his releases.

Last Time Out

• The Flames set season highs on rings, p-bars, and high bar in the regular season finale at Michigan.
• Weaver topped 75 points in the all-around to set a season high.
• James Marden stuck his high bar dismount and recorded a season high score.
• Nick Smiley set a season high on parallel bars.

Conference Preview


Scouting the Opposition

• Navy has the conference's best average overall and in four of the six events.
• Lucas Beltran is the Midshipmen's top floor and vault performer.
• Army is second to Navy, and takes the top spot in the remaining two events.
• Matthew Davis and Cole Casanova will be among the favorites in the all-around.
• William & Mary is coming off a third place finish at the USAG Team Finals.
• The deep Tribe squad is led by seven different gymnasts in the six events and all-around.
• Springfield has scored in the 370s in every meet but two.
• Stephen Lewis is the team's top all-arounder and paces the squad in four events.