No. 3 Stanford (1-0, 1-0 MPSF)
No. 4 California (0-1, 0-1 MPSF)
Saturday, Jan. 18 – 4 p.m. (PT)
Burnham Pavilion – Stanford, Calif.
Tickets – Free Admission
STANFORD, Calif. – No. 3 Stanford will look for its second win as many weeks over No. 4 California when the Cardinal hosts the Golden Bears in the 2014 edition of The Big Flip Off this Saturday at 4 p.m. in Burnham Pavilion.
Stanford earned a 431.100-425.650 victory over Cal in both teams’ season opener last weekend in Berkeley. The Cardinal outscored the Golden Bears in four of six events, including pommel horse (71.150-69.000), rings (71.500-71.000), parallel bars (71.300-70.200) and high bar (71.700-69.400). Four Stanford gymnasts claimed six individual victories.
The Cardinal has won eight consecutive meets against Cal, including the last two season-opening competitions in Berkeley.
Follow the Action
• Fans can follow along on Twitter by following @StanfordMGym and #gostanford.
Stanford Shines in Season Opener
• The season-opening victory over Cal featured a healthy mix of experience and young talent, including standout performances by senior Chris Turner and freshman Akash Modi. Turner tied or set collegiate bests on pommel horse (15.050), vault (14.650), parallel bars (14.700) and high bar (14.800). Turner was the only gymnast in the nation competing last weekend that broke the 15.000 mark on pommel horse.
• Modi made his collegiate debut and led Stanford on floor (15.350), vault (15.000) and parallel bars (15.250). He also contributed big scores on vault (15.000), rings (14.650) and pommel horse (14.250). His all-around total was the highest of any gymnast in the country competing last weekend.
Modi was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week and the College Gymnastics Association Gymnast of the Week for his standout performance.
• Dennis Zaremski picked up where he left off on rings last season and claimed the individual victory with a 15.100. Zaremski claimed three of the Cardinal’s top six scores on the event in 2013.
• Paul Hichwa claimed the individual win on high bar with a 15.000.
What head coach Thom Glielmi said about last weekend’s meet:
• “A lot of freshmen competed for the first time on the collegiate level and they did a great job … Chris Turner had a good meet. He’s a seasoned competitor and was calm, cool and collected. It didn’t surprise me that his sets were simple for him to get through and he put up a top score.”
• “Akash is one of the standout athletes in the NCAA and I think it was apparent. He still has some upgrades he can put into his routines over the course of the next three weeks. This week we anticipate him adding another element on floor and possibly a new element on horizontal bar.”
• “Overall, I was very pleased with the first competition.”
Saturday’s Opponent: No. 4 California
• This will be the second of six meetings this season between Stanford and Cal. The Cardinal enters the competition with an eight-meet winning streak against the Golden Bears.
• Cal was led by Donothan Bailey who finished second in the all-around (87.800), second on pommel horse (14.550), second on parallel bars (15.000), third on rings (14.550) and third on high bar (14.700). Jeffrey Langenstein claimed Cal’s individual victory, earning a 15.200 on vault.
• Former Stanford assistant coach Brett McClure is in his first year as Cal’s associate head coach. McClure worked with Cardinal head coach Thom Glielmi for three seasons and was named the CGA Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2011.
In the Rankings
• Stanford is ranked in the top 25 in the following events based on the average of its scores:
Floor: 3rd, 72.000
Pommel Horse: 2nd, 71.150
Rings: 5th, 71.500
Vault: 2nd, 73.450
Parallel Bars: 5th, 71.300
High Bar: 1st, 71.700
• Stanford gymnasts are ranked in the top 25 in the following events based on the average of their scores:
Floor
Akash Modi, 2nd, 15.350
Jonathan Deaton, T-14th, 14.550
Pommel Horse
Chris Turner, 1st, 15.050
David Frankl, T-10th, 14.400
Akash Modi, 16th, 14.250
Rings
Dennis Zaremski, T-7th, 15.100
Akash Modi, 14th, 14.650
Vault
Akash Modi, T-3rd, 15.000
Michael Levy, T-7th, 14.750
Chris Turner, T-16th, 14.650
Taylor Seaton, T-16th, 14.650
Parallel Bars
Akash Modi, 4th, 15.250
Chris Turner, T-13th, 14.700
High Bar
Paul Hichwa, T-2nd, 15.000
Chris Turner, T-4th, 14.800
Cale Robinson, T-14th, 14.150
Kevin Baker, T-16th, 14.100
All-Around
Akash Modi, 1st, 88.150
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Aztec Push-Up Challenge
• Stanford men's gymnastics alum Jason Shen will provide additional entertainment during the meet as he attempts to break the Guinness World Record for most Aztec push-ups in a minute.