BERKELEY, Calif. – A career night for Robert Neff led the way for the second-ranked Cardinal as it retained its perfect record in team event titles while claiming the inaugural Pac-12 Challenge title with a 422.250.
The Cardinal (8-0, 4-0 MPSF) opened on parallel bars with Robert Neff starting his fantastic night with a season-best 14.000 that Jordan DeClerk followed up with another season-best 14.200 as the Cardinal posted its second-best team score for a 70.000 to lead the field after one rotation.
Stanford followed up on high bar where Neff crushed another season-best to with a 14.950 before Akash Modi swept the competition away with a season-best 15.050 for his first event title in the event on the year as the Cardinal added another second-best team score of 70.250.
In the third rotation on floor Jordan DeClerk took his second event title of year – both at Cal with a career-best 14.900. Jacob Barrus stepped up next for a season-best 14.600 as Stanford took the team title with a 71.850.
Headed into the fourth rotation the Cardinal claimed the individual event title after Joey Ringer eclipsed the field with a career-best 14.150 before Drew Willoughby topped that with a season-best 14.350. The Cardinal posted a 68.350 on the event to remain undefeated as a team with its second-best score on the year.
Rings and another team title awaited the Cardinal next as Josiah Eng destroyed the competition with a 15.200 for his second event title in rings – the first coming at Cal as well on January 15 to open the year. Taylor Seaton also followed up with a 14.400 season-best to help lead the Cardinal to a 70.550 for its second-best score on the year.
The Cardinal closed out the night on the vault with Barrett Weiss making his season debut for a career-best 14.650 to take second in the event before Stanford closed out its final team event title with a 71.250.
In the all-around Robert Neff posted his career-best score with an 84.650 to take the title on the night.
Stanford will take a brief respite from NCAA competition with several Cardinal traveling to Las Vegas next week for the annual Winter Cup competition.
