May 28, 2013
STANFORD, Calif. - After the Stanford men’s gymnastics team scored a season-best 438.600 to defeat Army and Springfield in a tri-meet on March 23, the team took a midseason spring break trip to Norway.
It was a big endeavor less than a month before the postseason. The team used the trip to compete against elite international competition – taking on the Norwegian and Italian senior national teams – explore a new country, and perhaps come together as a cohesive unit.
Looking back, head coach Thom Glielmi credits the trip as one of the most important moments of the season because it allowed his team to bond and prepare for postseason competition.
“We saw a difference in their focus, in their expectation level for themselves and each other, and it carried through to the championships,” Glielmi said.
When the team returned stateside, it claimed second place at the MPSF Championships and third place at the NCAA Championships – its seventh top-three NCAA finish in the past eight years.
Stanford earned its third and fourth-highest team scores of the season in the finals and semifinals, respectively. It was the Cardinal’s 15th consecutive NCAA Championships appearance and 30th overall.
“They did a great job at the championships and they had a great experience” Glielmi said. “We couldn’t have finished higher unless another team had mistakes. They did what they were capable of doing and that’s all you can ask as a coach.”
Stanford also earned numerous individual honors as Eddie Penev became the program’s fourth Nissen-Emery Award winner and six Cardinal claimed nine All-America selections.
Stanford finished the season with an 18-5 record – dropping just one regular-season competition to eventual NCAA champion, Michigan.
While the team put together an impressive postseason run and finished the season on a high note, the year did not come without its adversity as the team battled through injuries and fought to find its identity early. Glielmi said that injuries to top performers limited the start values in certain events and the team had to make adjustments to put together competitive lineups.
With lineup spots open in practically every event, the team saw the emergence of some of its younger competitors. In particular, sophomore Brian Knott and freshman Dennis Zaremski established themselves as two of Stanford’s strongest gymnasts in their respective events and both earned All-America honors on parallel bars.
“As a coach you can see their potential, but for them to realize what they’re capable of and how they were supposed to train and follow the training program, and then get the results that they did – it let the other guys see what can be accomplished,” Glielmi said.
Knott claimed three first-place finishes on parallel bars and was a consistent contributor on high bar. Zaremski had an outstanding season on rings, claiming three of Stanford’s top-six scores, and was a regular in the parallel bars lineup.
Glielmi notes he expects the two gymnasts to continue to improve as both have the work ethic and skill sets to add more difficulty to their routines and compete in additional events.
Stanford will return 13, including 10 letterwinners, for the 2014 season. Glielmi expects rising redshirt senior Paul Hichwa, senior Chris Turner and redshirt junior Sean Senters to lead the Cardinal next season. Glielmi also expects captain Cale Robinson, who sat out 2013 due to injury, to make his return and be a major factor in multiple events.
The Cardinal will have multiple lineup holes to fill as six gymnasts concluded their collegiate careers, including one of Stanford’s most successful gymnasts of all-time, Penev. Five of the six seniors competed in at least nine competitions in one or more events. Penev filled 50 of 60 possible lineup positions this season.
“Every year we graduate the seniors and I’m probably not going to realize their presence in the gym until they’re not here in the fall,” Glielmi said.
It will be especially challenging filling Penev’s lineup spots as he consistently delivered top scores in each event and was one of the best performers in the country on floor and vault over the past four years. Penev claimed nine of Stanford’s top-10 scores on floor and four top-10 scores on vault this season.
However, Glielmi is confident his team will embrace the challenge and put in the work necessary to fill the voids left by the graduating seniors. He is also excited about the potential of the seven incoming freshmen that he believes will be ready to challenge for lineup spots in their first year.
Stanford will look to build on its success and continue to prepare for next season – something Glielmi believes his team is already looking forward to after being in the mix for this season’s national championship.
“They’re motivated now to have more difficulty and be competitive with the teams that beat us,” Glielmi said.
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The following is a rundown of honors accumulated by the team and individuals from the 2013 season:
Team
Third-place NCAA finish
15th consecutive NCAA Championships appearance, 30th overall
Eighth consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships Finals
Seventh NCAA top-three finish in the past eight years
Fourth third-place finish in program history
Fourth Nissen-Emery Award winner, 20th nominee
Six gymnasts garnered nine All-America honors
95 All-America honors since 2002
20th U.S. National team member
Two MPSF Championships individual event winners
Eight MPSF All-Academic honors
Gabriel Alvarado
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
Placed seventh on pommel horse at the NCAA Championships Semifinals with a 14.550 (April 19)
Finished fourth at the MPSF Championships on pommel horse with a 14.200 (April 6)
Scored a season-best 14.750 on pommel horse in the Stanford Open (Jan. 19)
Competed in all ten meets on pommel horse
MPSF All-Academic team
Kevin Baker
Tied for third on vault with a career-best 14.950 at the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 19)
Recorded a season-best on rings (14.600) and finished first on vault (14.800) against California (Feb. 23)
Finished tied for 10th on vault at the MPSF Championships with a 14.650 (April 6)
Competed in all ten meets on vault, seven on rings and made two lineups on floor and parallel bars
Jonathan Deaton
Placed fifth on vault at the NCAA Championships Semifinals tying his career-best of 14.850 (April 19)
Finished sixth on vault (14.850), ninth on high bar (14.250) and tied for 10th on floor (14.650) at the MPSF Championships (April 6)
Competed in nine of ten meets on vault, six on floor and high bar, and once on parallel bars
Cameron Foreman
Earned All-America honor on high bar
Finished seventh on high bar (14.625) and 10th on parallel bars (13.600) at the NCAA Individual Event Finals (April 21)
Concluded collegiate career as a three-time All-American
Tied for fourth on high bar (14.700) and eighth on parallel bars (14.800) at the NCAA Championships Finals (April 20)
Tied for fifth on parallel bars with a 14.700 at the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 19)
Earned season-bests on parallel bars (15.600) and high bar (15.100) at the Collegiate Challenge hosted by Stanford (March 2)
Claimed a first-place finish against California on parallel bars (Feb. 23)
Tied for the MPSF Championships title on parallel bars (14.800) and finished 10th on high bar (April 6)
Claimed Stanford’s highest score on parallel bars (15.600) and five of the team’s top-12 scores
Recorded three of Stanford’s top-five scores on high bar
Competed in nine of 10 meets on parallel bars and high bar
MPSF All-Academic team
James Fosco
Competed in the first four meets of the season on rings
Earned a season-best 15.300 to finish first on rings in the first meet of the season at California (Jan. 23)
Earned a first-place finish with a 15.200 at Michigan (Jan. 26)
MPSF All-Academic team
David Frankl
Earned a season-best 14.800 on pommel horse in his first collegiate meet at the Stanford Open (Jan. 19)
Made three pommel horse lineups and one rings appearance
Paul Hichwa
Finished ninth on high bar with a 14.300 at the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 19)
Earned career-bests of 15.300 on high bar and 15.200 on floor against Army and Springfield (March 9)
Claimed first high bar victory on the season against Cal (Feb. 17) with a 15.150, and his second against Army and Springfield (March 9) with a 15.300
Earned a first-place finish on vault against California with a 14.800 on Feb. 23 Recorded Stanford’s top-two scores on high bar
Competed in 10 meets on high bar, nine on floor, four on vault and one on parallel bars
MPSF All-Academic team
Brian Knott
Earned All-America honor on parallel bars
Claimed a first-place finish on parallel bars with a career-best 15.450 at the NCAA Team Finals (April 20)
Finished sixth on parallel bars (14.750) in the NCAA Individual Event Finals (April 21)
Scored career-bests of 15.450 on parallel bars and 14.300 on pommel horse at the NCAA Championships Finals (April 20)
Placed fifth on high bar (14.550) and eighth on parallel bars (14.650) at the NCAA Championships Semifinals
Finished first on high bar with a 14.450 in the first meet on the season at California (Jan. 13)
Tied for sixth on parallel bars (14.400) and 13th on high bar (13.950) at the MPSF Championships (April 6)
Claimed two regular season victories on parallel bars, first at the Stanford Open (Jan. 19) with a 14.750 and then at Army and Springfield (March 9) with a 15.250
Made nine of 10 lineups on parallel bars and high bar, and made three appearances on vault and pommel horse
MPSF All-Academic team
Michael Levy
Finished 10th on rings with a 14.800 at the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 19)
Finished ninth on floor (14.750), tied for 11th on rings (14.150) and tied for 12th on vault (14.600) at the MPSF Championships (April 6)
Competed in all 10 meets on floor, and in eight of 10 on rings and vault
MPSF All-Academic team
John Martin
Earned All-America honor on pommel horse
Finished third on pommel horse (14.775) and 10th on high bar (13.250) at the NCAA Individual Event Finals (April 21)
Tied for fourth on high bar (14.700) and sixth on pommel horse (14.750) at the NCAA Championships Finals (April 20)
Tied for third on pommel horse (14.850) and high bar (14.600) at the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 19)
Scored a season-best 15.100 against Army and Springfield (March 9)
Claimed the top three Stanford pommel horse scores and five of the top 10
Finished third on pommel horse with a 14.300 at the MPSF Championships (April 6)
Finished first on pommel horse at California (Jan. 14) with a 14.400 and again against Cal on Feb. 23 with a 14.950
Made all 10 pommel horse lineups
Competed in five high bar and three parallel bars lineups
Jordan Nolff
Tied for seventh on floor with a 14.800 at the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 19)
Earned a career best on floor of 15.200 against California (Feb. 17)
Finished eighth on floor (14.800) and tied for 13th on rings (14.050) at the MPSF Championships (April 6)
Competed in nine of 10 meets on floor and rings, and made three appearances on pommel horse and parallel bars
MPSF All-Academic team
Eddie Penev
Nissen-Emery Award winner
Named to the U.S. Gymnastics Senior National team on Feb. 9 after qualifying at the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas
Finished career as a three-time national champion and nine-time All-American
Earned 2013 All-America honors in the all-around, vault and floor
Finished second on floor (15.550) and tied for seventh on vault (15.100) at the NCAA Individual Event Finals (April 21)
Finished second on floor (15.350), third on vault (15.200) and third in the all-around (87.350) at the NCAA Championships Finals (April 20)
Placed first in the all-around (87.450), floor (15.500) and vault (15.000) at the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 19)
Claimed MPSF titles in the all-around (88.200) and floor (15.950) at the MPSF Championships (April 6)
Finished second on high bar (14.800), third on vault (15.050), tied for fourth on parallel bars (14.700) and ninth on rings (14.600) at the MPSF Championships
Recorded career bests of 14.700 on pommel horse at Army and Springfield (March 9), 15.250 on parallel bars at Michigan (Jan. 26) and 14.800 on high bar twice – first at Army and Springfield, then at the MPSF Championships
Claimed victories in the all-around (seven), floor (six) and vault (two)
Competed in 50 of 60 possible events in 10 meets this season
Claimed nine of Stanford’s top-10 scores on floor, eight top-10 scores in the all-around and four top-10 scores on vault
Named College Gymnastics Association Gymnast of the Week three times and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week four times
Sean Senters
Earned All-America honors on floor and vault
Finished tied for fifth on vault (15.125) and eighth on floor (14.000) at the NCAA Individual Event Finals
Tied for third on vault (15.150) and finished 10th on floor (14.950) at the NCAA Championships Finals
Tied for third on floor with a 15.150 at the NCAA Championships Semifinals
Finished second on vault (15.300, career best) and tied for third on floor (15.300) at the MPSF Championships (April 6)
Claimed three vault victories: at California (Jan. 13), Stanford Open (Jan. 19) and against Cal (Feb. 17)
Recorded six of Stanford’s top-10 scores on vault
Scored a career-best 14.800 on pommel horse at Army and Springfield (March 9)
Competed in eight meets on floor, pommel horse and vault
MPSF All-Academic team
Chris Turner
Claimed victories on rings (two), pommel horse (one) and the all-around (one)
Scored a career-best 15.000 on rings in two consecutive meets against California (Feb. 17, Feb. 23)
Earned career-highs of 14.700 on parallel bars at the Stanford Open (Jan. 19), 14.600 on vault against California (Feb. 17) and 14.400 against California (Feb. 23)
Competed in all 10 meets on pommel horse, rings and parallel bars
Made six lineups on vault and five on high bar
Dennis Zaremski
Earned All-America honor on parallel bars
Finished seventh on parallel bars (14.525) at the NCAA Individual Event Finals (April 21)
Tied for eighth on parallel bars (14.800) at the NCAA Championships Finals (April 20)
Tied for second on rings (15.300) and tied for third on parallel bars (14.750) at the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 19)
Claimed three of Stanford’s top six scores on rings on the season
Scored a season-best 14.800 on parallel bars at the NCAA Team Finals (April 20) – just one day after setting his previous best of 14.750 in the NCAA Team Semifinals (April 19)
Recorded Stanford’s highest finish on rings at the MPSF Championships (April 9), finishing tied for third with a 14.900
Claimed his first collegiate victory at the Collegiate Challenge (Stanford, Calif.) on March 2 with a career-best 15.350 on rings
Earned his second rings victory a week later at Army and Springfield (March 9) with a 15.200.
Competed in nine of 10 meets on rings and eight on parallel bars