STANFORD, Calif. - Former Cardinal Akash Modi finished third overall after two rounds of competition from the 2019 U.S. Championships held at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.
U.S. Championships Results
Modi, who was tied for third after Thursday's opening round, remained steady on Saturday night, finishing in the top eight of all but one event. Modi's best leg of competition proved to be the high bar, where he registered a combined score of 27.350 to take second behind all-around champion Sam Mikulak. By finishing in the top six in the all-around, Modi maintains his position on the U.S. Senior National Team.
Mikulak, who captured his sixth U.S. all-around title, managed a combined score of 174.150, followed by 2019 Nissen Emery Award winner Yul Moldauer at 168.600, and Modi in third at 168.250. Shane Wiskus (167.600) and Trevor Howard (164.900) rounded out the top five.
Incoming freshman Riley Loos, who sat sixth after one round, finished 10th overall with a combined score of 160.650, including finishing fourth on floor exercise with a combined 28.650. Former Cardinal Eddie Penev competed on floor exercise and vault, taking fourth overall in vault with a combined score of 28.750 – including a 14.450 on Saturday.
Prior to the senior competition on Saturday, the men's junior competition was contested. Incoming freshmen J.R. Chou and Zachary Martin each competed, with Chou taking seventh overall with a combined all-around score of 152.800. Chou matched or improved each of his six event scores from Thursday, including posting his second 13.850 of the competition on floor exercise to capture top honors in the event. He also finished second in pommel horse with a combined total of 26.700 after managing a 13.450 on Saturday. Martin placed 14th overall with a combined all-around score of 147.800, and locked up the sixth spot on vault with a 25.300 – including a 14.250 on Thursday.
Following the conclusion of the men's competition, Modi was selected as one of eight members of the 2019 World Championships Team Squad. The squad, determined by the Men's Selection Committee, will participate in the World Team Selection Camp Sept. 5-9 at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. In addition to Modi, the members of the squad are: Allan Bower of Chandler, Ariz./University of Oklahoma; Howard of Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University; Mikulak; Moldauer of Arvada, Colo./University of Oklahoma; Wiskus of Spring Park, Minn./University of Minnesota; Donnell Whittenburg of Baltimore, Md./U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center; and Colin Van Wicklen of Magnolia, Texas/University of Oklahoma.
Stanford head coach Thom Glielmi was also recognized at the U.S. Championships, earning U.S. Senior Coach of the Year. The 2019 CGA National Coach of the Year, Glielmi guided Stanford to the 2019 NCAA national championship. Glielmi also secured his third MPSF Coach of the Year honor in 2019, first earning it in 2009, and then again in 2014 as a Co-Coach of the Year with Kip Simons of Air Force. Thanks to the latest title win, Glielmi became one of five active head coaches at Stanford with at least three NCAA titles, joining Lele Forood (10 – women's tennis), John Tanner (7 – women's water polo), Jeremy Gunn (3 – men's soccer) and Greg Meehan (3 – women's swimming). The 2019 season was the 17th at the helm of the program for Glielmi.