LAS VEGAS - Sophomore Brody Malone and Stanford alums Grant Breckenridge and Akash Modi each earned a spot on the US Senior National Team following the completion of competition from the 2020 Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas.
The top six all-around gymnasts following Thursday's preliminary round earned automatic spots on the national team, with Malone capturing third behind Sam Mikulak (86.800) and Shane Wiskus (84.550) with a score of 83.950. Breckenridge followed in fourth at 83.900 to earn his spot.
Malone turned in the second-best vault of day one (14.400) and tied with Breckenridge for the second-best parallel bars routine in the Thursday prelims (14.600). Breckenridge also hit his high bar set on Thursday, nailing down a 14.100 to trail only the all-around Champion Sam Mikulak at 14.350.
The Men's Program Committee was charged with selecting six more athletes to the Senior National Team from participants at the Winter Cup Challenge based off final results. Modi was named in that final group after a strong showing at the Winter Cup that saw him finish fourth in the combined all-around with a 163.250 – including an 82.100 on Saturday night.
Sophomore Ian Gunther, incoming Cardinal Colt Walker and alum Robert Neff also competed in two days of all-around competition, with Gunther placing sixth with a combined 161.050. Walker followed in eighth at 159.900, while Neff totaled a 159.450 to take 10th.
Breckenridge competed both days on parallel bars and high bar, finishing second on parallel bars with a combined score of 29.050 – including a 14.450 to lead the way on day two. The 2019 graduate also captured fifth on high bar with a total of 27.000.
Gunther finished fifth on pommel horse with a mark of 27.750 and sixth on high bar at 26.650.
Stanford alum Eddie Penev impressed on vault, combining for a 28.750 to finish second in the standings while also taking fifth on floor with a two-day score of 28.100.
On the junior side, future Cardinal Brandon Nguyen captured the vault title with a combined score of 28.900. Nguyen ultimately finished sixth in the junior all-around standings with a combined score of 153.900.
Stanford will now prepare to host the International Collegiate Open on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Burnham Pavilion. The Cardinal will welcome reigning Olympic Champion Japan, Team Norway, Turn World All-Stars and California.
