STANFORD, Calif. – Eight different gymnasts combined for a program-record 16 All-America honors from the College Gymnastics Association, it was announced by the outlet this week.
Stanford's 16 All-America selections eclipsed the previous record of 15 from 2008 and 2019. Included in the haul are five vault honors, four all-around selections, three apiece on parallel bars and still rings, and one on pommel horse. The 16 selections are also the most in the nation this year, with Michigan taking second with eight.
All-American awards are usually given to the top eight finishers on each event and in the all-around at the NCAA Championships. With the remainder of the season canceled, the CGA chose All-Americans for the first time ever, based on top eight standings on each event and in the all-around as of March 9.
Sophomore Ian Gunther led the way with four selections for the Cardinal, finishing in the top eight on pommel horse, still rings, parallel bars and the all-around. The native of Houston, Texas placed fourth on still rings with an average score of 14.100, was fifth on parallel bars (14.050) and in the all-around (80.667), and was tied for fifth on pommel horse, finishing with an NQA of 13.867. Selected MSPF Gymnast of the Week and CGA Specialist of the Week during the season, Gunther won six event titles, including two apiece on pommel horse and still rings, and one on parallel bars and high bar. He also managed the fifth-highest all-around score (83.750) and the sixth-highest still rings score (14.500) in the nation.
After claiming 2019 All-America honors on still rings, Gunther has now posted five selections over his first two seasons at Stanford.
Brody Malone managed three All-America selections, finishing top eight in the all-around, and on vault and parallel bars. The nation's top gymnast on parallel bars, Malone averaged a 14.500 in the event, placed second in the all-around (82.650), and ranked sixth on vault (14.617). The native of Summerville, Ga. managed the third-highest vault score (14.900), third-best all-around score (84.200) and fourth-highest parallel bars score (14.800) in the nation this year. A two-time MPSF Gymnast of the Week, Malone won seven event titles, including four on parallel bars, and one each on still rings, vault and the all-around.
Adding to all-around, floor, high bar, parallel bars and still rings All-America honors from 2019, Malone has now accumulated eight All-America honors in his two years on The Farm.
Freshman Brandon Briones impressed in his inaugural season, finishing the year as an All-American on vault and in the all-around. Briones placed third overall in the all-around with a score of 82.633 and was sixth on vault at 14.617. The native of Gilbert, Ariz. turned in the highest all-around (85.300) and still rings score (14.900) in the nation, while also managing the second-highest high bar score (14.400), third-highest floor score (15.000), and eighth-highest vault score (14.800). A four-time CGA Rookie of the Week, three-time MPSF Gymnast of the Week and two-time CGA Gymnast of the Week, he won 10 event titles overall, including three all-around crowns, three on still rings, two on floor exercise and one each on vault and high bar.
Fellow freshman Riley Loos also claimed a pair of All-America honors, finishing in the top eight on still rings and in the all-around. Loos finished seventh in the all-around with an average of 79.733, while he placed eighth on still rings at 13.950. The native of El Dorado Hills, Calif. captured one event title in his first year, claiming the pommel horse crown at the Cal Benefit Cup.
Sophomore Curran Phillips was the final Cardinal to garner multiple All-America honors, earning the distinction on vault and parallel bars. Phillips finished the year ranked second on vault (14.667) and fourth on parallel bars (14.067). The native of Naperville, Ill. won three event titles, including two on vault and one on parallel bars, and turned in the fourth-highest parallel bars score (14.800) and fifth-highest vault score (14.850) in the nation. Overall, Phillips posted nine top-three finishes, including five on vault and four on parallel bars.
Redshirt sophomore Trevor DiGerolamo earned his first collegiate All-America honor on still rings, finishing the year ranked seventh in the event at 13.950. The native of Charleston, S.C. registered the second-highest score in event at 14.700 from the Arizona State Invitational. A still rings specialist, DiGerolamo captured the event title at the International Collegiate meet.
Stanford's final All-America honors came on vault, as senior Connor Lewis and freshman Zach Martin earned their first selections. The duo ranked tied for third with average scores of 14.650, and both captured one event title during the year.
The Cardinal entered and finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation as it looked to repeat as NCAA Champion. Stanford's average team score of 414.783 was more than four points better than Oklahoma's second-place average of 410.133.
