STANFORD, Calif. – Freshman Asher Hong earned a second consecutive College Gymnastics Association National Rookie of the Week selection this week, sharing the honor with Michigan's Fred Richard.
Hong, named MPSF Freshman of the Week on Tuesday, won a pair of events on Saturday at the Rocky Mountain Open, helping lead Stanford to a 420.100 team score and a first-place finish. Hong's event titles came on parallel bars and still rings, as the native of Tomball, Texas put up a 14.800 on rings (matching a career high) before going a career-best 15.250 in his final routine of the night on parallel bars.
With the victory on parallel bars, Hong has now won that event title in each of his first two collegiate meets. In total, he has claimed four event titles in two meets after winning the floor crown at the Cal Benefit Cup to open the season.
Hong managed career-best marks in four of his five events on Saturday, posting a 14.000 on pommel horse and a 15.000 out of the leadoff spot in the vault lineup. He finished top eight in every event, and top four in four of the five.
While he did not compete on horizontal bar on Saturday, Hong's five-event total was 72.950. Richard won the all-around crown with an 83.200.
Hong currently ranks No. 1 in the nation on parallel bars (14.900), No. 2 on still rings (14.800), and No. 4 on floor (14.125) and vault (14.725). In addition to being the top parallel bars gymnast in the nation, he is also the top freshman on floor, rings and vault, and ranks No. 2 in the all-around (79.250).
No. 1 Stanford is currently preparing to host the Stanford Open this Saturday, welcoming California to Burnham Pavilion for a meet at 7 p.m.