COLLEGE PARK, Pa. – No. 1 Stanford secured its spots in Saturday's national championship meet by way of a 421.488 team score while competing in the first of two NCAA Championship qualifying meets from Penn State's Rec Gym on Friday.
The Cardinal was followed by No. 5 Nebraska (410.124) and No. 4 Illinois (405.524) as the three teams to advance from the first session.
The Cardinal won three individual event titles on Friday, with senior J.R. Chou winning on parallel bars (14.833), junior Brandon Nguyen winning on horizontal bar (14.166), and Nicolas Kuebler finishing atop the podium on still rings (14.566).
Stanford's 421.488 team score is the third-highest of the season for the Cardinal, while the 69.465 on horizontal bar is the top score for Stanford. The Cardinal also managed a 72.265 on parallel bars – it's second-best score of the year.
Beginning the meet on vault, senior Brandon Briones stuck a 14.766 to finish second overall behind Nebraska's Donte McKinney. Sophomore Taylor Burkhart finished fourth with a 14.600.
Led by Chou's 14.833 to win the event, Stanford placed all five of its gymnasts in the top seven on parallel bars. CGA Rookie of the Year Asher Hong was second at 14.766, followed by Nguyen in fourth (career-high 14.300), Ian Gunther in fifth (14.200) and Jeremy Bischoff in a tie for seventh (14.166).
It was a similar story for the Cardinal on horizontal bar as Nguyen topped all comers with a career-best 14.166, followed by Burkhart in third (14.000), Gunther in fourth (13.866), Kuebler in fifth (career-best 13.800) and Chou in seventh (13.633).
Zach Martin was Stanford's top finisher on floor, registering a career-high 14.266 to place second overall. Kuebler followed in fourth at 14.266, while Bischoff placed eighth with a score of 14.033.
Finishing up as the last two competitors in Stanford's pommel horse lineup, Khoi Young and Colt Walker each finished top five. Walker posted a 13.666 to place fifth before Young anchored the lineup with a 14.300 to earn a third-place finish.
The top still rings team in the nation, Stanford once again placed all five gymnasts in the top seven to conclude the meet. Kuebler's career-best 14.566 led the way, followed by Mark Berlaga in third (14.333), Riley Loos in fourth (14.266), Gunther in fifth (14.133) and Briones in seventh (13.966).
The Cardinal will compete for its fourth consecutive national title on Saturday at 3 p.m. PT. Three teams out of a session-two field featuring No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 3 Michigan, No. 6 Penn State, No. 7 Ohio State, No. 10 California and No. 11 Springfield will join the Cardinal, Nebraska and Illinois in the championship final.
