Gophers Travel to Colorado to Take on Air Force The men's gymnastics team is headed to Colorado to compete against the Air Force Academy this Saturday.
Adam LaFleur
Jan. 25, 2012
With two meets under their belt, the No. 8 Gophers will travel to Colorado this weekend to take on the Air Force Academy. The team is coming off a home win over UIC last weekend.
The team is still in the process of figuring out which gymnasts they will bring on the road. And the guys are still battling it out in the gym for the final lineup spots. Fifteen will make the trip to Colorado.
“Based on this past weekend’s meet, we have about nine guys secured in the lineup,” head coach Mike Burns said. “That leaves us with six spots to fill. A few guys are going to be disappointed if they don’t make it, but that’s part of the sport. You have to step up.”
The Gophers have already seen improvements over the first two weeks of competition. In their second meet they increased their hit percentage by almost 10% compared to the first meet.
They also have a good amount of depth this year.
“We have seven or eight guys to choose from on each event,” Burns said. “And that’s a good thing because it forces more competition in the gym. They have to fight every week for their spots.”
The Air Force Academy has made big improvements in gymnastics over the last two years. Last year they qualified for the NCAA Regionals for the first time in nearly 20 years.
“They are a solid team. I have a lot respect for them and the lifestyles they live,” Burns said. “But our strategy is always the same. It comes down to performance. If we want to win meets, we have to hit routines.”
