Army West Point Athletics
Gymnasts Head To Navy For Star Match
February 05, 2016 | Men's Gymnastics
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Coming off a 422.65-417.00 upset victory over No. 9 Air Force last week, the 13th-ranked Army West Point men's gymnastics team is in the hunt for a second straight service-academy win when it visits No. 12 Navy in the annual Star match at Macdonough Hall on Saturday, 1 p.m., in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) season debut for both teams.
 This is the second time the teams will be meeting this season as Navy was part of the field at the West Point Open on Jan. 15-16, where the Black Knights edged the Midshipmen, 416.35-415.80, for runner-up honors. Â
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ARMY THE LAST TIME OUT: The Black Knights, ranked 13th nationally and 12th in the coaches poll, improved to 1-1 following their win over Air Force that snapped an eight-meet losing string to the Falcons. Though Air Force ranked ahead of the Black Knights in five of the six team events, Army dominated the meet capturing all but one of the team events along with crowning four individual winners.Â
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Freshman Cole Casanova won the opening floor exercise (14.7) en route to claiming the all-around title (84.3) setting career marks in both. His performance earned Casanova his second Eastern College Athletic Conference weekly honor, with his selection as the Men's Gymnastics Athlete of the Week after being chosen the ECAC Rookie of the Week on Jan. 20, following his performance at the West Point Open.
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Firstie Jesse Glenn edged Air Force's Tim Wang, who came into the meet ranked third nationally on pommel horse, 14.7-14.65, for medalist honors after tying his career high.  Air Force was the top scorer on still rings, but Army claimed the final three events – vault, parallel bars and high bar.
NAVY THE LAST TIME OUT: The Midshipmen defended their title in the annual Navy Open with a 414.05 in the four-team field. Navy captured all six individual events along with all-around and were led by senior Mitchell Larios (vault and parallel bars) and junior Jonny Tang (floor exercise and all-around) with two wins each.
Larios and sophomore Noah Beeman also earned ECAC honors as the Men's Gymnastics Specialist and Coaches' Choice Athletes of the Week for their efforts. Larios, picking up his second consecutive Specialist of the Week honor, scored a 14.75 on vault and tied a program record with a 14.9 on parallel bars where he ranks ninth nationally.
Beeman was selected as the Coaches' Choice honoree after posting a trio of third- place finishes on floor exercise (14.0), pommel horse (career-best 13.9) and high bar (13.95). Â
THE SERIES: Army leads the all-time series, that dates back to 1936, 48-35. The Black Knights bested Navy 421.6-414.5 at home last year and will be looking for their first Star win in Annapolis since 2010 after suffering losses in 2012 and 2014.
Army was dominate in last year's meeting at Gross Sports Center and all four of the winners return in Jesse Glenn, who captured all-around, parallel bars and high bar, Sam Kusnitz (floor exercise) and Nathan Goff (pommel horse).
In the individual finals of this year's West Point Open, Kusnitz was second on vault and fourth on floor exercise with Goff placing third on pommel horse and high bar as seven Black Knights competed. Navy's Eric Poletti was second on still rings and Jonny Tang was third on floor exercise and vault.
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HOW THE TEAMS STACK UP: Â In the ECAC standings, Army is ranked first on floor exercise and high bar and list second on pommel horse, still rings, vault and parallel bars.
Navy ranks first on still rings, vault and parallel bars, stand second on floor and high bar and third on pommel horse.
FLOOR EXERCISE: Army set a season high 72.55 in floor exercise last week and is led by Jesse Glenn's 14.467 average that ranks 42nd nationally and third in the conference. Army's highest team mark of 14.7 was set by Sam Kusnitz, who shows a 14.287 average, with Glenn and Cole Casanova posting marks of 14.5.
Mitchell Larios of Navy's 14.067 average ranks seventh in the conference behind a season best 14.5.
POMMEL HORSE: Army's Jesse Glenn tied his career high 14.7 capturing this event against Air Force. Freshman Andree Hufnagel has the top individual average (13.7) to rank 44th nationally and fifth in the conference with Nathan Goff close behind at 13.6 to rank 50th. Hufnagel turned in Army's second highest score of 14.45.
Navy's Eric Morrison has the top average (14.05) in this event (T27th nationally and third in the conference) while his season best 14.4 trails Army's leaders.
STILL RINGS: Though it hasn't been one of Army's strongest events this season, the Black Knights set a season bet 69.05 against Air Force.
Elliot Herman is ranked 78th with a 13.675 average and has posted the team's top score of 14.3 with Nathan Goff and Cole Casanova next at 14.05.
Navy has the top four-ranked gymnasts in the conference led by Connor Gonzales with a 14.6 average that ranks 17th nationally. Gonzales scored a 14.6 with Josh Gong (13.95 avg) and Wyatt Lapointe (13.925 avg) posting top scores of 14.3 and 14.05, respectively. Eric Poletti scored a 14.4 for the second highest on the team.
VAULT: Army's Jesse Glenn is ranked second in the league (14.567) and 37th nationally. Sam Kusnitz (14.437) and Glenn have both scored a 14.7 with Ryan Wilson and Cole Casanova posting 14.6 and 14.4, respectively.
Navy's Mitchell Larios is ranked 21st nationally (14.8) and first in the conference. He scored a 15.2 with Jonathan Tang and David Frick tallying 14.55s.
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PARALLEL BARS:Â Jesse Glenn ranks second in the conference and 46th nationally on high bar with a 13.95 average and has posted the team's top individual score of 14.4. Nathan Goff scored a 14.25 and Sam Kusnitz shows a 14.0.
Navy's Mitchell Larios is ranked first in the conference and ninth nationally with a 14.783 average keyed by a season best 14.9. Jonny Tang is next with a 14.35.
HIGH BAR: Jesse Glenn, the school's record holder in this event, is ranked first in the conference and 12th nationally (14.70) with Leo Genders close behind with a ranking of 14th (14.65) following a career high 14.8 set in the Air Force meet. Army has the top three individual marks in this event with Nathan Goff ranked third in the conference (14.288).
Navy's Jonny Tang, who is sixth in the conference with a 13.925 average, has the top score on the team of 14.05 with the next highest a 14.1.
ALL-AROUND: Army's Cole Casanova is ranked 34th nationally with an 81.9 average following a career 84.3 against Air Force with Navy's Jonny Tang 30th (83.30).
HOW TO FOLLOW: Navy will have live stats during the meet at http://www.navysports.com/livestats/m-gym/NCAA_Men_S1_LE.htm#Team.
UP NEXT: Army continues its third straight weekend of service-academy competition when it heads to Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, Feb. 13, for the annual All-Academy Championships. Army finished second to Air Force last year.
Visit www.GoArmyWestPoint.com for up-to-date information and follow the Black Knights on Twitter @ArmyWP_Gym and Instagram @armywpgymnastics.
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 This is the second time the teams will be meeting this season as Navy was part of the field at the West Point Open on Jan. 15-16, where the Black Knights edged the Midshipmen, 416.35-415.80, for runner-up honors. Â
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ARMY THE LAST TIME OUT: The Black Knights, ranked 13th nationally and 12th in the coaches poll, improved to 1-1 following their win over Air Force that snapped an eight-meet losing string to the Falcons. Though Air Force ranked ahead of the Black Knights in five of the six team events, Army dominated the meet capturing all but one of the team events along with crowning four individual winners.Â
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Freshman Cole Casanova won the opening floor exercise (14.7) en route to claiming the all-around title (84.3) setting career marks in both. His performance earned Casanova his second Eastern College Athletic Conference weekly honor, with his selection as the Men's Gymnastics Athlete of the Week after being chosen the ECAC Rookie of the Week on Jan. 20, following his performance at the West Point Open.
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Firstie Jesse Glenn edged Air Force's Tim Wang, who came into the meet ranked third nationally on pommel horse, 14.7-14.65, for medalist honors after tying his career high.  Air Force was the top scorer on still rings, but Army claimed the final three events – vault, parallel bars and high bar.
NAVY THE LAST TIME OUT: The Midshipmen defended their title in the annual Navy Open with a 414.05 in the four-team field. Navy captured all six individual events along with all-around and were led by senior Mitchell Larios (vault and parallel bars) and junior Jonny Tang (floor exercise and all-around) with two wins each.
Larios and sophomore Noah Beeman also earned ECAC honors as the Men's Gymnastics Specialist and Coaches' Choice Athletes of the Week for their efforts. Larios, picking up his second consecutive Specialist of the Week honor, scored a 14.75 on vault and tied a program record with a 14.9 on parallel bars where he ranks ninth nationally.
Beeman was selected as the Coaches' Choice honoree after posting a trio of third- place finishes on floor exercise (14.0), pommel horse (career-best 13.9) and high bar (13.95). Â
THE SERIES: Army leads the all-time series, that dates back to 1936, 48-35. The Black Knights bested Navy 421.6-414.5 at home last year and will be looking for their first Star win in Annapolis since 2010 after suffering losses in 2012 and 2014.
Army was dominate in last year's meeting at Gross Sports Center and all four of the winners return in Jesse Glenn, who captured all-around, parallel bars and high bar, Sam Kusnitz (floor exercise) and Nathan Goff (pommel horse).
In the individual finals of this year's West Point Open, Kusnitz was second on vault and fourth on floor exercise with Goff placing third on pommel horse and high bar as seven Black Knights competed. Navy's Eric Poletti was second on still rings and Jonny Tang was third on floor exercise and vault.
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| ARMY | NAVY | |
| SCORE AVERAGE | 414.133 (No. 13) | 414.925 (No. 12) |
| FLOOR EXERCISE | 71.05 (No. 12) | 69.625 (No. 14) |
| POMMEL HORSE | 67.017 (No. 13) | 66.4.25 (No. 14) |
| STILL RINGS | 66.067 (No. 15) | 69.500 (No. 11) |
| VAULT | 71.883 (No. 13) | 72.00 (No. 12) |
| PARALLEL BARS | 70.15 (No. 13) | 68.80 (No. 10) |
| HIGH BAR | 70.517 (No. 8) | 68.575 (No. 13) |
| CGA RANKING | 12th (176 points) | 13th (163 points) |
HOW THE TEAMS STACK UP: Â In the ECAC standings, Army is ranked first on floor exercise and high bar and list second on pommel horse, still rings, vault and parallel bars.
Navy ranks first on still rings, vault and parallel bars, stand second on floor and high bar and third on pommel horse.
FLOOR EXERCISE: Army set a season high 72.55 in floor exercise last week and is led by Jesse Glenn's 14.467 average that ranks 42nd nationally and third in the conference. Army's highest team mark of 14.7 was set by Sam Kusnitz, who shows a 14.287 average, with Glenn and Cole Casanova posting marks of 14.5.
Mitchell Larios of Navy's 14.067 average ranks seventh in the conference behind a season best 14.5.
POMMEL HORSE: Army's Jesse Glenn tied his career high 14.7 capturing this event against Air Force. Freshman Andree Hufnagel has the top individual average (13.7) to rank 44th nationally and fifth in the conference with Nathan Goff close behind at 13.6 to rank 50th. Hufnagel turned in Army's second highest score of 14.45.
Navy's Eric Morrison has the top average (14.05) in this event (T27th nationally and third in the conference) while his season best 14.4 trails Army's leaders.
STILL RINGS: Though it hasn't been one of Army's strongest events this season, the Black Knights set a season bet 69.05 against Air Force.
Elliot Herman is ranked 78th with a 13.675 average and has posted the team's top score of 14.3 with Nathan Goff and Cole Casanova next at 14.05.
Navy has the top four-ranked gymnasts in the conference led by Connor Gonzales with a 14.6 average that ranks 17th nationally. Gonzales scored a 14.6 with Josh Gong (13.95 avg) and Wyatt Lapointe (13.925 avg) posting top scores of 14.3 and 14.05, respectively. Eric Poletti scored a 14.4 for the second highest on the team.
VAULT: Army's Jesse Glenn is ranked second in the league (14.567) and 37th nationally. Sam Kusnitz (14.437) and Glenn have both scored a 14.7 with Ryan Wilson and Cole Casanova posting 14.6 and 14.4, respectively.
Navy's Mitchell Larios is ranked 21st nationally (14.8) and first in the conference. He scored a 15.2 with Jonathan Tang and David Frick tallying 14.55s.
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PARALLEL BARS:Â Jesse Glenn ranks second in the conference and 46th nationally on high bar with a 13.95 average and has posted the team's top individual score of 14.4. Nathan Goff scored a 14.25 and Sam Kusnitz shows a 14.0.
Navy's Mitchell Larios is ranked first in the conference and ninth nationally with a 14.783 average keyed by a season best 14.9. Jonny Tang is next with a 14.35.
HIGH BAR: Jesse Glenn, the school's record holder in this event, is ranked first in the conference and 12th nationally (14.70) with Leo Genders close behind with a ranking of 14th (14.65) following a career high 14.8 set in the Air Force meet. Army has the top three individual marks in this event with Nathan Goff ranked third in the conference (14.288).
Navy's Jonny Tang, who is sixth in the conference with a 13.925 average, has the top score on the team of 14.05 with the next highest a 14.1.
ALL-AROUND: Army's Cole Casanova is ranked 34th nationally with an 81.9 average following a career 84.3 against Air Force with Navy's Jonny Tang 30th (83.30).
HOW TO FOLLOW: Navy will have live stats during the meet at http://www.navysports.com/livestats/m-gym/NCAA_Men_S1_LE.htm#Team.
UP NEXT: Army continues its third straight weekend of service-academy competition when it heads to Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, Feb. 13, for the annual All-Academy Championships. Army finished second to Air Force last year.
Visit www.GoArmyWestPoint.com for up-to-date information and follow the Black Knights on Twitter @ArmyWP_Gym and Instagram @armywpgymnastics.
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Players Mentioned
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