Four World medalists expected to compete at 2014 Winter Cup Challenge

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Note: Sam Mikulak and Paul Ruggeri withdrew on Feb. 14

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 3, 2014 – All six members of the U.S. Men’s Team from the 2013 World Championships, which won four medals in Antwerp, Belgium, are expected to compete at next month’s Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas. Competition runs Feb. 20-22 and will be held in the Riviera Hotel & Casino’s Royale Pavilion. The four World medalists in the field are silver medalists Jake Dalton of Reno, Nev./Team Hilton HHonors (University of Oklahoma), and Steven Legendre of Port Jefferson, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (University of Oklahoma), and bronze medalists John Orozco of The Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center); and Brandon Wynn of Voorhees, N.J./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center).

The members of the 2013 World Championships team were: Dalton; Legendre; Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif./University of Michigan; Alex Naddour of Gilbert, Ariz./Team Hilton HHonors (USA Youth Fitness); Orozco; and Wynn.

2012 Olympic alternate Chris Brooks of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress Gymnastics), and 2012 Olympic all-around bronze medalist Danell Leyva of Miami/Team Hilton HHonors (Universal Gymnastics), have also registered for the event.

Other senior national team members registered for the 2014 Winter Cup Challenge are: Josh Dixon of San Jose, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center; Stacey Ervin of Taylor, Mich./University of Michigan; Akash Modi of Morganville, N.J./Stanford University; Eddie Penev of Rochester, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (Stanford University); Paul Ruggeri III of Manlius, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center); and Donnell Whittenburg of Baltimore, Md./U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Performances at the 2014 Winter Cup Challenge will help determine the 15 men who will comprise the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team through the 2014 P&G Gymnastics Championships in Pittsburgh, Pa., Aug. 21-24. The six members of the 2013 World Championships squad, plus the two World alternates, retain their spots on the national team. The remaining seven spots will be determined based on the following criteria: the top two ranked all-around athletes who are not already on the senior national team; two based on the National Team Points System; two athletes selected by the Men’s Program Committee; and one selected by the national team coordinator.

The Winter Cup competition schedule is: preliminary rounds, Feb. 20 – 1 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.; and final round, Feb. 22 at 7:15 p.m. Tickets will be on sale on competition day. The Winter Cup format has junior and senior gymnasts competing in the same field.

The top 42 gymnasts, according to the Men’s Program Committee’s points ranking system, will advance to the final competition, along with the top three gymnasts on each apparatus. The all-around and individual event champions will be determined via a combined two-day score. For information on the points ranking system used for advancement to the final round, as well as the one for determining the national team, go to www.usagym.org.

Athlete roster for 2012 Winter Cup Challenge
(Alphabetical by state, then last name)

Arizona
Allan Bower, University of Oklahoma, Mesa, Ariz.
Alex Naddour, Team Hilton HHonors (USA Youth Fitness), Gilbert, Ariz.
Daniel Steiner, Ohio State University, Mesa, Ariz.

California
Donothan Bailey, Cal Men’s Gymnastics, Lake Forest, Calif.
Cameron Bock, SCATS, Tustin, Calif.
Andrew Botto, University of Iowa, Redwood City, Calif.
Adrian de los Angeles, University of Michigan, Long Beach, Calif.
Joshua Dixon, U.S. Olympic Training Center, San Jose, Calif.
Steven Lacombe, Cal Men’s Gymnastics, Mission Viejo, Calif.
Jeffrey Langenstein, University of California, Berkeley, San Carlos, Calif.
Sam Mikulak, University of Michigan, Newport Coast, Calif. (withdrew on 2/14/14)
Kanji Oyama, University of Oklahoma, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Alex Powarzynski, University of Oklahoma, Menifee, Calif.
Alec Robin, University of Oklahoma, Calabasas, Calif.
Marty Strech, Arizarian USGTC, Fountain Valley, Calif.
Chris Turner, Stanford University, Fremont, Calif.
Timothy Wang, Air Force Academy, Riverside, Calif.
Kevin Wolting, Cal Men’s Gymnastics, Laguna Hills, Calif.

Colorado
Nicholas Gaudlip, Swiss Turners, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Yul Moldauer, 5280 Gymnastics, Arvada, Colo.

Florida
Wyatt Aycock, University of Nebraska, Orlando, Fla.
Antonio Castro, University of Nebraska, Miami, Fla.
Danell Leyva, Team Hilton HHonors (Universal Gymnastics), Miami, Fla.
Jake Martin, Ohio State University, Oviedo, Fla.
Sean Melton, Ohio State University, Orlando, Fla.
Edward Mesa, Universal Gymnastics, Cooper City, Fla.

Georgia
Fred Hartville, University of Illinois, Ellenwood, Ga.
Quest Hayden, Hayden’s Gymnastics, Evans, Ga.

Illinois
Bobby Baker, Aerial’s, Lemont, Ill.
Danny Berardini, University of Oklahoma, Lake Forest, Ill.
Grant Breckenridge, Buffalo Grove, Libertyville, Ill.
Jordan DeClerk, Stanford University, Bloomingdale, Ill.
Alex Diab, Premier Gymnastics, Glen Ellyn, Ill.
Matt Foster, University of Illinois, Addison, Ill.
Craig Hernandez, Pennsylvania State University, Libertyville, Ill.
Matthew Loochtan, University Of Iowa, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.
Andrew McCabe, Stanford University, Oak Park, Ill.
Matthew McGrath, University Of Iowa, Wheaton, Ill.
Michael Wilner, University of Illinois, Buffalo Grove, Ill.

Indiana
Ellis Mannon, University of Minnesota, Indianapolis, Ind.
Christopher Stephenson, U.S. Air Force Academy, Fishers, Ind.
Alec Yoder, Interactive Academy, Indianapolis, Ind.

Iowa
Paul Hichwa, Stanford University, Iowa City, Iowa

Louisiana
Neal Courter, College of William and Mary, Baton Rouge, La.

Massachusetts
Matthew Felleman, Pennsylvania State University, Medway, Mass.

Maryland
Donnell Whittenburg, U.S. Olympic Training Center, Baltimore, Md.

Michigan
Stacey Ervin, University of Michigan, Taylor, Mich.

Nevada
Emyre Cole, Go For It USA, Las Vegas, Nev.
Jake Dalton, Team Hilton HHonors (University of Oklahoma), Reno, Nev.

New Jersey
Akash Modi, Stanford University, Morganville, N.J.
Brandon Wynn, Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center), Voorhees, N.J.

New Mexico
CJ Maestas, University of Illinois, Corrales, N.M.

New York
Landon Funiciello, College of William and Mary, Baldwinsville, N.Y.
Joseph Hodges, UIC Gymnastics, Webster, N.Y.
Brian Knott, Stanford University, New York, N.Y.
Steven Legendre, Team Hilton HHonors (University of Oklahoma), Port Jefferson, N.Y.
John Orozco, Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center), Bronx, N.Y.
Eddie Penev, Stanford University, Rochester, N.Y.
Paul Ruggeri III, U.S. Olympic Training Center, Manlius, N.Y. (withdrew on 2/14/14)

North Carolina
Chandler Eggleston, University of Illinois, Jamestown, N.C.

Ohio
Sam Chamberlain, University of Nebraska, Franklin, Ohio
Trevor Howard, Pennsylvania State University, Columbus, Ohio
Andrew Rickly, Ohio State University, Lewis Center, Ohio

Oklahoma
Michael Squires, University of Oklahoma, Edmond, Okla.

Pennsylvania
Joey Peters, University of Illinois, Allentown, Pa.
Sean Senters, Stanford University, Center Valley, Pa.

Rhode Island
David Jessen, R.I.SE Gymnastics, East Greenwich, R.I.

South Carolina
Anthony McCallum, Hayden’s Gymnastics, Columbia, S.C.

Texas
Jacob Barrus, Ridgewood Gymnastics, Dallas, Texas
Chris Brooks, Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress Gymnastics), Houston, Texas
Tristan Burke, WOGA Frisco, Royse City, Texas
Fabian DeLuna, WOGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas
Davis Grooms, Champions, Katy, Texas
Hunter Justus, Cypress Academy, Cypress, Texas
Michael Newburger, Ohio State University, Austin, Texas
Grant Perdue, University of Nebraska, Houston, Texas
Yaroslav Pochinka, WOGA, Plano, Plano, Texas
Daniel Potemski, College of William and Mary, Round Rock, Texas
Eric Schryver, University of Nebraska, Richardson, Texas
Taylor Seaton, Stanford University, Dallas, Texas
Ryan Sheppard, WOGA, Plano, Murphy, Texas
Colin Van Wicklen, University of Oklahoma, Magnolia, Texas
Tanner West, Cypress Academy, Cypress, Texas

Utah
Jacob Dastrup, Ohio State University, Lindon, Utah
Dylan Ellsworth, USA Gymnastics World, Farmington, Utah
Johnny Jacobson, USA Gymnastics World, Syracuse, Utah

Virginia
Kiwan Watts, Above the Bar, Richmond, Va.

Wisconsin
Dmitri Belanovski, Swiss Turners, West Allis, Wis.
Steven Jaciuk, University of Minnesota, New Berlin, Wis.
Marvin Kimble, Swiss Turners, Milwaukee, Wis.
Robert Neff, Swiss Turners, Brookfield, Wis.