INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 6, 2018 – 2016 Olympians Sam Mikulak of Newport Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, and Alex Naddour of Gilbert, Ariz./USA Youth Fitness, along with reigning U.S. champion and World bronze medalist Yul Moldauer of Arvada, Colo./University of Oklahoma, are expected to compete at the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas, Feb. 15-17 at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort. 2017 World team member Marvin Kimble of Milwaukee/Salto Gymnastics and 2016 Olympic alternate Akash Modi of Morganville, N.J./Stanford University, have also registered to compete.

Other U.S. senior national team members expected to compete are: Donothan Bailey of Mission Viejo, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center; Allan Bower of Chandler, Ariz./University of Oklahoma; Trevor Howard of Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University; Sean Melton of Orlando, Fla./Ohio State University; Kanji Oyama of Huntington Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center; Alex Powarzynski of Happy Valley, Ore./University of Oklahoma; Colin VanWicklen of Magnolia, Texas/Cypress Academy; and Alec Yoder of Indianapolis, Ind./Ohio State University.

This year’s Winter Cup Challenge will feature separate junior and senior competitive divisions.

The top three all around athletes from the 2017 P&G Gymnastics Championships in both the 15-16 age division and the 17-18 age division are expected to compete at the Winter Cup. Those athletes are: Brody Malone of Summerville, Ga./Cartersville Twisters; Vitaliy Guimaraes of Arvada, Colo./5280 Gymnastics and Max Andryushchenko of Arlington Heights, Ill./Ohio State University from the 17-18 division and Garrett Brauton of Cypress, Texas/Cypress Academy, Paul Juda of Deerfield, Ill./Buffalo Grove Gymnastics and Riley Loos of El Dorado Hills, Calif./Technique Gymnastics.

Performances at the 2018 Winter Cup Challenge will help determine the 12 men who will comprise the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team through the 2018 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Boston, Aug. 16-19. Following the two-day competition, the top six ranked all-around athletes will automatically qualify for the 2018 senior national team. The Men’s Program Committee will select six more gymnasts from the participants at the Winter Cup Challenge or from petitions to the team. Based on his World Championships results, Yul Moldauer will be automatically selected to the national team if he participates at the 2018 Winter Cup and qualifies to the finals.

The first day of competition will consist of one session for the junior division and one for the senior division. The finals session will feature the top 28 senior athletes and the top 14 juniors.

Junior athletes will advance to the finals according to the all-around ranking from the first day of competition. The senior athletes will advance according to the Men’s Program Committee’s points ranking system. 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, click here.

The Winter Cup competition schedule is: preliminary rounds, Feb. 15 – 1 p.m., juniors; and 6:30 p.m., seniors; and final round, Feb. 17 at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $25 for Feb. 16 (both sessions) and Feb. 18 (finals), with an all-event pass for $50 (which also includes access to the Black Jack Invitational). Tickets may be purchased on site on the afternoon of Feb. 14 and on both competition days. The Winter Cup format has junior and senior gymnasts competing in the same field. USA Gymnastics will be live-streaming all three competitive sessions via its YouTube channel.

Athlete roster for 2018 Winter Cup Challenge
(Alphabetical by state, then last name)

Arizona
Allan Bower, Chandler, Ariz./University of Oklahoma, senior
Brandon Briones, Gilbert, Ariz./Aspire Kids Sports, junior
Alexander Naddour, Gilbert, Ariz./USA Youth Fitness, senior

California
Donothan Bailey, Mission Viejo, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior
Jeremy Bischoff, Canyon Country, Calif./Wallers GymJam, junior
Cameron Bock, Tustin, Calif./University of Michigan, senior
Adrian De Los Angeles, Long Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior
Isaiah Drake, Los Angeles, Calif./Gymnastics Olympica, junior
Bennet Huang, Palo Alto, Calif./University of Iowa, junior
Nikita Latman, Pleasanton, Calif./Arizona State University, senior
Riley Loos, El Dorado Hills, Calif./Technique Gymnastics, senior
Samuel Mikulak, Newport Coast, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior
Brandon Ngai, Sacramento, Calif./University of Illinois, senior
Kanji Oyama, Huntington Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior
Samuel Phillips, West Hills, Calif./Gymnastics Olympica, junior
Shane Sadighi, Aliso Viejo, Calif./UC Berkeley, senior
Nathan Tsuji, Santa Cruz, Calif./University of Washington, senior
Jordan Williams, Concord, Calif./Liberty Gymnastics, senior
Daniel Yoon, Huntington Beach, Calif./SCATS Gymnastics, junior
Dylan Young, Burbank, Calif./Wallers GymJam, junior

Colorado
Taylor Burkhart, Morrison, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, junior
Vitaliy Guimaraes, Arvada, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, junior
Yul Moldauer, Arvada, Colo./University of Oklahoma, senior

Florida
Justin Ah Chow, Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics, junior
Crew Bold, Delray Beach, Fla./TAG USA Gymnastics, junior
Antonio Castro, Pinecrest, Fla./University of Nebraska, senior
Joshua Dieker, Oviedo, Fla./Springfield College, senior
Evan Kriley, Clearwater, Fla./La Fleur’s Tampa, junior
Sean Melton, Orlando, Fla./Ohio State University, senior

Georgia
Andrew Bitner, Hoschton, Ga./Stanford University, senior
Brody Malone, Summerville, Ga./Cartersville Twisters, junior
Kameron Nelson, Martiez, Ga./Hayden’s Gymnastics, junior

Illinois
Max Andryushchenko, Mt. Prospect, Ill./Ohio State University, junior
Grant Breckenridge, Libertyville, Ill./Stanford University, senior
Alex Diab, Glen Ellyn, Ill./University Of Illinois, senior
Paul Juda, Deerfield, Ill./Buffalo Grove Gymnastics, junior
Curran Phillips, Naperville, Ill./Prairie Gymnastics, junior
Michael Wilner, Buffalo Grove, Ill./University of Illinois-Chicago, senior

Indiana
Christopher Stephenson, Fishers, Ind./University of Nebraska, senior
Alec Yoder, Indianapolis, Ind./Ohio State University, senior

Louisana
Jalon Stephens, Shreveport, La./University of Minnesota, senior

Massachusetts
Liam Doherty-Herwitz, Bedford, Mass./Brestyan’s Gymnastics, junior
Yan Inhaber-Courchesne, Westborough, Mass./New England Academy of Gymnastics, junior
Stephen Nedoroscik, Worcester, Mass./Penn State University, senior

Michigan
Michael Jaroh, Northville, Mich./Michigan Elite Gymnastics, junior

Minnesota
Shane Wiskus, Spring Park, Minn./University of Minnesota, senior

Montana
Zack Mollett, Billings, Mont./Arizona State University, senior

North Carolina
Nehemiah Baker, Oak Ridge, N.C./Flip Force Gymnastics, junior
David Willett, High Point, N.C./High Point Gymnastics, junior

New Hampshire
Michael Fletcher, Nashua, N.H./New England Academy of Gymnastics, junior

New Jersey
Tristan Duran, Franklin Lakes, N.J./University of Minnesota, senior
Akash Modi, Morganville, N.J./Stanford University, senior

New York
Kevin Penev, Penfield, N.Y./RGA, junior

Nevada
Dylan Ellsworth, Reno, Nev./University of Iowa, senior
Brennan Pantazis, Sparks, Nev./Penn State University, senior

Ohio
Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University, senior

Oklahoma
Jordan Kovach, Chickasha, Okla./University of Illinois, senior

Oregon
Spencer Goodell, Tigard, Ore./OMEGA, junior
Alex Powarzynski, Happy Valley, Ore./University of Oklahoma, senior

Pennsylvania
Joshua Karnes, Erie, Pa./Lakettes Gymnastics, junior

South Carolina
Anthony McCallum II, Columbia, S.C./University of Michigan, senior

Texas
Lazarus Barnhill, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy, junior
John Chou, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy, junior
Evan Davis, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy, junior
Joshua Davis, Frisco, Texas/WOGA Frisco, junior
Jack Freeman, Palestine, Texas/Cypress Academy, junior
Ian Gunther, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy, junior
Asher Hong, Tomball, Texas/Cypress Academy, junior
Khalil Jackson, Katy, Texas/Champions Gymnastics, junior
Hunter Justus, Cypress, Texas/University of Oklahoma, senior
Griffin Kehler, Frisco, Texas/University of Nebraska, senior
Kyle King, Mesquite, Texas/University of Nebraska, senior
David Pochinka, Plano, Texas/WOGA Plano, junior
Morgan Seyler, Flower Mound, Texas/Southlake Gymnastics, senior
Colin VanWicklen, Magnolia, Texas/Cypress Academy, senior
Colt Walker, Cedar Park, Texas/AcroTex Gymnastics, junior
Matthew Wenske, Houston, Texas/University of Oklahoma, senior
Alexander Wilson, Sugar Land, Texas/Ohio State University, senior

Utah
Johnny Jacobson, Syracuse, Utah/University of Illinois, senior

Virginia
Sean Neighbarger, Virginia Beach, Va./Ohio State University, senior
Kiwan Watts, Chesterfield, Va./Arizona State University, senior

Vermont
Nikita Bolotsky, Saint Johnsbury, Vt./U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior

Washington
Garrett Braunton, Olympia, Wash./Cypress Academy, junior

Wisconsin
Marvin Kimble, Milwaukee, Wis./Salto Gymnastics, senior
Robert Neff, Brookfield, Wis./Stanford University, senior