Gymasts Take Second At USAG Collegiate Championships

Friday, March 25

Springfield, Mass.

TBA

Army West Point

Team Finals

Gymasts Take Second At USAG Collegiate Championships

March 25, 2016 | Men's Gymnastics

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior Jesse Glenn and junior Leo Genders set career marks on high bar as the Army West Point men's gymnastics team rallied in the final three events to earn runner-up honors after besting Navy by a point at the USAG Collegiate Championships hosted by Springfield College Friday evening.

The No. 12 Black Knights, who trailed Navy by over four points after three events, compiled a 413.85 team composite to the No. 13 Midshipman's 412.85 in finishing second to No. 11 Air Force, who claimed its seventh straight title (425.35). William & Mary was fourth (405.10) followed by host Springfield (402.60) in rounding out the collegiate teams..

Army started its comeback on vault where it topped the field with a 71.4 in outpointing Navy (71.15) and Air Force (70.80), then claimed its fourth event, parallel bars, with a 69.7 in besting the Falcons (69.25). The Black Knights finished second to Air Force in their final two events, high bar (71.6) and floor exercise (70.50), in claiming runner-up honors for the second time at this event and first since 2003.

Glenn, a Nissen-Emery Award finalist, won high bar posting a 15.45 in breaking his school mark of 15.40 set on Senior Day earlier this month after edging Air Force's Chase Cannon (15.3) for medalist honors. Gender's 15.20 shattered his former score of 14.80 set in a dual win over Air Force in earning the bronze, and Sam Kusnitz tied his personal best posting a 14.75.

Glenn, who finished second in all-around with an 84.60, recorded Army's top marks on pommel horse (13.55), vault (14.45), along with high bar, while sharing it with Nathan Goff on parallel bars as they tied for second with identical scores of 14.35.

Plebe Cole Casanova, who recorded an 83.70 earning third-place honors as an all-arounder, was Army's top performer on still rings, posting a 13.80, with Kusnitz turning in the Black Knight's top mark on floor exercise (14.40).

"We were about four points down early after having some rough routines early on," explained head coach. We then started to pull it together and after that had only two bad ones, one on high bar and the other on floor, but the team just clawed its way back.

"We took a good step forward in getting ready for next week for the ECAC Championships," added Van Everen as Army looks to defends its title and earn its second straight team to the NCAAs.
Five Black Knights qualified in eight events for Saturday's individual finals where the top six earn USAG All-America honors.

Glenn will compete in three events, vault, parallel bars and high bar. Genders will challenge on floor exercise and high bar with Kusnitz advancing on floor exercise, Casanova on still rings and Nathan Goff on parallel bars.

The Black Knights have two qualifiers in three events – floor exercise, parallel bars and high bar.