Top Men’s Gymnastics Teams Meet at UCLA

When the Illinois men’s gymnastics team steps out on the floor tonight at Pauley Pavilion, it may stir memories of last season’s NCAA meet.

The Fighting Illini, who won the NCAA meet, will compete against the next three top finishers of last season--Nebraska, Minnesota and UCLA, respectively--at the UCLA Men’s Gymnastics Invitational, which begins at 7.

Also competing are Arizona State, which finished eighth, and New Mexico, which is fielding its strongest team in several years.

Illinois, however, might be hard-pressed to repeat as champion of this meet, to say nothing of winning another NCAA title. The Illini lost nine gymnasts from last season’s team and in competition Thursday at Cal State Fullerton, finished fourth, 18 points behind winning Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are led by NCAA all-around champion Patrick Kirksey.

This will be UCLA’s second meet this season. The Bruins have four gymnasts returning, among them sophomore Chainey Umphrey, who competed in the World Championships last year, and Scott Keswick and Chris Waller, who are ranked Nos. 12-13 in the country.