ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The third-ranked Ohio State men’s gymnastics team defeated rival Michigan 434.900-424.100 in a dual meet Saturday afternoon at Cliff Keen Arena, the first head-to-head win for the Buckeyes over the Wolverines since 2007 and second overall this season.
Ohio State earned a convincing win over the ninth-ranked Wolverines, winning five of six events. The Buckeyes set a school record on vault with a 75.450 team total – the No. 2 team score in the nation this season – and a season high of 73.450 on parallel bars, the No. 3 score in the NCAA and fifth-best team score in school history.
Individually, the Buckeyes were led by redshirt sophomore Sean Melton, who won the all-around competition with a score of 87.650. Freshman Alec Yoder was the all-around runner-up with a score of 87.450, while freshman Tristan Burke was fourth (86.000).
“I’m really proud of the team,” head coach Rustam Sharipov said. “We overcame a rough start and some unexpected in-meet adjustments and still came away with a great win. We performed really well on vault and parallel bars, and it was a big accomplishment to have three individuals represented in the all-around competition.
BTN will air the meet on tape delay Sunday, Jan. 31, at 10 a.m. ET.
Melton – A native of Orlando, Fla., Melton’s all-around score of 87.650 ranks fourth nationally this season. He finished first on rings (15.000) and equaled his season-best score of 15.350 on vault, finishing second overall. The score of 15.350 on vault ranks third in the NCAA in 2016.
Yoder – A native of Indianapolis, Ind., Yoder’s all-around total of 87.450 ranks fifth nationally this year. He won two events, scoring season bests on pommel horse (15.350) and parallel bars (15.050). The 15.350 score on pommel ranks fourth in the NCAA this season.
Burke – Along with his fourth-place finish in the all-around, Burke was the individual champion on vault with a score of 15.450 – the No. 1 score in the nation – and a runner-up on floor.
Andrew Rickly – The junior from Lewis Center, Ohio, was the top finisher for Ohio State on high bar (second, 15.000) and seventh on parallel bars (14.500).
The Buckeyes have a week off prior to hosting Penn State Feb. 13 at St. John Arena. Events being a 4 p.m. ET.