To the delight and thunderous cheers of the home crowd, Canadian Ellie Black won the gold medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games, held in Toronto. She became the first Canadian woman to win the AA title in 36 years. Using a solid 58.15, she easily outdistanced runnerup Madison Desch (Bama commit), who suffered a hand touch on BB and an out-of-bounds on FX. Rising Cuban star Flavia Lopes Saraiva won the bronze. Florida commit Amelia Hundley was 4th after a fall on UB.
Link: Results
Former Michigan star and ex NCAA champ Sam Mikulak added another Gold Medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games. It was the first gold for the US men in 28 years. He edged Cuba's Manrique Larduet by just 0.05 points. Colombia's Calvo Moreno won the bronze.
Link: USA Gymnastics
The United States won the team Gold at the Pan Am Games on Sunday, easily outdistancing the field. Canada placed 2nd, one point ahead of Brazil. Several NCAA commits and one former athlete were in competition.
The US was led by Florida commit Amelia Hundley, who placed 1st AA in the prelims. She also qualified to the events finals on UB and the FX. Bama commit Madison Desch was 2nd AA, and lead the qualifiers on the FX. Teammate Megan Skaggs, a Florida commit, placed 5th AA in the prelims and qualified to the finals on BB. Another future Gator, Rachel Gowey, qualified to finals on UB and BB. UGA commit Emily Schild completed the US squad.
For the silver medalist Canadians, Florida commit Maegan Chant qualified to the vault final, Washington commit Madison Copiak qualified to the UB final while Ohio State signee Victoria Kayen Woo qualified to the beam final. Former DU star Jessica Lopez Arocha, competing on just two events, qualified on UB and BB.
Link: Results
The US Men won the team Gold, led by former Michigan star and NCAA champion Sam Mikulak. He was 2nd in the overall AA rankings, behind Cuba's Manrique Larduet. Brazil was 2nd and Colombia was 3rd. Host Canada was 4th. The US squad includes ex OU star and new assistant coach Steven Legendre, and former Illinois standout Paul Ruggeri.
Mikulak made the finals on FX, PH, PB and HB while Ruggeri made the finals on VT and HB. Former PSU star Tommy Ramos, competing for Puerto Rico, made the Ring final, as did countrymate Alexis Torres, a current PSU standout.
Link: USA Gymnastics
William and Mary has hired Mike Powell as an assistant. A former W&M team member, he's been club coaching in Ohio and Massuchusetts for over a decade.
Link: W&M Release
OU has hired former standout Steven Legendre as an assistant for the men's team. He will continue training as a National Team member.
Link: OU Release
UC Davis has hired former Ute star Annie DiLuzio as an assistant. The former local and elite Natonal Team member has been coaching in Salt Lake City and Silicon Valley, while also doing sports psychology consulting.
Link: UC Davis Release
Former Cal star Donothon Bailey won the gold medal on the Pommel Horse as competition at the World University Games concluded. Stanford's Akasha Modi earned the bronze. Modi also finished 7th on the Floor, 5th on the Parallel Bars and 6th on the High Bar.
Alaska-Anchorage's Simone Penker, competing for Austria, placed 6th on Vault.
Link: Medalists
Washington has hired Stephen Buckner as an assitant coach. Buckner comes to Washington from Alabama, where he was the strength and conditioning for the last two years. Prior to that, he was a graduate assistant with the Tide.
Link: UW Release
In the Women's AA at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, Australian Kelly Jay Simm won the AA title. Japan's Asuka Teramoto won the silver and teammate Natsumi Sasada won the bronze. UAA's Simone Penker, competing for Austria, placed 14th. Link: Women's Results
In the Men's AA, Stanford's Akash Modi won the Bronze. Oleg Verniaiev of the Ukraine won the Gold, with Japan's Shogo Nonomura taking silver. Cal grad Donothan Bailey was fifth. Link: Men's Results
Several NCAA competitors were in action at the World University Games in Gwangju, Korea. The US Men sent a partial contingent while the no women represented the US.
Stanford's Akash Modi (5th in Prelims) and Cal's Donothan Bailey (17th) each qualified for the men's AA final. Modi qualified for the FX, PH, PB and HB final. Bailey qualified for the PH final. Stanford's Ryan Sheppard, competing for Hungary, finished 32nd.
Alaska-Anchorage's Simone Penker (Austria) placed 16th in the women's prelim AA and qualified to the final. BGSU's Jordan Rae (New Zealand) also competed and made the vault final.
Japan won the men's title and Russia won the women's title.
Link: USA Gymnastics
Link: Results
UGA's newspaper is reporting that Brown has been dismissed for a rules violation.
Florida has announced the hiring of Owen Field as an assistant. Field has been a volunteer assistant or manager for Nebraska the last six seasons. He also served as a volunteer coach for Southern Utah.
Link: UF Release
Brown has announced an opening for an assistant coach. Interested and qualified candidates should contact the University.