Bouncing through injuries
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The men’s gymnastics team was ranked No. 9 in GymInfo’s Preseason Coaches Poll. However, numerous obstacles throughout the season made it difficult for the squad to reach its potential.
What you should know
Not only was the 15-man team made up of nine underclassmen, but the team was bothered by injury and illness nearly all year.
“Unfortunately, it’s probably the worst season I can recall in my 38 years in terms of illness and injury,” Dunn said. “Everyone’s stuck with it, and it’s been satisfying that we’ve been able to fill in the holes and make improvements.”
Whom you should know
Outgoing senior Geoff Reins was the leading performer for the Hawkeyes all season. Going into the 2009 NCAA championships, the Buffalo Grove, Ill., native, had captured six first-place finishes on the vault and four in the floor exercise. Reins didn’t disappoint Hawkeye fans, placing second on the vault to earn his third career All-American selection.
His preparation was the key to his phenomenal ’09 season.
“I just try to look at it as every meet’s the same,” Reins said. “And I think I’ve done that.”
Main rival
After defeating Minnesota in regular-season meets three-straight seasons from 2004-06, this season’s loss to the Golden Gophers in Iowa’s home triangular on Feb. 14 marked the third-straight time that the Hawkeyes fell to their Big Ten foe. Minnesota finished fourth at the April 4 Big Ten championship, scoring 348.00. Iowa finished sixth, at 337.75.
Best Team Performance: 341.60, Feb. 14 in Iowa City against Minnesota (345.90), and Nebraska (343.50).
Best Individual Performance: 16.30 (vault), Geoff Reins, April 18 in Minneapolis at NCAA individual-event finals.
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