Four 2012 Olympians are expected to compete at 2013 Winter Cup

4206p449905398-3INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 22, 2013 – Led by 2012 Olympic all-around bronze-medalist Danell Leyva of Miami, Fla./Team Hilton HHonors (Universal Gymnastics), four members of the men’s 2012 U.S.  Olympic Team are scheduled to compete at the 2013 Winter Cup Challenge, set for February 7-9 at the Las Vegas (Nev.) Sports Center.

Joining Leyva in Las Vegas are Olympic teammates Jake Dalton of Reno, Nev./University of Oklahoma, two-time Olympic medalist Jonathan Horton of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress Academy), and Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif./University of Michigan. Additionally, the three men who served as replacement athletes for the 2012 Olympic Games are also expected to participate: Chris Brooks of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress), Alex Naddour of Gilbert, Ariz./Team Hilton HHonors (USA Youth Fitness Center), and Steven Legendre of Port Jefferson, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (University of Oklahoma).

Representing 13 colleges, 45 collegiate gymnasts, including five current members of the U.S. Senior National Team. Glen Ishino of Santa Ana, Calif./University of California – Berkeley, joins Dalton, Legendre, Mikulak, and Wynn. Ohio State University leads the entries with seven, followed by Pennsylvania State University and Stanford University (six); Cal – Berkeley, University of Illinois, Michigan and University of Nebraska (four); U.S. Air Force Academy, University of Iowa, University of Minnesota and Oklahoma (two); and the University of Illinois – Chicago and Temple University (one).

Thirteen members of the U.S. junior national team are scheduled to compete, including reigning all-around champions Donnell Whittenburg of Baltimore, Md./Paragon Gymnastics, 16-18, and Marvin Kimble of Milwaukee, Wis./Swiss Turners, 14-15. Joining Whittenburg and Kimble are: Allan Bower of Chandler, Ariz./ Xtreme Gymnastics; Tristan Burke of Royse City, Texas/WOGA; Jonathan Deaton of Longmeadow, Mass./Stanford University; Fabian DeLuna of Frisco, Texas/WOGA; David Jessen of East Greenwich, R.I./Rhode Island Sports Elite; Hunter Justus of Cypress, Texas/Cypress Academy; Sean Melton of Orlando, Fla./U.S. Olympic Training Center; Akash Modi of Morganville, N.J./Monmouth Gymnastics; Yul Moldauer of Arvada, Colo./5280 Gymnastics; Marty Strech of Fountain Valley, Calif./Azarian U.S. Gymnastics Training Center; and Timothy Wang of Riverside, Calif./Colorado Training Center.

Performances at the 2013 Winter Cup Challenge will help determine the 15 men who will comprise the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team through the 2013 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Hartford, Conn., Aug. 15-18. The eight members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic squad retain their spots on the national team. The remaining seven spots will be determined based on the following criteria: the top two ranked all-around athletes who are not already on the senior national team; two based on the National Team Points System; two athletes selected by the Men’s Program Committee; and one selected by the national team coordinator

The Winter Cup competition schedule is: preliminary rounds, Feb. 7 – 11 a.m., and 4:30 p.m.; and final round, Feb. 9, at 7:15 p.m. Tickets will be on sale on competition day. The Winter Cup format has junior and senior gymnasts competing in the same field.

The top 42 gymnasts, according to the Men’s Program Committee’s points ranking system, will advance to the final competition, along with the top three gymnasts on each apparatus. The all-around and individual event champions will be determined via a combined two-day score. For information on the points ranking system used for advancement to the final round, as well as the one for determining the national team, go to www.usagym.org.

Athlete roster for 2013 Winter Cup Challenge
(Alphabetical by state, then last name)

Arizona
Alex Gaudaur, Tempe, Ariz., Arizona State University
Alexander Magsam, Scottdale, Ariz., North Valley Gymnastics
Alexander Naddour, Gilbert, Ariz., Team Hilton HHonors – USA Youth Fitness Center
Allan Bower, Chandler, Ariz., Xtreme Gymnastics

California
Marty Strech, Fountain Valley, Calif., Azarian U.S. Gymnastics Training Center
Timothy Wang, Riverside, Calif., Colorado Training Center
Alex Powarzynski, Menifee, Calif., SCATS Gymnastics
Joshua Dixon, San Jose, Calif., U.S. Olympic Training Center
Glen Ishino, Santa Ana, Calif., University of California – Berkeley
Steven Lacombe, Mission Viejo, Calif., University of California – Berkeley
Kevin Wolting, Laguna Hills, Calif., University of California – Berkeley
Masayoshi Mori, Irvine, Calif., University of Illinois
Chad Mason, Van Nuys, Calif., University of Illinois
Adrian De Los Angeles, Long Beach, Calif., University of Michigan
Jesse Glenn, Northridge, Calif., U.S. Military Academy

Colorado
Yul Moldauer, Arvada, Colo., 5280 Gymnastics
Breeden Ritchie, El Paso, Colo., U.S. Air Force Academy
Gared Chapman, El Paso, Colo., U.S. Air Force Academy
Adrian Evans, Boulder, Colo., Pennsylvania State University
Wyatt Baier, Denver, Colo., University Of Nebraska

Connecticut
Daniel DiBenedetto, Vernon, Conn., University of Minnesota

Florida
Jake Martin, Oviedo, Fla., Ohio State University
Sean Melton, Orlando, Fla., U.S. Olympic Training Center
Edward Mesa, Cooper City, Fla., Universal Gymnastics
Danell Leyva, Homestead, Fla., Team Hilton HHonors – Universal Gymnastics

Iowa
Cameron Foreman, Iowa City, Iowa, Stanford University
Paul Hichwa, Iowa City, Iowa, Stanford University

Illinois
Bobby Baker, Lemont, Ill., Aerial Gymnastics Club
Austin Hodges, Lincolnshire, Ill., Buffalo Grove
Grant Breckenridge, Libertyville, Ill., Buffalo Grove
Jeffrey Treleaven, Glen Ellyn, Ill., Ohio State University
Craig Hernandez, Libertyville, Ill., Pennsylvania State University
Alex Diab, Glen Ellyn, Ill., Premier Gymnastics
Sean Johnston, Elburn, Ill., St. Charles Gymnastics Academy
Luke Stannard, Urbana, Ill., University of Illinois
Jordan Valdez, Champaign, Ill., University of Illinois
Jack Boyle, Naperville, Ill., University of Iowa
Matthew Loochtan, Hawthorn Woods, Ill., University of Iowa

Indiana
Christopher Stephenson, Fishers, Ind., DeVeau’s
Elis Mannon, Indianapolis, Ind., University of Minnesota

Kentucky
Parker Raque, Louisville, Ky., Pennsylvania State University
Kevin Baker, Union, Ky., Stanford University

Massachusetts
Matthew Felleman, Medway, Mass., Pennsylvania State University
Jonathan Deaton, Longmeadow, Mass., Stanford University

Maryland
Donnell Whittenburg, Baltimore, Md., Paragon Gymnastics
Kyle Zemeir, Ellicott City, Md., University of Califorinia – Berkeley

Michigan
Daniel Zerbel, Portage, Mich., University of Illinois at Chicago
Ian Makowske, Ann Arbor, Mich., University of Michigan
Samuel Mikulak, Ann Arbor, Mich., University of Michigan
Stacey Ervin, Ann Arbor, Mich., University of Michigan

North Carolina
Chandler Eggleston, Jamestown, N.C., High Point Gymnastics Academy

New Jersey
Akash Modi, Morganville, N.J., Monmouth Gymnastics
Mackenzie Dow, Cranford, N.J., Pennsylvania State University

Nevada
Jacob Dalton, Reno, Nev., University of Oklahoma

New York
Eddie Penev, Penfield, N.Y., Stanford University
Steven Legendre, Port Jefferson, N.Y., Team Hilton HHonors – University of Oklahoma
Paul Ruggeri, Manlius, N.Y., US Gym Center II
Jesse Silverstein, Spring Valley, N.Y., US Gym Center II

Ohio
Andrew Rickly, Lewis Center, Ohio, Hocking Valley Gymnastics
Michael Burns, Baltimore, Ohio, Hocking Valley Gymnastics
Brandon Wynn, Columbus, Ohio, Team Hilton HHonors – Ohio State University
Ty Echard, Carroll, Ohio, Ohio State University
Kristofer Done, Columbus, Ohio, Ohio State University
Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio, Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania
Adam Al-Rokh, Bensalem, Pa., Independent
Scott Rosenthal, Clearfield, Pa., Pennsylvania State University
Sean Senters, Center Valley, Pa., Stanford University

Rhode Island
David Jessen, East Greenwich, R.I., Rhode Island Sports Elite

Tennessee
Ryan Kerr, Knoxville, Tenn., Premier Athletics Knoxville
Alexander Tighe, Mountain City, Tenn., Temple University

Texas
Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas, Team Hilton HHonors – Cypress Academy
Christopher Brooks, Houston, Texas, Team Hilton HHonors – Cypress Academy
Hunter Justus, Cypress, Texas, Cypress Academy
Colin VanWicklen, Magnolia, Texas, Cypress Academy
Tanner West, Cypress, Texas, Cypress Academy
Michael Newburger, Austin, Texas, Ohio State University
Jacob Barrus, Dallas, Texas, Ridgewood Gymnastics Club
Grant Perdue, Houston, Texas, University of Nebraska
Eric Schryver, Richardson, Texas, University of Nebraska
Fabian DeLuna, Frisco, Texas, WOGA
Tristan Burke, Royse City, Texas, WOGA

Utah
Jacob Dastrup, Lindon, Utah, U.S. Olympic Training Center
Dylan Ellsworth, Farmington, Utah, USA Gymnastics World

Virginia
Kiwan Watts, N.Chesterfield, Va., River City Youth Fitness

Washington
Zachary Chase, Woodinville, Wash., University of Minnesota

Wisconsin
Marvin Kimble, Milwaukee, Wis., Swiss Turners
Robert Neff, Brookfield, Wis., Swiss Turners