Braunton shines in apparatus competition at 2024 USAG Men’s Collegiate Championships

Garrett Braunton (Olympia, Wash. /U.S. Air Force Academy) dominated on the final day of the 2024 Men’s Collegiate National Championships, winning three of six apparatus titles on Saturday.

March 23, 2024

Event Finals Results

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 23, 2024) – Garrett Braunton (Olympia, Wash. /U.S. Air Force Academy) dominated on the final day of the 2024 Men’s Collegiate National Championships, winning three of six apparatus titles on Saturday.

Braunton’s three golds came on still rings, parallel bars and horizontal bar. He scored a 13.500 to top the podium on rings ahead of Riley Rose (Las Vegas, Nev./U.S. Naval Academy) and Niko Greenly (Reno, Nev./William & Mary), who tied for second with a 13.200. On parallel bars, Braunton put up a 13.850 to land ahead of Navy’s Matthew Petros (Broadview Heights, Ohio/U.S. Naval Academy) in second (13.300) and Danilo Viciana (Marietta, Ga./U.S. Naval Academy) in third (13.100). His final title was on high bar where he posted a 13.800 to take the gold. Petros earned silver with a 13.550 and Donovan Diviney (Aubrey, Texas/Greenville University) bronze with a 13.150.

Air Force teammates Oliver Zavel (Lakeway, Texas) and Patrick Hoopes (Lehi, Utah) also claimed apparatus titles Saturday afternoon. Zavel was top scorer on floor exercise with a 14.150 ahead of Zach Connelly (Orem, Utah/Greenville University) in second (13.950) as Garrett Kasiski (Chesapeake, Va./William & Mary) and Colby Prince (Lithia, Fla./U.S. Naval Academy) tied for third (13.300). The pommel horse gold medal went to Hoopes with an impressive score of 14.950. Sam Brown (Sunset, Texas/U.S. Air Force Academy) was the silver medalist (14.100) and Landon Benas (Richmond, Texas/Greenville University) the bronze medalist (13.950).

Michael Avery (Melissa, Texas/Greenville University) was the vault champion with a score of 14.450, ahead of Petros in second (14.400). Isaiah Drake (Los Angeles, Calif./U.S. Naval Academy) tied with Sam Lee (Superior, Colo./U.S. Naval Academy) for bronze with a 14.350.

Award winners were also recognized Saturday. Aidan Cuy (Warwick, R.I./William & Mary) was named the 2024 Outstanding Senior Gymnast, Josh Loeser (Air Force) the 2024 Coach of the Year, and Sergey Resnick (Air Force) the 2024 Assistant Coach of the Year. USA Gymnastics also recognized the U.S. Air Force staff for their support in hosting the event. Loeser, Resnick and the Academy’s event director, Carolyn Simon, accepted the award.