INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 22, 2018 – Reigning Elite Team Cup all-around champion Brandon Briones of Gilbert, Ariz./Aspire Kids Sports Center, 2017 U.S. junior all-around gold medalist Brody Malone of Summerville, Ga./Cartersville Twisters, and 2017 junior elite Level 10 all-around champion Paul Juda of Deerfield, Ill./Buffalo Grove Gymnastics Center, are among the nation’s top male gymnasts who will compete on regional teams at the 2018 Elite Team Cup at Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill., at 5 p.m. CT on March 3. The Elite Team Cup is held in conjunction with the 2018 American Cup, an International Gymnastics Federation World Cup event that features some of the world’s biggest names in gymnastics and will be held earlier on March 3 at 10:30 a.m. CT, and the Nastia Liukin Cup, which showcases many of the country’s best Junior Olympic female gymnasts and is slated for 7 p.m. CT on March 2.
The Elite Team Cup field includes 10 members of the U.S. men’s junior national team: Justin Ah Chow of Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Inc., Region 8; Lazarus Barnhill of Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Region 3; Briones; John Chou of Cypress, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Region 3; Vitaliy Guimaraes of Arvada, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, Region 9; Juda; Riley Loos of El Dorado Hills, Calif./Technique Gymnastics, Region 1; Malone; Kevin Penev of Penfield, N.Y./RGA, Region 7; and Colt Walker of Cedar Park, Texas/AcroTex Gymnastics, Region 3.
The Elite Team Cup features nine men’s Regional Teams, each consisting of six junior elite gymnasts. Team scores for the Elite Team Cup will be based on five athletes competing on each event with the top four scores on each event counting. The country’s best junior elite male gymnasts compete, representing their respective regions. The junior elite gymnasts must be between 13-18 years of age as of May 31 and were selected from the Regional Elite Team Program. The junior elite gymnasts will follow USA Gymnastics Level 10 Age Group rules for the competition. The event was first held in conjunction with American Cup in 2016 in Newark, which also hosted the 2017 edition.
Tickets are available for all three events: American Cup, $59-$79; Nastia Liukin Cup, $39-$49; and Elite Team Cup, $29-$39. All-session ticket packages range in price from $89-$149 and include tickets to all three of the weekend’s events. Ticket prices vary according to the event and seat location. All ticket prices are plus applicable fees. To purchase tickets, visit www.SearsCentre.com, call 1-888-SEARS-TIX, or visit the Wintrust Box Office at the Sears Centre Arena. Group tickets may be purchased by calling 773-327-3778.
Elite Team Cup field roster
By state, alphabetically (name, hometown,state/club, region)
Arizona
Brandon Briones, Gilbert, Ariz./Aspire Kids Sports Center, Region 1
California
Jeremy Bischoff, Canyon Country, Calif./Wallers GymJam Academy, Region 1
Riley Loos, El Dorado Hills, Calif./Technique Gymnastics, Region 1
Brandon Nguyen, Elk Grove, Calif./Elevate Gymnastics Academy, Region 1
Samuel Phillips, Woodland Hills, Calif./Gymnastics Olympica USA, Region 1
Blake Wilson, Temecula, Calif./SCEGA Gymnastics, Region 1
Colorado
Taylor Burkhart, Morrison, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, Region 9
Noah Giordano, CastleRock, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, Region 9
Vitaliy Guimaraes, Arvada, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, Region 9
Logan Myers, Morrison, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, Region 9
Connecticut
Matthew Cormier, Cheshire, Conn./Massachusetts Elite Gymnastics Academy, Region 6
Florida
Justin Ah Chow, Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Inc., Region 8
Crew Bold, Delray Beach, Fla./TAG USA Gymnastics, Inc., Region 8
Evan Kriley, Clearwater, Fla./La Fleur’s, Region 8
Georgia
Brody Malone, Summerville, Ga./Cartersville Twisters, Region 8
Illinois
Paul Juda, Deerfield, Ill./Buffalo Grove Gymnastics Center, Region 5
Curran Phillips, Naperville, Ill./Prairie Gymnastics Club, Region 5
Rithik Puri, Chicago, Ill./Lakeshore Academy of Art Gymnastics, Region 5
Iowa
Noah Scigliano, Des Moines, Iowa/Emerge Academy, Region 4
Carter Tope, Urbandale, Iowa/Emerge Academy, Region 4
Massachusetts
Liam Doherty-Herwitz, Bedford, Mass./Brestyan’s American Gymnastics, Region 6
Antonio Sacchiero, Hudson, Mass./New England Academy of Gymnastics, Region 6
Luke Smigliani, Hanover, Mass./Ellis School of Gymnastics, Region 6
Maryland
Donovan Hewitt, Burtonsville, Md./Paragon National Training Center, Region 7
Khoi Young, Bowie, Md./Sportsplex Gymnastics, Region 7
Michigan
Landen Blixt, Fowlerville, Mich./Infinity Gymnastics Academy, Region 5
Michael Jaroh, Northville, Mich./Michigan Elite Gymnastics Academy, Region 5
Minnesota
Mitchell Conzemius, Cannon Falls, Minn./TAGS South Gymnastics, Region 4
Blake Wright, Rosemount, Minn./TAGS South Gymnastics, Region 4
North Carolina
David Willett, High Point, N.C./High Point Gymnastics Academy, Region 8
New Hampshire
Michael Fletcher, Nashua, N.H./New England Academy of Gymnastics, Region 6
Jakob Murray, Manchester, N.H./Granite State Gymnastic & Fitness, Region 6
New Jersey
Cannon Johnson, Teaneck, N.J./US Gymnastics Develop Center II, Region 7
Michael Moran, Morristown, N.J./US Gymnastics Development Center, Region 7
New York
Kevin Penev, Penfield, N.Y./RGA, Region 7
Ohio
Dexter Roettker, Jackson, Ohio/Hocking Valley Gymnastics Center, Region 5
Oregon
Spencer Goodell, Tigard, Ore./OMEGA Gymnastics, Region 2
Peyton Hobson, Salem, Ore./OMEGA Gymnastics, Region 2
Zachary Tiderman, Wilsonville, Ore./OMEGA Gymnastics, Region 2
Pennsylvania
Collin Cunane, W Chester, Pa./KMC Dance and Gymnastics Center, Region 7
Tennessee
Adam Wooten, Kingston Springs, Tenn./Harpeth School of Gymnastics, Region 8
Texas
Laz Barnhill, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Region 3
John Chou, Cypress, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Region 3
Ian Gunther, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics, Region 3
Khalil Jackson, Katy, Texas/Champions Gymnastics, Region 3
David Pochinka, Plano, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, Region 3
Colt Walker, Cedar Park, Texas/AcroTex Gymnastics, Region 3
Utah
Taylor Christopulos, Layton, Utah/USA Gymnastics World, Region 9
Colin Wingrove, Alpine, Utah/USA Gymnastics World, Region 9
Washington
Troy Jenkins Jr, Olympia, Wash./Black Hills Gymnastics, Region 2
Sebastian Kane, Mercer Island, Wash./Metropolitan Gymnastics, Region 2
Nicolas Kuebler, Seattle, Wash./Metropolitan Gymnastics, Region 2
Wisconsin
Charlie Jerry, Hudson, Wis./Great Northern Gymnastics, Region 4
Samuel Metzler, Hudson, Wis./Mini-Hops Gymnastics, Region 4