INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., May 14, 2012 – Defending U.S. all-around champion Danell Leyva of Miami/Team Hilton HHonors (Universal Gymnastics), who is also the 2011 World parallel bars champion, headlines the men’s field for the 2012 Visa Championships, June 7-10, in St. Louis, Mo., at Chaifetz Arena on the campus of Saint Louis University. Performances at the Visa Championships will determine who advances to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in San Jose, Calif., where the U.S. Olympic team will be determined.
The entire 2011 World Championships team, which won the team bronze medal, is expected to compete: Jake Dalton of Reno, Nev./University of Oklahoma; Jonathan Horton of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress Gymnastics), Steven Legendre of Port Jefferson, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (University of Oklahoma); Leyva; Alex Naddour of Gilbert, Ariz./Team Hilton HHonors (USA Youth Fitness Center); John Orozco of the Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center); and Chris Brooks of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress Gymnastics), alternate.
Also expected to compete are five members of the 2011 Pan American Games bronze medal team: Donothan Bailey of Lake Forest, Calif./University of California – Berkeley; C.J. Maestas of Corrales, N.M./University of Illinois; Sho Nakamori of Albany, Calif./Stanford University; Paul Ruggeri of Manlius, N.Y/University of Illinois; and Brandon Wynn of Voorhees, N.J./Team Hilton HHonors (Ohio State University).
The 2011 senior U.S. individual event champions in the field are: Dalton, floor exercise and vault; Naddour, pommel horse; Wynn, still rings; and Leyva, parallel bars and high bar.
2008 U.S. all-around champion David Sender of Arlington Heights, Ill./Team Hilton HHonors (University of Illinois), is also expected to compete.
The senior men field breaks down into 43 senior athletes, representing 15 states. The complete senior field is listed below. The men compete on June 7 and 9. The junior men’s field will be announced following the conclusion of the 2012 P&G U.S. Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships, May 10-13, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The senior men qualified for the Visa Championships via several different avenues: a member of the current senior national team; based on all around results or video petition from the 2012 NCAA Championships; or based on approved points results from the U.S. Men’s Qualifier.
The 2012 Visa Championships, USA Gymnastics’ national championships, features the country’s best gymnasts vying for national titles and spots on the U.S. National Team in men’s, women’s and rhythmic gymnastics. NBC Sports and Universal Sports will broadcast and webcast the action live from the men’s and women’s gymnastics competitions.
Tickets for the four-day event are on sale now, with individual session tickets, as well as multi- and all-session ticket packages. For group sales, contact 314-977-5008. In recognition of Visa’s sponsorship of USA Gymnastics, USA Gymnastics is proud to accept only Visa at the 2012 Visa Championships, along with cash. For ticket and event information, go to www.usagym.org/visa.
The U.S. Olympic Trials – Gymnastics are set for June 28-July 1 at the HP Pavilion at San Jose (Calif.). The Trials’ competition schedule is: men – June 28 at 2 p.m. and June 30 at 12 p.m.; and women – June 29 and July 1 at 5:30 p.m. All times are for the Pacific time zone. The five men and women who will represent the United States in men’s and women’s gymnastics at the 2012 Olympic Games in London will be determined at the Trials, subject to the approval of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s board of directors.
Background information
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Chaifetz Arena at Saint Louis University. Chaifetz Arena (TheChaifetzArena.com) is a 10,600-seat multipurpose venue on the campus of Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Mo. Chaifetz Arena is the home to the Saint Louis University Billikens Men’s and Women’s Basketball and 150 concerts, family shows and special events per year. The $81-million arena opened in April 2008 and features a 20,000 square foot event floor, 14 suites, two party decks, two multi-purpose rooms, and a 4,700 square foot club on the event floor. Global Spectrum (global-spectrum.com) manages Chaifetz Arena, as well as more than 100 other public assembly facilities around the world. Nearly 20-million people attended more than 11,000 events in Global Spectrum venues last year. Based in Philadelphia, Pa., Global Spectrum is part of Comcast-Spectacor, one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies. Comcast-Spectacor also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, Paciolan, the leading provider of venue establishment ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions, Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company, and Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks.
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St. Louis Sports Commission. The St. Louis Sports Commission is the privately funded nonprofit organization that makes St. Louis a better place to live, visit, work and play through sports. Its efforts focus on attracting, creating and managing major sporting events for the St. Louis region – and contributing to its quality of life. Since its inception in 1989, the organization has produced a diverse lineup of high-profile events that excite area sports fans, generate revenue for the region and garner positive exposure for St. Louis. The Sports Commission hosted the Visa Championships in 2000 and has played integral roles in other recent Olympic events staged in St. Louis. A catalyst for civic benefit, economic development and charitable good, the Sports Commission has been recognized as a leader in its industry and its community.
Senior men’s field for the 2012 Visa Championships
Listed by alphabetically by state
As of May 8; subject to change
Arizona
Alex Naddour, Gilbert, Ariz., USA Youth Fitness Center
California
Donothan Bailey, Lake Forest, Calif., University of California – Berkeley
Alexander Buscaglia, Stanford, Calif., Stanford University
Adrian De Los Angeles, Long Beach, Calif., University of Michigan
Joshua Dixon, San Jose, Calif., U.S. Olympic Training Center Gymnastics
Jesse Glenn, Northridge, Calif., SCATS Gymnastics
Glen Ishino, Santa Ana, Calif., University of California – Berkeley
Steven Lacombe, Mission Viejo, Calif., University of California – Berkeley
Masayoshi Mori, Irvine, Calif., University Of Illinois
Sho Nakamori, Albany, Calif., Champions Academy
Colorado
Wyatt Baier, Denver, Colo., University Of Nebraska – Lincoln
Andrew Elkind, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S.O.T.C. Gymnastics
Florida
Danell Leyva, Miami, Fla., Universal Gymnastics Inc.
Jake Martin, Ovieda, Fla., U.S.O.T.C. Gymnastics
Edward Mesa, Cooper City, Fla., Universal Gymnastics Inc.
Illinois
Craig Hernandez, Libertyville, Ill., Penn State University Gymnastics
Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill., Stanford University
Matthew Loochtan, Hawthorne Woods, Ill., Buffalo Grove Gymnastics Center
David Sender, Arlington Heights, Ill., University of Illinois
Massachusetts
Matthew Felleman, Medway, Mass., Penn State University Gymnastics
Michigan
Samuel Mikulak, Ann Arbor, Mich., University of Michigan
Daniel Zerbel, Portage, Mich., University of Illinois – Chicago
New Jersey
Mackenzie Dow, Cranford, N.J., Penn State University Gymnastics
Brandon Wynn, Voorhees, N.J., The Ohio State University
New Mexico
C.J. Maestas, Corrales, N.M., University of Illinois
New York
Steven Legendre, Port Jefferson, N.Y., Cypress Academy of Gymnastics
John Orozco, Bronx, N.Y., U.S.O.T.C. Gymnastics
Eddie Penev, Penfield, N.Y., Stanford University
Paul Ruggeri, Manlius, N.Y., University of Illinois
Jesse Silverstein, Spring Valley, N.Y., U.S. Gymnastics Development Center II
Nevada
Jake Dalton, Reno, Nevada, University of Oklahoma
Ohio
Kristofer Done, Columbus, Ohio, The Ohio State University
Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio, Hocking Valley Gymnastics Center
Miguel Pineda, Galloway, Ohio, Penn State University Gymnastics
Pennsylvania
Scott Rosenthal, State College, Pa., Penn State University Gymnastics
Sean Senters, Center Valley, Pa., Stanford University
Tennessee
Alexander Tighe, Mountain City, Tenn., Philadelphia Boys Gym & Temple University
Texas
Dylan Akers, Kingwood, Texas, University of Oklahoma
Christopher Brooks, Houston, Texas, Cypress Academy of Gymnastics
Randall Heflin, Houston, Texas, Cypress Academy of Gymnastics
Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas, Cypress Academy of Gymnastics
Eric Schryver, Richardson, Texas, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln
Washington
Zachary Chase, Woodinville, Wash., University Of Minnesota