USA Gymnastics Kicks Off Winter Cup in Las Vegas Today | Sports Destination Management

USA Gymnastics Kicks Off Winter Cup in Las Vegas Today

Share
Feb 20, 2020

2018 World bronze-medalist Sam Mikulak of Newport Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, and 2017 World bronze-medalist Yul Moldauer of Arvada, Colo./University of Oklahoma, lead a talented group of athletes who are expected to compete at the 2020 Winter Cup Challenge at the Westgate Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., Feb. 20-22.

In addition to Mikulak and Moldauer, the rest of the 2019 World Team are also in the field: Trevor Howard of Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University; Akash Modi of Morganville, N.J./Stanford University; Shane Wiskus of Spring Park, Minn./University of Minnesota; and Allan Bower of Chandler, Ariz./University of Oklahoma.

The Winter Cup Challenge features both junior and senior competitive divisions. The first day of competition will consist of the Elite Team Cup for the junior division and day 1 for the senior division. The ETC is a team competition in which nine regional teams will compete against each other. Each regional team consists of six Junior Elite gymnasts. Following the ETC competition, awards will be given for the top three regional teams. For more information on the Elite Team Cup, and a full roster of the nine regional teams, click here.

The finals session will feature the top 28 senior athletes based on the 10-point system and the top 14 juniors from the ETC. Junior athletes will advance to the finals according to the all-around ranking from the first day of competition. For the senior division, all-around ranking will be determined on the first day of competition and individual event champions will be determined via a combined two-day score. For the junior division, all-around ranking 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, click here.

The U.S. men have qualified a team of four athletes to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. They have the ability to qualify up to two more individual athletes through the All-Around/Individual Apparatus World Cup series as well as through the Pan American Championships. Assignments to the All-Around and Individual Apparatus World Cups will be finalized based off results from the Winter Cup Challenge.

Performances at the 2020 Winter Cup Challenge will help determine the 12 men who will comprise the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team through the 2020 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Fort Worth, TX. Following the first-day of competition, the top six ranked all-around athletes will automatically qualify to the 2020 senior national team. The Men’s Program Committee will select six more athletes to the Senior National Team from participants at the Winter Cup Challenge based off final results. Athletes who submit petitions will also be considered for National Team selection.

The Winter Cup competition schedule is as follows: Day 1, Feb. 20 – 12 p.m., juniors; and 6:35 p.m., seniors; and Day 2, Feb. 22 at 7:35 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for student/child for Feb. 20 (both sessions) and Feb. 22 (finals), with an all-event pass for $55/adults and $45/children and students. Tickets may be purchased on site on the afternoon of Feb. 19 and on both competition days. USA Gymnastics will be live-streaming all three competitive sessions via its YouTube channel. Approximately 63 juniors and 42 seniors will participate in the event. The International Gymnastics Federation’s junior and senior level rules will be used. For more information, go to http://www.wintercup.com/.

Athlete roster for 2020 Winter Cup Challenge

(Alphabetical by state, then last name)

Alaska

Andrew Layman, Wasilla, Alaska/ Denali Gymnastics, junior

Arizona

Allan Bower, Chandler, Ariz./University of Oklahoma, senior

Brandon Briones, Gilbert, Ariz./Stanford, senior

Anthony Mills, Tempe, Ariz./Arizona State, senior

Joseph Pepe, Peroia, Ariz./North Valley, junior

California

Donothan Bailey, Mission Viejo, Calif./ U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior

Jeremy Bischoff, Canyon Country, Calif./ Wallers GymJam, junior

Cameron Bock, Newport Coast, Calif./University of Michigan, senior

Arun Chhetri, Culver City, Calif./Gym Olympica, junior

Jack Critz, Huntington Beach, Calif./ SCATS, junior

Isaiah Drake, Los Angeles, Calif./Gym Olympica, senior

Colin Flores, Mountain House, Calif./WCOGA, junior

Bennet Huang, Palo Alto, Calif./Stanford University, senior

Sam Mikulak, Newport Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior

Brandon Nguyen, Elk Grove, Calif./EGA, junior

Vahe Petrosyan, Van Nuys, Calif./Gym Olympica, junior

David Rauchwerger, San Francisco, Calif./Accel, junior

Tyler Shimizu, Newark, Calif./WCOGA, junior

Timothy Wang, Riverside, Calif./Air Force, senior

Colorado

Taylor Burkhart, Morrison, Colo./5280 Gymnastics, senior

Adrian De Los Angeles, Long Beach, Colo./ U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior

Noah Giordano, Castle Rock, Colo./ 5280 Gymnastics, junior

Yul Moldauer, Arvada, Colo./University of Oklahoma, senior

Logan Myers, Morrison, Colo./ 5280 Gymnastics, junior

Connecticut

Luke Esparo, North Haven, Conn./New Era, junior

Luke McFarland, East Hartland, Conn./Daggetts, junior

Frankie Valentin, East Hartford, Conn./Air Force, senior

Florida

Steven Lukasik, Lutz, Fla./LaFleurs Tampa, junior

Sean Melton, Orlando, Fla./Ohio State University, senior

Georgia

Toby Liang, Roswell, Ga./Roswell, junior

Bobby Malone, Summerville, Ga./Stanford University

Iowa

Lucas Lorber, Davenport, Iowa/Eyas, junior

Kyden Martinez, North Liberty, Iowa/Eyas, junior

Zach Snyder, Swisher, Iowa/Emerge, junior

Idaho

Zackery Lerwill, Sugar City, Idaho/Madison, junior

Illinois

Grant Breckenridge, Libertyville, Ill./Stanford University, senior

Alex Diab, Glen Ellyn, Ill./University of Illinois, senior

Sebastian Ingersoll, Chicago, Ill./Lakeshore, junior

Paul Juda, Deerfield, Ill./University of Michigan, senior

Lais Najjar, Oak Brook, Ill./Lakeshore, junior

Max Olinger, Lake Forest, Ill./Buffalo Grove, junior

Rithik Puri, Chicago, Ill./Lakeshore, junior

Kai Uemura, Chicago, Ill./Lakeshore, junior

Indiana

Will Hauke, Indianapolis, Ind./DeVeaus, junior

Alec Yoder, Indianapolis, Ind./Ohio State University

Massachusetts

Matt Cormier Milton, Mass./MEGA MA, junior

Christopher Hiser, Longmeadow, Mass./Daggetts, junior

Ian Lasic-Ellis, Dover, Mass./MEGA MA, junior

Fred Richard, Stoughton, Mass./MEGA MA, junior

Maryland

Alex Kuzmenchuck, Bowie, Md./Paragon, junior

Khoi Young, Bowie, Md./Sportsplex, junior

Michigan

Landen Blixt, Fowlerville, Mich/Infinity, junior

Minnesota

Charlie Kramer, Minnetrista, Minn./North Shore, junior

Michael Moran, Minneapolis, Minn./University of Minnesota, senior

Shane Wiskus, Spring Park, Minn./University of Minnesota, senior

Nebraska

Dane Cramer, Lincoln, Neb./NSG, junior

A.J. Morgan, Lincoln, Neb./NSG, junior

New Jersey

Akash Modi, Morganville, N.J./Stanford University, senior

New York

Eddie Penev, Rochester, N.Y./Stanford University, senior

Nevada

Brennan Pantazis, Sparks, Nev./Pennsylvania State University, senior

Ohio

Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University, senior

Oklahoma

Gage Dyer, Yukon, Okla./University of Oklahoma, senior

Jordan Kovach, Anadarko, Okla./University of Illinois, senior

Oregon

James Friedman, Salem, Ore./OMEGA, junior

Adam Wolfe, Portland, Ore./MAC Gymnastics, junior

Zac Tiderman, Wilsonville, Ore./OMEGA, junior

Pennsylvania

Collin Cunane, West Chester, Pa./KMC, junior

Joshua Karnes, Erie, Pa./Lakettes, junior

Genki Suzuki, North Wales, Pa./University of Oklahoma, senior

South Carolina

Zachary English, Duncan, S.C./Palmetto, junior

Tennessee

Kameron Nelson, Jackson, Tenn./Hayden’s, junior

Ethan Boder, Knoxville, Tenn./GymTek, junior

Nicholas Tarca, Knoxville, Tenn./Premier Athletics, junior

Texas

Michael Artlip, Bellaire, Texas/HGC, junior

Garrett Braunton, Cypress, Texas/Cypress, senior

Caden Clinton, Cypress, Texas/Cypress, junior

Matthew Davis, McKinney, Texas/Army, senior

Jack Freeman, Palestine, Texas/University of Oklahoma, senior

Ian Gunther, Houston, Texas/Stanford University, senior

Dallas Hale, Richmond, Texas/EnRich, junior

Asher Hong, Tomball, Texas/Cypress, junior

Cameron Lee, Frisco, Texas/WOGA, junior

Zachary Nunez, Houston, Texas/Cypress, junior

Daniel Simmons, Cypress, Texas/Cypress, junior

Alexei Vernyi, Cypress, Texas/University of Oklahoma, senior

Colt Walker, Cedar Park, Texas/AcroTexas, senior

Colin Van Wicklen, Magnolia, Texas/University of Oklahoma, senior

Matt Wenske, Houston, Texas/University of Oklahoma, senior

Oliver Zavel, Lakeway, Texas/Crenshaws, junior

Utah

Taylor Christopulous, Layton, Utah/USA Gym World, junior

Cole Partridge, Bountiful, Utah/USA Gym World, junior

Colin Wingrove, Alpine, Utah/USA Gym World, junior

Virginia

Zachary Patrick, Virginia Beach, Va./Gymstrada, junior

Ahmir Postell, Virginia Beach, Va./Gymstrada, junior

Kiwan Watts, Richmond, Va./Arizona State University, senior

Washington

Benjamin Bloom, Mountlake Terrace, Wash./University of Washington

Dante Hays, Monroe, Wash./Metropolitan, junior

Sebastian Kane, Mercer Island, Wash./ Metropolitan, junior

Nicholas Kuebler, Seattle, Wash./Metropolitan

Wisconsin

Marvin Kimble, Milwaukee, Wis./Salto, senior

Robert Neff, Brookfield, Wis./ U.S. Olympic Training Center, senior

Wyoming

Brigham Frentheway, Cheyenne, Wyo./Frontier, junior

(Click to Expand)