Chambana Sun

The Illinois men's gymnastics team will have a strong presence at the upcoming Winter Cup, scheduled for February 23 and 25 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. Six athletes associated with the Fighting Illini program are set to compete: grad student Connor McCool, sophomore Tate Costa, freshman Brandon Dang, alumni Alex Diab and Jordan Kovach, and class of 2024 signee Ian Sandoval.

Alex Diab brings significant experience to the event, having competed in the Winter Cup during his college years from 2016 to 2019. Notably, he secured first place on still rings in both 2021 and 2022. "Last year, Diab placed first on still rings and earned himself a spot on the national team," reflecting his consistent performance.

Connor McCool is participating in his second Winter Cup after recording scores of 13.803 and 13.843 on floor exercises last year. Brandon Dang makes his debut at this event following a fourth-place finish on pommel horse as a junior last year. Both Tate Costa and Jordan Kovach will also be competing for their first time in their respective careers.

The Winter Cup is crucial as it serves as a qualifying event for the U.S. Gymnastics Championships scheduled for August. It also determines members of the Men's Junior and Senior National Teams based on performances.

Athletes can qualify for the Winter Cup through various methods: being part of the U.S. National Team (as Diab is), earning points from past championships (like McCool), qualifying through designated meets (Costa, Dang, Sandoval), or via an accepted petition due to injury (Dang).

The competition employs a National Point System that awards points based on placements in events—11 points for first place down to one point for tenth place—with greater emphasis given to top-three finishes.