Yan Inhaber-Courchesne Student Manager | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Yan Inhaber-Courchesne Student Manager | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Hasan Aydogdu, Brandon Dang, Ian Sandoval, and Preston Ngai represented the Illini at the 2025 Winter Cup, a USA Gymnastics Senior National Team qualifying event held in Louisville, Kentucky. Injuries affected their participation, with Aydogdu sustaining an injury during podium training and unable to compete.
On February 21, Day 1 of the Winter Cup began with Dang scoring 14.000 on pommel horse to secure third place while Ngai posted a score of 13.450 for eighth place. Both advanced to compete on Day 2. In another rotation, Ngai scored 13.150 on still rings to finish fifth and move on to the next day’s competition. However, Sandoval was injured during this rotation and could not continue.
Despite these setbacks, head coach Daniel Ribeiro praised the resilience shown by Dang and Ngai: "Losing Hasan and Ian to injury was a really tough start to the Winter Cup," he said, "but the way that Brandon and Preston responded showed their true Fighting Illini spirit."
Ngai opened Day 2 with a vault score of 13.650 followed by a high bar score of 12.850. During the fifth rotation, Dang achieved a score of 14.350 which brought his two-day total to 28.350, placing him in first position going into the final round where Ngai earned a score of 13.600 for third place.
In conclusion, Ngai finished fourth on pommel horse and eighth on still rings while Dang maintained his lead to win the title of USA Winter Cup Pommel Horse champion.
Later that evening, Dang was named to the USA Gymnastics Senior National Team with upcoming international assignments in Baku (Azerbaijan), Antalya (Turkey), and Cairo (Egypt). Coach Ribeiro expressed confidence in Dang's abilities: "Brandon once again showed that he is the best pommel horse worker in America, and he is not slowing down."
Joining Dang are Illini alum Alex Diab as well as current team member Tate Costa who is part of the Senior National Development Team.
The full Illini squad will compete against Army and Greenville at Huff Hall on March 1 during Pride Night at 1 p.m., followed by their annual Ninja Warrior competition.
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