Chambana Sun

The Illinois men's gymnastics team is preparing for the Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan, starting this Friday. The Fighting Illini, currently ranked No. 7, will compete in the Team Championship on April 4 and the Individual Championship on April 5, both beginning at 6 p.m. CT at the Crisler Center. The event will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

Reflecting on the 2024 Big Ten Championships, four gymnasts from Illinois clinched individual event titles, the program's most successful showing since 2016. Current squad members Brandon Dang and Amari Sewell achieved notable victories, with Dang winning the pommel horse title and Sewell taking the top spot on vault. Additionally, Preston Ngai reached the pommel horse final, securing fourth place with a 13.575 score and tied for fourth on vault with a 14.625.

In the recent 2025 regular season, the Illinois men’s gymnastics team ended with an upset over No. 6 Ohio State. The close victory was secured with a team score of 322.450-321.700, placing them third in the Big Ten standings. Key performances included career highs by Ian Sandoval and Garrett Schooley on floor, Max Farkhadau on pommel horse, and Ngai on high bar. Brandon Dang, with a season-high 15.000 on pommel horse, continued his unbeaten streak.

Awards from the regular season also highlighted their achievements. Brandon Dang was honored as Specialist of the Year, Ian Sandoval as Freshman of the Year, and Amari Sewell was acknowledged for his sportsmanship. Dang dominated the pommel horse category, going unbeaten, and has been consistently ranked nationally. Sandoval made significant strides despite an injury, becoming Illinois’ first to achieve back-to-back Freshman of the Year titles. Sewell was recognized for his successes in vault events.

The College Gymnastics Association named four Illini gymnasts as 2025 All-Americans: Dang, Sandoval, Schooley, and Sewell. Big Ten weekly awards saw Illinois gymnasts securing honors, with Ngai clinching Gymnast of the Week, Dang Specialist of the Week, and Sandoval Freshman of the Week.

Preseason expectations identified Ngai and Schooley as key athletes to watch. Both played crucial roles last season, with Ngai establishing career highs in both the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Qualifiers. Schooley showed repeated improvement across multiple events throughout the season.

For Illinois, under the leadership of Head Coach Daniel Ribeiro, these upcoming championships represent a chance to consolidate a strong season performance, showcasing the gymnasts' skill and tenacity on a prominent stage.