CALIFORNIA Golden Bears 2008 MEN'S GYMNASTICS 2008 GOLDEN BEAR QUICK FACTS TABLE OF Name: .......................University of California Head Coach: ...... Barry Weiner/17th season Location: .................................Berkeley, CA Alma Mater/Year: ................... Temple/1970 CONTENTS Founded: ............................................ 1868 Record at Cal/Years: ... 234-77-1 (.752)/16 The University of Enrollment: ...................................... 33,000 Career Record/Years: .. 234-77-1 (.752)/16 California .......... Inside Front Cover Nickname: .............................. Golden Bears Assistant Coach: .... Aaron Floyd/3rd season 2008 Season Outlook ...................2-3 Colors: ................... Blue (282) & Gold (116) Alma Mater/Year: ................ California/2003 Chancellor: ................ Dr. Robert Birgeneau Gymnastics Office Coaching Staff .................................. 4 Director of Athletics: ........ Sandy Barbour Phone: ............................... 510-642-9313 Athlete Profiles ..............................5-9 Deputy Director Gymnastics Office Fax: ....... 510-642-8339 2007 Season in Review ................. 10 of Athletics: ............ Teresa Kuehn Gould 2007 MPSF Finish: ................................. 3rd 2007 Final Team Results .............. 11 Faculty Representative: ... Dr. Jesse Choper 2007 NCAA National Finish: .................. 7th 2008 Opponents ............................ 12 Home Facility/ Letterman Returning/Lost: ............... 13/2 Capacity: ................ Haas Pavilion/11,892 All-Americans Returning/Lost: .......... 3/0 Year-by-Year Results ..................... 13 National Affiliation: ............ NCAA Division I Newcomers: ............................................ 4 All-Time Series Records ................ 13 Conference: ...................... Mountain Pacific All-Time Roster ............................... 14 Sports Federation Cal Records ................................... 15 NCAA Top 10 Finishers ................. 16 MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT A History of Men’s Gymnastics Contact: .................................. Anna Oleson-Wheeler Champions ........ Inside Back Cover Direct Line: ........................................................................ 510-643-5846 Cal Olympians ...... Inside Back Cover Media Relations Fax: ......................................................... 510-643-7778 2008 Schedule/ Email address: ................................................aowheeler@berkeley.edu Team Photo .................. Back Cover Mailing Address: ........................ 349 Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, CA 94720 Media Relations Office Phone: .......................................... 510-642-5363 World Wide Web: .................................................... www.calbears.com CREDITS The 2008 University of California Men’s Gymnastics Media Guide was written and BEAR BACKERS SUPPORT YOUR TEAM edited by Media Relations assistants Tim Miguel and Anna Oleson-Wheeler. Layout Bear Backers are loyal Cal alumni and friends who provide financial support to Cal and design by Publications Director John Athletics with their donations. Every student-athlete benefits from their contributions, Dunbar and Publications Coordinator Evan which underwrites the scholarships, programmatic needs, and academic tutoring Kerr. Photos by Michael Pimentel, John programs. Bear Backers also build our athletic facilities, including the Haas Pavilion. Dunbar and Evan Kerr, among others. Joining Bear Backers is the best way to support the Cal team you care about. Call (510) Printing by U.C. Printing Services, Berkeley, 642-2427 for more information. Calif. 2008 CALIFORNIA MEN’S GYMNASTICS ROSTER Name Event(s) Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown (Previous School) PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Tyler Block AA 5-6 Sr. 3V Kensington, Calif./St. Mary’s HS Colin Christ .............................. Cryst Kyle Brady SR, V, PB 5-6 Sr. 3V Salinas, Calif./Palma HS Bryan del Castillo ....................Brian Sean Bryan PH, SR, PB 5-6 Sr. 3V Cranford, N.J./Seaton Hall Prep del Cas-TEE-yo Kyle Bunthuwong AA 5-6 Fr. HS El Cerrito, Calif./El Cerrito HS Micheal del Junco .............. Michael Kyson Bunthuwong AA 5-6 Jr. 2V El Cerrito, Calif./El Cerrito HS del HUN-co Colin Christ AA 5-8 Sr. 3V Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake HS Eric Haeussler ...... Eric HOUSE-ler Bryan del Castillo AA 5-7 So. 1V Laguna Niguel, Calif./Dana Hills HS Barry Weiner ............ Barry WEE-ner Michael del Junco AA 5-6 Fr. HS Santa Ana, Calif./Servite HS Justin Franklin AA 5-9 Jr. HS Vallejo, Calif./Benicia HS Mark Freeman AA 5-3 Sr. 2V Manchester, England/Manchester Institute Gym Daniel Geri AA 5-4 So. 1V Reseda, Calif./Reseda HS Eric Haeussler AA 5-8 Fr. HS Redwood City, Calif./St. Francis HS Kyle Litow FX, V 5-4 Sr. 3V Slate Hill, N.Y./Minisink Valley HS Tim McNeill AA 5-6 Sr. 3V Falls Church, Va./Home school Aaron Moy AA 5-6 Sr. 3V Albany, Calif./Albany HS Evan Roth AA 5-6 Jr. 1V North Woodmere, NY/Temple Hiroki Yokoyama SR 5-8 Sr. 3V San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines HS Head Coach: Barry Weiner (17th year) Assistant Coach: Aaron Floyd (3rd year) 2008 CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS Men's Gymnastics Media Guide 1 CALIFORNIA Golden Bears 2008 SEASON OUTLOOK n the first day of training for the on a particular event (pommel second on the parallel bars. Christ, a 2008 season, the Cal men’s horse). McNeill, who has been three-time All-American, set new career Ogymnastics team posted a sign plagued by injuries in the past, had best last season on rings (8.900) and in the training gym. “Winning the NCAA shoulder surgery over the summer parallel bars (9.475). Championship starts today.” The next and has been rehabbing rigorously “Lost in Tim’s great NCAA meet last year day, they amended it. “Winning the to prepare for the season. was the great meet that Colin had,” Weiner NCAA Championship started “A healthy Tim McNeill is a force to said. “He actually had the lead until the last yesterday.” This attitude characterizes be reckoned with,” Weiner said. “By guy went up and pushed him into second both the drive as well as the talent of the time he finishes his career here, I place.” the 2008 Cal men’s gymnastics team. believe he’ll walk away with more Senior Tyler Block is expected to return “We would like nothing more than to national championships than anyone with a vengeance after injury last season win the NCAA Championship on the in the history of our storied program.” and be strong on rings, parallel bars and floor in Maples Pavilion at Stanford,” Senior Colin Christ also gave a high bar. Seniors Kyle Brady and Sean California head coach Barry Weiner great performance in the individual Brady will also join Block on rings. said. “Other than winning it at home, competition at NCAAs and tied for Other members of the talented senior I can’t think of any other scenario that would please me more. We’re going for it.” With 12 experienced lettermen and “Winning the five outstanding additions, the 2008 men’s gymnastics team will rely on experience and depth on every event NCAA Championship for success this season. In years past, the Golden Bears relied on a select started yesterday.” few to produce perfect results and lost championships because they did not have the necessary depth. According class include Mark Freeman, Aaron Moy, to Weiner, that is not the case this year. Kyle Litow and Hiroki Yokoyama. Moy, The 2008 squad has multiple athletes who is preparing a new vault of the highest capable of giving meet-winning difficulty, and Freeman will both be key performances on any given day. contributors on vault. Kyle Litow specializes “To have such depth where you can on floor exercises and vault, and Weiner count on anybody and still have the desired expects him to contribute on other events. results, that’s a huge advantage,” Weiner Yokoyama is co-captain with McNeill for said. “This is the first time in a long time, the second year, and was a finalist on maybe 10 years, that we’ve been this deep. rings at the MPSF Championships. All of our guys are potential NCAA finalists Cal has just two juniors this season – on any given day. Kyson Bunthuwong and Justin Franklin. A veteran core of nine seniors, many of Bunthuwong took eighth place on parallel whom have three years of varsity bars at the NCAA Championships and experience, provide Cal with a solid base earned his third All-America honor on the from which to build. Key among the returners Senior Tim event. Franklin has potential to become a is three-time NCAA individual champion McNeill is tied great all-around competitor and is a very Tim McNeill. Last season, McNeill won for the most talented gymnast, according to the titles on pommel horse individual NCAA coaches. and parallel bars, which titles (three) in The Golden Bears have a skilled made him the second Cal men’s sophomore class with Bryan del Castillo, Golden Bear men’s gymnastics Daniel Geri and Evan Roth. Weiner notes gymnast ever to win history after that Roth has the potential to be an NCAA two NCAA winning parallel champion on vault, and hopes that del bars and championships in Castillo will compete in the all-around for repeating as the same year the Bears. Geri was last season’s most pommel horse and the first to improved gymnast and fit in seamlessly repeat as a national champion last with Cal’s top-notch parallel bars unit. national season. Weiner has added three promising champion recruits in freshmen Kyle Bunthuwong, Eric Haeussler and Michael del Junco. Kyle, Kyson’s younger brother, is a U.S. junior national team member, and Weiner