Sophomore Michelangelo Villani (photo by Roland Barrett)

Posted: Jan 13, 2024

Smith sets new high bar record, Storm place fourth at Windy City Invitational

CHICAGO, Ill. – Jake Smith set a new program record on high bar and the Simpson College men's gymnastics team placed fourth at the Windy City Invitational.

The Storm defeated Northern Illinois (295.400) with their team score of 361.250, but were edged by Washington (362.750) for third place. Michigan won the team title with a 405.150 and Illinois took second with a 404.450.

HIGHLIGHTS

Simpson placed third as a team on floor (60.900), pommel horse (52.400) and vault (68.150).
The Storm collected their highest-ever team score on vault (68.150) and high bar (59.550).
Jake Smith became the first Simpson gymnast to score a 13.000 on high bar. Jake Sweeten was close behind with a 12.450, which ranks second at Simpson.
Brian Rollison surpassed 13 points on rings again, securing a 13.300 following his program-record 13.650 last week.
Camden Bontempo earned his second straight vault score higher than 14 points, narrowly tying his own program record of 14.050.
Sterling Pariza set a new career high on vault (13.900) and parallel bars (13.050), and tied his career high on high bar (12.200). His parallel bars score ranks second on the all-time team leaderboard.
Christopher Duane led the team on floor with a career-high 12.600, while Alex Catchpole scored a team-high 11.950 on pommel horse.
Pariza and Michelangelo Villani competed against seven other all-arounders and took fourth and sixth place, respectively.