Preview & Schedule: Men's NCAA Championships

Apr 7, 2014 by Anne Phillips

The men's 2014 NCAA gymnastics season will culminate this week with the NCAA Championships hosted by the University of Michigan from April 10-12. Gymnastike will be on-site for coverage of the exciting event. Michigan gymnastics alum and Gymnastike contributor Jason MacDonald will be bringing us all the behind the scenes updates along with the latest stories and results from Ann Arbor as host team Michigan looks to defend their National title.

Twelve teams have been selected by the NCAA to participate in the 2014 NCAA Championships. The event will be take place over three days with Thursday serving at the National Qualifier. As the host institution, No. 2 Michigan will compete in the night qualifying session (session II), alongside No. 3 Ohio State, No. 6 Penn State, No. 7 Minnesota, No. 10 Air Force and No. 11 Nebraska, beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 10.

Qualifying session I will begin at 1 p.m. and feature No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 4 Stanford, No. 5 Illinois, No. 8 Iowa, No. 9 Cal and No. 12 William & Mary.

From each national qualifier session, the top three teams and the top three all-around competitors not on one of the qualifying teams, plus the top three individuals on each event not already qualified on a team or as an all-around competitor, will advance to Friday's Team and All-Around Finals and Individual Event Prelims.

USA World and Olympic team member Sam Mikulak, now in his senior year at Michigan, will be the star of the show. During his most recent competition, the Big 10 Championships, Mikulak won the all around with a new NCAA record of 93.70! Mikulak and Michigan will enter the NCAA Championships as the defending all around and team Champions looking to repeat.

Overall, we expect the team race to be between Michigan, #1 ranked Oklahoma, Stanford, Ohio State, and Illinois.

2014 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships Schedule:

All times are eastern daylight time

Thursday, April 10

1 p.m. -- National Qualifier, Session 1

(No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 4 Stanford, No. 5 Illinois, No. 8 Iowa, No. 9 California, No. 12 William & Mary)

7 p.m. -- National Qualifier, Session 2

(No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 6 Penn State, No. 7 Minnesota, No. 10 Air Force, No. 11 Nebraska)

Friday, April 11

7 p.m. -- Team and All-Around Finals, Individual Event Prelims

Saturday, April 12

7 p.m. -- Individual Event Finals

Coverage:

Gymnastike will provide video coverage of the NCAA training day, Wednesday, April 9 , plus video interviews throughout the week - LINK

Gymnastike will provide LIVE competition updates from inside the arena during Thursday's National Qualifier Sessions and Friday's Team and All Around Finals - LINK

NCAA.com will be streaming all four sessions live - LINK

Friday's Team & All Around Finals will be broadcasted on the Big 10 Network.
Or, click here for Michigan's event website.