Press release via USAG:

The AT&T American Cup, the USA’s most prestigious international invitational, will make its New Jersey debut at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on March 5, 2016. The AT&T American Cup features the world’s best gymnasts in a one-day all-around competition.  The Nastia Liukin Cup, which showcases many of the country’s top Junior Olympic female gymnasts, will be staged in conjunction with the AT&T American Cup on March 4 at Prudential Center.

 

“Prudential Center was one of our most successful stops for the 2012 Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions, and we are confident it will be a great location for the AT&T American Cup,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics.  “The New Jersey-New York metropolitan area has a strong gymnastics community, and we look forward to again kicking off the Olympic year off in the area.”

 

“The AT&T American Cup is a world-class event with every name that you know, past and present, in gymnastics,” said Scott O’Neil, CEO of Prudential Center. “We are thrilled the Road to Rio goes through New Jersey, and look forward to showcasing our first-class hospitality and facilities to fans from around the globe.”

 

“I think Prudential Center will be an incredible stage for both the AT&T American Cup and Nastia Liukin Cup in 2016,” said Nastia Liukin, 2008 Olympic all-around champion.  “I remember the fantastic audience we had for the 2012 Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions, and I know the fans in the New York-New Jersey metro area will come out again to see the world’s best just five months before the Olympic Games in Rio. Having a wonderful audience for the Nastia Liukin Cup will give these aspiring gymnasts a taste of what it is like to compete in a world-class arena.  Finally, as a resident of the metropolitan area, I look forward to both events being right next door at Prudential Center.”

 

Invitations to compete in the 2016 AT&T American Cup will be based on performances at the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.  Two-time World and U.S. all-around champion Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, and 2014 AT&T American Cup and U.S. champion Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif./Team Hilton HHonors (University of Michigan), are among the 18 gymnasts looking to win titles at the 2015 AT&T American Cup on March 7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

 

Tickets for the 2016 AT&T American Cup, which is expected to begin at 11:30 a.m. ET, will go on sale to the general public this fall. For group (10+ people) sales information, please call Prudential Center at 973-757-6250.  Discounted tickets are also available through local gym clubs that participate in the Club Ticket Sales Program.  For more information, go to attamericancup.com.

 

In addition to Liukin, the impressive list of former American Cup champions also includes Bart Conner, Tim Daggett, Paul Hamm, Jonathan Horton, Shawn Johnson, Carly Patterson, Danell Leyva, Shannon Miller, Mary Lou Retton, Kurt Thomas, Peter Vidmar, Jordyn Wieber and Kim Zmeskal-Burdette.

 

The AT&T American Cup has been a part of the International Gymnastics Federation’s all-around World Cup Series from 2011-15. Past sites for the American Cup include: New York City (1976-80, 1982-84, 2004, 2008, 2012); Ft. Worth, Texas (1981, 1996-98); Indianapolis, Ind. (1985); Fairfax, Va. (1986-90, 2003); Orlando, Fla. (1991-94, 2000-02); Seattle, Wash. (1995); St. Petersburg, Fla. (1999); Uniondale, N.Y. (2005); Philadelphia (2006); Jacksonville, Fla. (2007, 2011); Hoffman Estates, Ill. (2009); Worcester, Mass. (2010, 2013); and Arlington, Texas (2015).

 

Held annually in conjunction with the AT&T American Cup, the Nastia Liukin Cup is named after Nastia Liukin, the 2008 Olympic all-around champion who has five Olympic and nine World medals to her credit.  The annual event features 36 gymnasts who qualify through the Nastia Liukin Cup Series, which includes many of the country’s top invitationals held throughout January and February.

 

The Nastia Liukin Cup made its debut in 2010 in Worcester and returned in 2013. Other sites for the Nastia Liukin Cup are Jacksonville, Fla. (2011), New York City (2012), Greensboro (2014) and Arlington, Texas (2015).