Recap + Photos: 2016 University of Illinois Orange and Blue Exhibition

Recap + Photos: 2016 University of Illinois Orange and Blue Exhibition

The Illinois men's and women's gymnastics teams put on a great show at their annual Orange and Blue Exhibition on Sunday, Dec. 4.

Dec 9, 2016 by Amanda Wijangco
Recap + Photos: 2016 University of Illinois Orange and Blue Exhibition
The Illinois men's and women's gymnastics teams put on a great show at their annual Orange and Blue Exhibition on Sunday, Dec. 4. Both teams combined to form two squads, Orange and Blue, for some friendly competition. Together, the men's and women's gymnasts performed entertaining routines to show fans what's in store for the upcoming season.

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A combination of seasoned veterans and freshman newcomers competed, demonstrating depth and lineup potential. Illini men's head coach Justin Spring said the preseason meet had highs and lows, which is normal for an exhibition, but now knows what adjustments need to be made in the few weeks until the season officially begins. Sophomore ​Johnny Jacobson ​and junior ​Tyson Bull​ each showed growth and versatility by competing on three events.

Women's head coach Kim Landrus said the ladies "have been waiting a long time to compete" and loved performing in front of the fans. NCAA qualifier and sophomore Lizzy LeDuc ​continued where she left off last season with a fantastic new floor routine full of expression. Freshman ​Karen Howell​ impressed with great routines on floor and uneven bars.

Unlike most NCAA gymnastics exhibitions, Illinois uses a head-to-head format where a member of the Orange team competes against a member of the Blue team for a point. Instead of using gymnastics judges, fellow Illini student-athletes serve as judges to determine whether Orange or Blue won the point.

After four rotations, both teams were tied, so the men's gymnasts had an iron cross contest to decide the winner. Sophomore and reigning Big Ten rings champion Alex Diab of the Orange team held his cross for 25.2 seconds, while junior Dennis Minton of the Blue team only lasted 14.6 seconds. Orange won the exhibition, 13-12.