A Benefit Event for Men's Collegiate Gymnastics - Pacific Coast Classic Olympic Teams

Pacific Coast Classic - A Benefit Event for Men's Gymnastics

NCAA Men's Gymnastics
The Lifeblood of Our U.S. Olympic Teams

In the last twelve Olympiads (1956 – 2000), 93% of our U.S. Olympic men's gymnastics team members competed in the NCAA. The entire gold-medal winning team of 1984 consisted of NCAA gymnasts, half of whom came from UCLA’s renowned - but now nonexistent - NCAA program:

    Tim Daggett – UCLA (UCLA's men’s program was dropped in 1994)
    Mitch Gaylord - UCLA
    Peter Vidmar - UCLA
    Bart Conner – University of Oklahoma
    Jim Hartung – University of Nebraska
    Scott Johnson – University of Nebraska

Since 1972, all but 3 American gymnasts to win Olympic medals have been products of college gymnastics teams:

    Paul Hamm, * – gold in the AA, team silver, 2004
    Morgan Hamm, * – team silver, 2004
    Blaine Wilson, Ohio State – team silver, 2004
    Guard Young, Brigham Young – team silver, 2004
    Jair Lynch, Stanford – silver on PB, 1996
    Trent Dimas, Nebraska – gold on HB, 1992
    Bart Conner, Oklahoma – gold on PB, team gold, 1984
    Scott Johnson, Nebraska – team gold, 1984
    Jim Hartung, Nebraska – team gold, 1984
    Tim Daggett, UCLA – bronze on PH, team gold, 1984
    Mitch Gaylord, UCLA – silver on V, bronze on SR & PB, team gold, 1984
    Peter Vidmar, UCLA – gold on PH, silver in the AA, team gold, 1984
    Peter Kormann, Southern Connecticut – bronze on FX, 1976

* Although not university students, the Hamm brothers benefit from a men's university program. They train at Ohio State University with the men's collegiate gymnastics team under Ohio State coach, Miles Avery.

Twelve former Nissen-Emery Award (the Heisman Trophy of NCAA gymnastics) recipients are former U.S. Olympians:

1997 - Blaine Wilson, Ohio State (1996,           2000)
1994 - Kip Simons, Ohio State (1996)
1993 - John Roethlisberger, Minnesota
          (1992, 1996, 2000)
1992 - Scott Keswick, UCLA (1992)
1986 - Wes Suter, Nebraska (1988)
1983 - Pete Vidmar, UCLA (1980,
          1984)
1982 - Jim Hartung, Nebraska (1980,
          1984)
1981 - Bart Conner, Oklahoma (1976,
          1980, 1984)
1979 - Kurt Thomas, Indiana State (1976)
1977 - Peter Kormann, Southern
          Connecticut State (1976)
1974 - Steve Hug, Stanford (1972)
1973 - John Crosby, Southern
          Connecticut State (1972)

Contributed by Justin Toman, former University of Michigan standout and current contact for University of Michigan Athletic Media Relations.