Courtesy: Stanford Athletics
COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 2 Stanford finished first at the NCAA Championship preliminaries on Friday, qualifying for Saturday's NCAA Championship Finals for the 11th consecutive season.
The Cardinal scored 434.350 to finish first ahead of Ohio State (433.400), Illinois (432.050), Iowa (423.250), Michigan (422.150) and Air Force (412.650). Ohio State and Illinois also advance to Saturday night's final with the Cardinal.
Stanford will pursue its sixth NCAA title Saturday at 4 p.m. (PT).
Stanford recorded top event scores on pommel horse (73.100), rings (72.500), parallel bars (71.700) and high bar (72.050). Eight Stanford gymnasts combined for 15 top-10 finishes.
The reigning three-time MPSF Gymnast of the Year, Akash Modi tied for first in the pommel horse on the day (15.400) and took 11th on high bar (14.300), 10th in floor (14.500), 13th in vault (14.900) and 18th in parallel bars (13.850). He did not compete in rings.
Brian Knott showcased a solid performance taking third in high bar (15.000) and parallel bars (15.000) and seventh in pommel horse (15.050).
Gabe Flores fired up to stick a career-best in vault with a 15.300, which took third in the event as Taylor Seaton stepped up to take second with a 15.350.
It was an up-and-down meet for the Cardinal who stumbled in a few events until surging at the end in the last two events. The Cardinal overcame adversity in some events to excel in others with clutch routines coming from everyone on the team.
Stanford will pursue its sixth NCAA title Saturday at 4 p.m. A live stream and statistics will be available.