MPSF Men's Gymnasts of the Week (Mar. 18)
Photo: Erich Upton, Air Force (by: AFA Athletics)
ERICH UPTON OF AIR FORCE
MPSF GYMNAST OF THE WEEK
Air Force senior
Erich Upton (Houston, TX) collected two event titles and won the all-around in a tri-meet at No. 12 Army, with No. 15 Simpson (Mar. 14). Upton scored a career-high 14.050 to win the floor, and bettered the field by more than three-tenths. He added a first-place finish on the parallel bars after scoring a 13.350, and led Air Force to a 1-2 finish in the all-around, scoring a 79.600. He added runner-up finishes on the still rings (12.950) and vault (14.000) to lead Air Force on both events. This is the first career MPSF weekly award for Upton.
Others Nominated: Theodore Gadderud (Cal); Fuzzy Benas (OU); Taylor Burkhart (Stan)…
COOPER KIM OF STANFORD
MPSF FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Stanford freshman
Cooper Kim (Grand Ledge, MI) posted a career-high 14.400 vault to earn the event title and lead the Cardinal to its highest-scoring vault rotation of the season in a win over No. 9 California (Mar. 15). The routine was Stanford's third-highest individual vault score of the season, as Kim collected his second career event title. This is the third career MPSF weekly award for Kim.
Others Nominated: Jared Fry (AFA); Matteo Bardana (Cal); Arthur Ballon (OU)…
EMRE DODANLI OF OKLAHOMA
MPSF SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
Oklahoma senior
Emre Dodanli (Milton, Ontario, Canada) won the floor and high bar titles to lead a 325.250 team total and road wins over No. 10 William & Mary and No. 11 Greenville (Mar. 15). Dodanli stuck his high bar dismount for a career-and MPSF-season-high 14.500, notched an MPSF season-high 14.400 on floor, and tied his season-best with his 14.350 on vault (placed second to Fuzzy Benas). His high bar score is the second highest nationally this season, and his floor score ranks third. This is the fourth career MPSF weekly award for Dodanli.
Others Nominated: Jack Matlock (AF); Aidan Li (Cal); Brandon Nguyen (Stan)…