Spring, U.S. claim bronze

Justin Spring celebrates today's performance. By AP

2008-2009 Illini Men's Gymnastics Schedule

Date	Opponent/Event	Location	Time/Result
Dec.05	Mixed Pairs Meet	Champaign, Ill.	7 pm
Jan.17	Windy City Invite	Chicago, Ill.	7 pm
Jan.24	Ohio State	Champaign, Ill.	7 pm
Feb.06	US Winter Cup Challenge	Las Vegas, NV	7 pm
Feb.07	US Winter Cup Challenge	Las Vegas, NV	7 pm
Feb.14	Penn State	Champaign, Ill.	7 pm
Feb.21	Pacific Coast Invite	Oakland, CA	7 pm
Feb.28	Iowa	Champaign, Ill.	7 pm
Mar.07	UIC	Champaign, Ill.	2 pm
Mar.14	Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI	7 pm
Mar.21	Minnesota	Minneapolis, MN	7 pm
Apr.03	Big Ten Championships	Ann Arbor, MI	7 pm
Apr.04	Big Ten Championships	Ann Arbor, MI	7 pm
Apr.16	NCAA Championships	Minneapolis, MN	1 pm
Apr.17	NCAA Championships	Minneapolis, MN	7 pm
Apr.18	NCAA Championships	Minneapolis, MN	7 pm

2008-2009 Illini Women's Gymnastics Schedule

Date	Opponent/Event	Location	Time/Result
Dec.05	Mixed Pairs Exhibition	Champaign, Ill.	7 pm
Jan.09	Michigan State w/ Michigan, Western Michigan	East Lansing, Mich.	6 pm
Jan.17	Penn State	Champaign, Ill.	7 pm
Jan.24	Iowa	Champaign, Ill.	7 pm
Jan.31	Ohio State w/ Missouri, Michigan State	Columbus, Ohio	6 pm
Feb.06	IGI Chicago Style Invite	Chicago, Ill.	7 pm
Feb.13	Missouri	Columbia, Mo.	6:30 pm
Feb.15	Ohio State	Champaign, Ill.	2 pm
Feb.21	Washington w/ Oregon State, Eastern Michigan	Seattle, Wash.	9 pm
Feb.27	Kentucky w/ North Carolina, Ball St., William & Mary	Lexington, Ky.	6 pm
Mar.07	Illinois-Chicago	Champaign, Ill.	2 pm
Mar.14	State of Illinois Classic	Chicago, Ill.	5 pm
Mar.21	Big Ten Championships	Champaign, Ill.	2 pm
Apr.04	NCAA Regionals	TBA	TBA
Apr.16	NCAA Championships	Lincoln, Neb.	TBA
Apr.17	NCAA Championships	Lincoln, Neb.	TBA
Apr.18	NCAA Championships	Lincoln, Neb.	TBA

By The News-Gazette

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 10:39 AM CDT

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Justin Spring was disappointed he didn't qualify for an individual final in Beijing. But the former Illini accomplished his second goal, helping the U.S. gymnastic team bring home a bronze medal today.

Spring is the first Illini men's gymnast to win an Olympic medal.

"We just rolled through the meet," Spring told reporters.

Spring was impressive all night, scoring 15.900 on vault in the second rotation, team-leading 15.850 on parellel bars, 15.675 on horizontal bar and 15.200 on floor exercise.

China claimed the gold in impressive fashion, and Japan edged the Americans for silver.

But the short-handed Americans -- missing Paul and Morgan Hamm -- put up quite a fight, holding the lead through four routines and hanging onto silver heading into the sixth and final discipline.

The pommel horse, the worst U.S. event, sunk the Americans from second to third.