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URBANA – Illini national championships occur too infrequently to be taken lightly.

Like, let's see, lonely NCAA titles in tennis (2003) and men's gymnastics (1989) since 1958, more than a half-century.

That's why the spotlight is following Justin Spring's first season as head coach of the UI men's gymnastics team. Call it possible. They beat out four Big Ten rivals in the Windy City event, held the nation's No. 1 ranking for a time and, even though they outpointed Michigan head to head, are currently No. 3 behind Michigan and Oklahoma. That highlights the tailgate-special March 13 date when the Wolverines invade Huff Hall.

"That's important for us," said Spring on Wednesday, "and we're pointing for it. We will rest some guys at UIC this weekend. We tied Michigan for the Big Ten championship last year (in a controversial recount AT Michigan). But win or lose here March 13, we still have to beat Michigan in the postseason."

Newly retired Yoshi Hayasaki's Illini have finished in the Top 5 nationally for seven straight years, with one runner-up and three third-place finishes.

"It's been painful," Spring said, "ever since my freshman year (2003) we've challenged but fell short. We hosted at the Assembly Hall in 2004, and the Penn State team had the meet of their lives to win it (Illinois was third). Then in my senior year, we lost to Oklahoma by a fraction at Oklahoma. It is hard to win because the talent is concentrated among 10 schools (there are only 17 NCAA members, including six in the Big Ten). We're good enough. We just need our guys to hit on the same day."

In good company

As an athlete, Spring reigns as the UI's premier athlete in the 21st century's first decade. He is the sixth double winner of the Dike Eddleman Male Athlete of the Year award, following Tony Eason 1982-83, Dave Scholz 1968-69, Dick Butkus 1964-65, Eddleman 1948-49 and Andy Phillip 1942-43.

Classmates Dee Brown and Deron Williams received more accolades, but Spring displayed feats of body control they never dreamed of. Football reached the BCS level with Kurt Kittner (2001) and Rashard Mendenhall (2007), but Spring's triple maneuver on the high bar would leave them breathless. He won four NCAA titles and was deemed the No. 1 collegiate gymnast in 2006.

But there's the catch. There are 18 Illini basketball products making a living at their sport around the world. Roughly two dozen more Illini drew salaries from NFL teams this past season. And every one of them would feel physically wanting if they watched a replay of Spring in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. In the finals, with a U.S. medal on the line, Spring came through with exceptional scores in the vault, parallel bars, horizontal bar and floor exercise to help the Americans to an improbable third-place finish.

But he can't be Steve Stricker or D.A. Points, performing his specialty for a lifetime. There's no 15-year baseball career waiting.

"That's America," the 25-year-old said. "I knew, unless we won the gold, that the money wouldn't be there. Still, I had a post-Olympic tour, I've made appearances and had a commercial (ProActiv). But as a competitor, I'm done. I'm burned out. I had eight surgeries over four years, including two ankle surgeries after the Olympics (with the scars to prove it). But my competitive career set me up for this career as a coach. I'm thrilled to have it."

Face of the program

Junior Paul Ruggeri, an NCAA champion in the high bar, is only a few years younger than Spring. Fact is, Spring looks so young that he still is carded in bars. Said Ruggeri:

"He was here as an assistant, and I've watched how he developed. He's been an inspiration to all of us. I remember when I was in high school (Manlius, N.Y.) and my mother told me that Justin Spring was on the telephone. That was special."

Spring spent three years as Hayasaki's assistant, a learning period without which he couldn't have handled the top job.

"I was taught how to do things, but I still had to establish a philosophy," Spring said. "I haven't kicked anyone off the team, but I've booted some out of practice. I've dealt with issues. I dropped guys from the lineup for their conduct."

Spring said he enjoys recruiting ... and, sometimes, he hates it.

"It's so time-consuming," the coach said. "But I love talking to kids and their parents, and selling our program. Michigan might argue, but I think our incoming freshman class is, hands down, No. 1 in the country. I think we can win the national championship this year, and we'd BETTER win it next year. The problem is, no one is ever healthy in gymnastics. It is a sliding scale of how healthy. We've got a couple of guys right now (Kyle Moe and Anthony Sacramento) who can be very good in the rings if their shoulders heal."

So mark April 16 on your calendar. If Ruggeri, Daniel Ribeiro and the squad are intact, Illinois will make a strong run at West Point, N.Y. The Illini often have come close in the last 20 years. It's time.

Loren Tate writes for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at ltate@news-gazette.com.