ANNAPOLIS, Md. - One day after collecting the team title at the 2022 USAG Collegiate Championship, the Navy gymnastics team responded with another standout performance in Saturday's event finals. With 10 individual gymnasts competing across the six apparatus at the Halsey Field House Gymnastics Facility, the Mids came away nine medal-winning performances, including five outright victories.

Syam Buradagunta (So., Westborough, Mass.), Dan Clark (Sr., Avon, Mass.), Josh Williams (Sr., Cypress, Texas), Dhiren Lutchman (Sr., Beltsville, Md.) and Giovanni Gambatese (Jr., Pewaukee, Wisc.) all collected first place accolades on Saturday for their individual efforts.

Buradagunta was the first gold medal winner of the day as he turned in a sharp routine on the floor exercise that earned him 13.65 points. That total bested Air Force's Jacob Sampier by 0.175 points. Isaiah Drake (Fr., Los Angeles, Calif.) also was a finalist on the floor exercise, but missed making the podium as he scored 12.625 points to place seventh overall.

Over the next two events, the pommel horse and the rings, the Mids swept the top-two positions. First up, the duo of Clark and Ronan McQuillan (So., Katy, Texas) were the class of the pommel horse final as they posted scores of 13.675 and 13.475, respectively. Finishing second behind Clark, McQuillan was 0.45 points ahead of his next closest competitor, Clayton Cunningham from the Arizona Gymnastics Club.

On the ensuing apparatus, the senior pairing of Williams and Alexander Brown (Lafayette, La.) finished one-two. One day after Brown outscored Williams, 13.8 to 13.7 during the team competition, Williams picked up gold with a score of 13.95. Brown recorded a silver medal score of 13.3.

Lutchman garnered Navy's fourth gold in five rotations as he edged Air Force's Oliver Zavel, 13.95 to 13.925 on the parallel bars. Caleb Hickey (So., Carthage, N.C.) also suited up for the Mids in the parallel bars portion of the event on Saturday and placed seventh overall with an 11.9 result.

The final gold medal was collected by Gambatese on the high bar courtesy of a dominant 0.78-point margin of victory. The junior smoothly recorded a 13.6 score for his routine, while Zavel, the runner-up posted a 12.82. Drake fought his way onto the podium and finished in a three-way tie for sixth alongside William & Mary's Sam Lee and Springfield's Kyle Lukaesko, who all scored 11.175 points.

The final medalist for Navy on Saturday was Nehemiah Baker (Sr., Oak Ridge, N.C.) on the vault. Seeded fifth coming into the event finals, Baker ended up tied with Springfield's Andrae Butler for fourth with a score of 14.125. Drake nearly made it two Mids on the podium for the vault as he was just 0.025 points shy of Washington's Andrew Layman, who grabbed the sixth and final spot at 14.075.

"We finally hit our full stride this weekend as we honored our senior class in their last home competition," remarked head coach Kip Simons. "As we continue into the postseason, this team is positioned to peak at exactly the right time. The commitment these guys have made is paying off as we prepare for the ECAC Championship next weekend. Winning five of six events is evidence that the plan is working.

"We remain humble as we get back to work on Monday to finish the season with strong showings at the ECACs and NCAAs."

After the meet, Navy picked up four awards from the USAG organization as Lutchman was selected the 2022 Outstanding Senior Athlete, while head coach Kip Simons was named the USAG National Coach of the Year. Craig Holt and Mike Reid were honored as the USAG National Assistant Coaches of the Year.

Navy will be back in action next Saturday, April 2 at the ECAC Championship. The conference event is scheduled for a 2 p.m. first touch at William & Mary's Kaplan Arena.