ANNAPOLIS, Md. - With the reformation of the brigade and start of classes last week, it was announced recently by Navy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk that the Navy gymnastics program had been awarded the 2021-22 Director of Athletics Cup.
 
The Director of Athletics Cup was established to recognize intercollegiate excellence and the Naval Academy varsity team that exemplifies itself as a standard bearer in academics, leadership, varsity competition, conduct, aptitude for commission and honor.
 
It is the first time in program history the gymnastics team has won the Director of Athletics Cup.
 
Strong throughout the regular season, the Mids finished with an overall record of 14-3 and were undefeated against ECAC league opposition with their only losses to the Big Ten's Penn State twice and Illinois once. In the annual Star Meet, Navy cruised to a 17.7-point victory over Army, 397.25 to 379.55 on Feb. 5 as the host Mids outscored the Black Knights on all six events, including 3.0-plus point advantages on the pommel horse, rings and high bar. The win was the fourth straight over Army. Navy also earned its fourth straight All-Academy Championship over Army and Air Force with a 12.25-point advantage over the Black Knights and a 13.6-point edge over the Falcons.
 
The Mids' momentum carried over into the postseason where they finished atop the standings at the USAG Collegiate Championship and a week later at the ECAC Championship. The USAG team title was the second in a row for program, while the ECAC crown extended Navy's win streak to four straight league championships. All together, Navy gymnasts collected five individual titles at the USAGs and six more at the ECACs.
 
Navy's campaign culminated at the 2022 NCAA Championship in Norman, Oklahoma where more history was made. Competing at the national championship for the seventh time in program history, the Mids posted a team-best seventh-place result with 399.023 points. Among the field of 12 squads, Navy outscored Penn State, Cal, Air Force, Springfield and Army. The Mids' previous team-best result was tenth place.
 
Nine Navy gymnasts advanced from the qualifying meet and competed in the NCAA Championship Finals. Senior Josh Williams and junior Giovanni Gambatese challenged for All-American honors (top-eight) as Williams placed tenth on the rings, just 0.067 points out of eighth, while Gambatese was 0.234 points out as he finished 13th on the high bar. Additionally, freshman Isaiah Drake placed 14th in the all-around competition. Seniors Cash Buske (Rings, High Bar) and Alexander Brown (Rings), junior Connor Van Loo (Vault), sophomores Syam Buradagunta (Pommel Horse, Vault, High Bar), Caleb Hickey (Floor Exercise) and Ronan McQuillan (Pommel Horse) also competed in the event finals of the NCAA Championship.
 
All of the Mids' regular season and championship success resulted in Drake being named the 2022 ECAC Rookie of the Year and Dhiren Lutchman being recognized as the USAG Collegiate Gymnastics Outstanding Senior Athlete.
 
For his four years of work both in and out of the gym, Williams was one of eight seniors from across the country to be selected as a finalist for the 2022 Nissen-Emery Award. The national honor is the men's gymnastics equivalent to the Heisman Trophy and has been presented since 1966. Williams is just the fourth Navy gymnast to achieve the status of finalist and first since 2012.
 
The trio of head coach Kip Simons and assistants Craig Holt and Mike Reid were also recognized with postseason accolades as they picked up honors as the USAG National Coach and Assistant Coaches of the Year, as well the Collegiate Gymnastics Association (CGA) East Regional Coach and Assistant Coaches of the Year, respectively.
 
During this past offseason, the program was once again on the national stage as Drake represented the Naval Academy at the 2022 U.S. Classic and the 2022 U.S. Men's Gymnastics Championship. His efforts at the latter earned him one of the highly sought after spots on the United States' Men's Senior National Development Team. Drake is the first member of the Navy men's gymnastics team in modern history to earn a position with either the senior national or senior development teams for U.S. Gymnastics. He will now participate in multiple training camps throughout the year with the potential of competing for the United States in international meets. He's also automatically qualified for the 2023 Winter Cup and U.S. Championships.
 
Academically, the program posted the ninth-highest team GPA in collegiate gymnastics with a cumulative mark of 3.168. Individually, Williams and sophomore Ian Dinmore turned a spotlight on the team's success as Williams was selected a CoSIDA Academic All-District II honoree, while Dinmore posted a perfect 4.0 GPA as a chemistry major. Dinmore is currently tied for the highest GPA for Midshipmen in the Class of 2024.
 
Past Winners
1995-96: Rifle
1996-97: Football, Women's Track and Field
1997-98: Men's Cross Country, Sprint Football
1998-99: Women's Soccer, Men's Tennis
1999-00: Rifle
2000-01: Water Polo
2001-02: Lightweight Rowing
2002-03: Women's Soccer
2003-04: Lightweight Rowing
2004-05: Women's Crew
2005-06: Sprint Football
2006-07: Women's Track and Field
2007-08: Men's Swimming and Diving
2008-09: Women's Cross Country
2009-10: Water Polo
2010-11: Men's Cross Country
2011-12: Women's Lacrosse
2012-13: Women's Rowing
2013-14: Men's Soccer
2014-15: Sprint Football
2015-16: Baseball
2016-17: Women's Lacrosse
2017-18: Women's Track and Field
2018-19: Men's Track and Field
2019-20: Not awarded due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2020-21: Intercollegiate Sailing
2021-22: Gymnastics