ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Beginning with the first practice after re-forming as a team back in August, the aim of the Navy gymnastics program has been locked on qualifying for and performing on the national stage of the 2025 NCAA Championship. Hosted this year by the University of Michigan at the Wolverine's Crisler Center, the two-day event will begin for the Mids with competition in the second of two qualifying sessions set for 7 p.m. on Friday night. The team and event finals are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday night. Seeded 10th in the 12-team field, Navy comes into the weekend three weeks out from a season-best performance at the USAG Collegiate Championship when the Mids posted a score of 320.70 points. This is the ninth consecutive time that Navy will be participating in the national championship event as a team (the 2020 championship was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) as prior to head coach Kip Simons taking control of the program in the fall of 2015, the Mids had only one appearance at the NCAAs.

Over eight regular season meets and two postseason tilts, Navy has posted a national qualifying average (NQA) of 312.263 to earn the number 10 seed and a spot in the second session of Friday's qualifying competition. Navy will be matched up with No. 2 Michigan (326.838), No. 3 Stanford (326.813), No. 6 Illinois (321.100), No. 7 Ohio State (320.663) and No. 11 Army (311.519). The top-three finishing teams from each Friday's two qualifying sessions (1 p.m. and 7 p.m.) and the top-three all-around competitors not on one of the qualifying teams from each session, plus the top-three individuals on each event not already qualified on a team or as an all-arounder will compete again on Saturday night in the championship finals. 

Michigan, the NCAA and ESPN will be providing live stats and video throughout the two-day event. Friday's coverage will air on ESPN+ with a main wrap-around stream, as well as standalone coverage for each event (fans will need to choose the individual streams for each new event to follow the Mids' every routine). On Saturday night, ESPN2 will broadcast the main wrap-around action with individual event streams again available on ESPN+. ESPN+ is a subscription-based streaming service that requires patrons to sign-up for monthly or yearly plans prior to tuning into the contest. 

Navy under Kip Simons at the NCAA Championship 
Since taking over the program prior to the 2016 season, Simons and Navy Men's Gymnastics have been making waves on the national scene each and every year. In his first season at the helm, the Mids earned just the second-ever berth in the NCAA Championship in program history as the first and only prior berth was in 2009.
    2016: Navy finished 12th of 12 teams
    2017: 11th of 12 teams
    2018: 11th of 12 teams
    2019: 10th of 12 teams
    2020: NCAA Championships cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic; Mids were 5th in the team point standings at time of cancellation
    2021: 11th of 12 teams
    2022: 7th of 12 teams
    2023: 10th of 12 teams
    2024: 10th of 12 teams

NMG on Day 2 of the NCAAs
Under Simons' guidance, Navy has had 39 different Midshipmen advance from the qualifying meet and showcase their talents in the Championship Finals over 48 separate events ...
    2016: Jonny Tang (AA), Connor Gonzales (R) and Eric Poletti (R)
    2017: Jonny Tang (AA), Lucas Beltran (FX, VT)
    2018: David Toussaint (PH), Lucas Beltran (VT), Frank Bradley (VT), Trevor North (PB)
    2019: David Toussaint (FX), Dan Clark (PH), Ryan Orce (PB) and Ryan McVay (HB)
    2021: Ryan McVay (AA), David Toussaint (FX, PH), Josh Williams (FX, R), Jake Carlson (PH), Connor Van Loo (VT) and Giovanni Gambatese (HB)
    2022: Alexander Brown (R), Syam Buradagunta (PH, VT, HB), Cash Buske (R, HB), Isaiah Drake (AA), Giovanni Gambatese (HB), Caleb Hickey (FX), Ronan McQuillan (PH), Connor Van Loo (FX, VT) and Josh Williams (FX, R)
    2023: Syam Buradagunta (FX), William Champagne (PB), Ian Dinmore (FX), Isaiah Drake (AA), Caleb Hickey (HB), Matthew Rosendahl (FX) and Connor Van Loo (VT)
    2024: Isaiah Drake (R), Matthew Petros (PB, HB), Colby Prince (FX) and Danilo Viciana (PB)

Navy at the 2024 NCAA Championship: April 19-20 at Ohio State
Competing on the grandest national stage, the NCAA Championship, the Navy gymnastics team found themselves in a battle throughout the afternoon in session one of Friday's qualifying meet. Hoping to attain one of the three automatic spots for a team into Saturday's event finals or at-large bids for individuals of teams that don't advance, the Mids started out fast with a season-high score on the rings and fought valiantly over the competition, though eventually after six rotations of action fell short of qualifying as a team with a score of 396.290 that ranked fifth in the pod. Seeded ninth overall coming into the meet at Ohio State's Covelli Center, Navy went up against No. 1 Stanford, No. 4 Illinois, No. 5 Nebraska, No. 8 California and No. 12 Greenville on Friday.

The final standings from session number one saw those seedings hold fairly true as the three favorites to advance did just that though in a slightly different order as The Cardinal finished first at 417.389 ahead of the Huskers and Illini, who came in second and third with respective scores of 413.523 and 410.461. The Cal Bears had a breakthrough performance as they shattered their season-high total with 407.158 points. The Mids and Panthers took fifth and sixth place at 396.290 and 389.157, respectively.

After the gymnasts from Stanford, Nebraska and Illinois were advanced, as well as Noah Newfield, Tyler Shimizu and Theodor Gadderud of California, who moved onto Saturday in the all-around event, Navy had four Midshipmen qualify for the next round of competition on Saturday night. Matthew Petros led the way as he advanced on the parallel bars and high bar. Additionally, Isaiah Drake, Colby Prince and Danilo Viciana will all get the chance to raise their hand one more time this 2024 season as Drake will compete on the rings, Prince on the floor exercise and Viciana on the parallel bars.

As a team, Navy scored 67.166 points on the floor exercise, 64.131 on the pommel horse, 65.132 on the rings, 70.631 on the vault, 66.098 on the parallel bars and 63.132 on the high bar.

In Saturday night's event finals, Navy concluded its season with four Midshipmen competing as individuals in the event finals. Aiming to attain NCAA All-American status for the second consecutive season, Isaiah Drake led the program as he came within 0.3 points of finishing top-eight on the rings. Matthew Petros was the most active Navy gymnast at Ohio State's Covelli Center as he raised his hand and put forth routines on the parallel bars and high bar.

Two more sophomores joined Petros in getting their first NCAA Championship Event Final experience as Danilo Viciana competed on the parallel bars, while Colby Prince turned in his final floor exercise effort of the season on Saturday.

A 2023 NCAA All-American in the all-around competition, Drake showcased his abilities on the rings on Saturday night. Performing a routine with a 4.9-point level of difficulty, the junior earned an 8.733 execution score for an overall mark of 13.633 that tied him for 19th in the field with Penn State's Matthew Underhill. In a crowded top of the leaderboard, Drake's score was just 0.3 points shy of Stanford's Mark Berlaga, who claimed the final All-American position in eighth at 13.933.

Team Comparisons
Here is a breakdown of the six teams in session two for Friday night …

	Michigan	Stanford	Illinois	Ohio St.	Navy	Army
Seeding	2	3	6	7	10	11
Nat'l Q. Average	326.838	326.813	321.100	320.663	312.263	311.519
Team-High Score	335.950	328.950	325.500	325.000	320.700	315.050

Mids in the Top-25
Navy gymnasts occupy five top-25 spots in the individual national leaderboards for event rankings ... All-American accolades will be bestowed upon gymnasts that finish in the top-eight of Saturday's all-around and event finals ... (NQA - National Qualifying Average)
    Rings: Isaiah Drake (18th, NQA: 13.41 ... High: 14.05)
    Vault: Isaiah Drake (20th, NQA, 14.03 ... High: 14.30)
    Parallel Bars: Matthew Petros (20th, NQA: 13.30 ... High: 13.60)
    High Bar: Isaiah Drake (17th, NQA: 13.29 ... High: 13.55)  //  Matthew Petros (19th, NQA: 13.21 ... High: 13.55)

Last Time Out: at ECAC Championship in Indianola, Iowa, April 5
The reign of Navy Men's Gymnastics atop the podium at the ECAC Championship came to an end on Saturday, April 5 as a few untimely miscues and a near perfect outing by Army saw the Black Knights hold off the Mids by 3.95 points, 313.5 to 309.55 at Simpson College's Cowles Fieldhouse. Winners of seven straight ECAC Championships, the Mids were on the hunt throughout as the Black Knights broke out to a 1.8-point lead after netting 54.3 points on the vault versus 52.5 for the Mids on the floor exercise during the first rotation of the meet.

At the conclusion of six rotations the final leaderboard saw Army in first with 313.5 points with Navy right behind in second at 309.55. The last team to make the medal podium was Greenville, who registered 307.3 points on Saturday. Springfield and William & Mary were edged off the podium as they finished within 1.3 points of the Panthers with respectively totals of 306.8 and 306.0. The host Simpson College Storm placed sixth with 299.6 points.

The Mids' individual effort was led by the duo of Isaiah Drake and Matthew Petros who each collected a pair of ECAC Championship gold medals. Drake cemented his name in the record book as he won the all-around competition for the fourth time in four years. Additionally, he finished atop the standings for rings. Petros' two victories came on the pommel horse and parallel bars. The talented junior has now gone back-to-back ECAC Championships with titles on the p-bars.

As a team, Navy scored 52.5 points on the floor exercise, 49.5 on the pommel horse, 50.95 on the rings, 53.75 on the vault, 51.35 on the parallel bars and 51.5 on the high bar.