36 | nebraska men’s Gymnastics | 2013-14
Nebraska Continues Transition to Big Ten with Second Straight NCAA Top 10 Finish
Wyatt Aycock finished seventh in the all-around at the NCAA Championships, making him Nebraska’s first All-American in the all-around since 2007.
Nebraska battled against a set of seasonending injuries during their second season
in the Big Ten Conference. They finished the
season strong, ending with a fourth consecutive
top-10 finish at the 2013 NCAA Championships.
Head Coach Chuck Chmelka didn’t like the
amount of injuries that the Huskers faced early
in the season, but was confident that the team
had enough depth and talent to easily fill in
the open spots. The dedication and strength
of the healthy competitors along with the
in-gym support and guidance of the injured
gymnasts helped the junior-dominated lineup
successfully finish the year.
“I knew that our younger guys could really
step up if needed,” said Chmelka. “They proved
me right. They did everything they were asked
and took the initiative. It was great.”
NU claimed its fourth consecutive top-10
finish at the national championships under
Chmelka, earning seventh at the 2013 NCAA
Championships in State College, Pa. The
sophomore and junior classes played crucial
roles in the lineups on all six events.
Sophomore Grant Perdue claimed AllAmerican honors for the second year in a row.
The Houston, Texas native finished fourth
on vault with a 15.175, earning him national
honors.
Junior Wyatt Aycock and true freshman
Sam Chamberlain also grabbed All-American
awards. Aycock finished seventh in the all-
around competition, making him the first
Husker to claim the title on that event since
2007.
Chamberlain proved his talent on the parallel
bars, earning a third-place finish on the event.
He was the second consecutive freshman to
earn All-American honors for Nebraska. The
Franklin, Ohio native also marked the 50th AllAmerican for NU since 1975.
“Wyatt, Sam and Grant were all amazing at
NCAA’s,” Chmelka said. “Those three winning
those honors were definitely some of the top
moments of the season.”
Perdue also earned third on vault at the Big
Ten Championships in Minneapolis, Minn.,
earning him the Huskers’ second Big Ten medal
since they joined the conference in 2012. The
sophomore was a consistent competitor on
floor and vault, posting personal best scores on
both events in 2013.
“Grant really showed that he is a threat on
multiple events,” said Chmelka. “He grabbed a
second All-American honor during his second
season on a different event. That’s really
indicative of his talent.”
Wyatt Aycock returned to his position on
Nebraska’s all-around lineup for his third season
on the team. He competed in all six events
three times throughout the regular season,
consistently finishing with an all-around score
of 82.10 or higher.
The Orlando, Fla., native also set three
REVIEW | 176 ALL-TIME ALL-AMERICA AWARDS
personal best scores during the 2013
competitive season. He claimed another 14.70
on floor exercise when the Huskers faced the
Fighting Illini in Champaign, Illi., matching his
previously-set record. He also set a new career
record on pommel horse and matched his
personal best on rings for the third time.
“We were glad to see Wyatt A. back at the
level we knew he could be,” Chmelka said. “He
always had the talent to do well nationally. In
2013, it just all came together for him.”
Freshman Sam Chamberlain made a big
statement during his first season as a collegiate
gymnast. Along with being a regular member
of Nebraska’s parallel bars lineup, the Franklin,
Ohio, native also competed on still rings and
floor exercise for the Huskers.
“Sammy was a dark horse for sure,” Chmelka
said. “We didn’t really know what to expect
from him. He was a huge asset to our team.”
Nebraska also