Dang Becomes NCAA Pommel Horse Champion, Illini Finish Fifth at NCAA Championships

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Junior Brandon Dang became the NCAA pommel horse champion as the Fighting Illini finished fifth at the NCAA Championships on Saturday night at State Farm Center.

Dang – the first Illini national champion since 2024 – posted a 14.700 on the event to secure the first NCAA title of his career, while five different Illini claimed All-American status at the competition.

As a team, the Orange and Blue tallied a season-high 322.224, finishing ahead of No. 5 Ohio State, while Stanford won the team national championship.

On rings to start the night, the Illini combined for a 53.598, with Ngai’s eighth-place finish of 13.666 marking the team’s highest score on the apparatus alongside Hasan Aydogdu’s identical mark. All four scores surpassed 13.1 as Illinois sat in fourth after the first rotation.

Shifting to vault, Illinois tallied a 53.865 as Garrett Schooley led the way once again with a 14.233, good for fifth place and his 11th straight outing on the apparatus with a score of 14+. Dylan Shepard was not far behind as he set a career-high 14.066.

The Illini posted their second 54 in as many days on parallel bars, logging a 54.065. Shepard carried his momentum to the team’s third rotation, tying his season-high with a 13.866, which placed him in ninth.

After reaching the halfway point, Sam Phillips marked his final collegiate meet with a 14.000 on horizontal bar, which saw him take fourth and earn All-American accolades. Moving to floor for the fifth rotation, Costa collected All-America honors via his third-place finish and his season-best score of 14.166. The team combined for 52.665 and 53.832 on horizontal bar and floor, respectively.

Closing the night on pommel horse once again, the Illini’s best score came on the event with a 54.199. In the anchor position, Dang demolished the previous high score with a 14.700, good for the first NCAA title of his career. Costa also had a strong end to the night with his 13.633 and eighth-place finish.

ILLINI MEDALISTS

Brandon Dang – Pommel Horse (First, 14.700)

Tate Costa – Floor (Third, 14.166)

NCAA ALL-AMERICANS

Tate Costa – Floor, Pommel Horse

Brandon Dang – Pommel Horse

Preston Ngai – Still Rings, All-Around

Sam Phillips – Horizontal Bar

Garrett Schooley – Vault