GYMNASTICS: Top male gymnasts to compete at U.S. Men's Qualifier, April 23, in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 22, 2008-Approximately 60 of the USA's top male gymnasts will compete at the U.S. Men's Qualifier, April 23, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The U.S. Men's Qualifier is a qualifying event for the 2008 Visa Championships, scheduled for May 22-24 in Houston, Texas. A roster of participants, organized by state, is listed below. 2007 U.S. all-around champion David Durante of Garwood, N.J., is among the six members of the U.S. Men's Senior National Team who are expected to compete: Guillermo Alvarez of Denver/Team Chevron; Joseph Hagerty of Rio Rancho, N.M./Team Chevron; Justin Spring of Burke, Va./Team Chevron; Sean Townsend of Houston/Team Chevron; and Blaine Wilson of Columbus of Ohio/Team Chevron. A minimum of 14 athletes from the U.S. Men's Qualifier will advance to the 2008 Visa Championships using the Men's Program Committee approved points system. Athletes also qualified to the Visa Championships as: a current member of the U.S. Men's Senior National Team; one of a maximum of 12 athletes selected from the 2008 NCAA Championships; or an approved petition. The U.S. Men's Qualifier consists of two sessions, with the first at 1 p.m. and the second session at 6 p.m. Tickets for the event will be available at the door on the day of competition. Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men's and women's artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics. For more information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org. # Field for the U.S. Men's Qualifier By state, information shows name, hometown/club Arizona Anthony Naddour, Gilbert, Ariz./Arizona State University California Tyler Block, Kensington, Calif./UC-Berkeley Kyle Brady, Monterey, Calif./UC Berkeley Kyle Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif./UC Berkeley Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif./UC Berkeley Josh Dixon, San Jose, Calif./Stanford University Justin Ebueng, Chino Hills, Calif./Diamond Elite Gymnastics Colorado Guillermo Alvarez, Denver, Colo./Team Chevron Geoffrey Corrigan, Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Olympic Training Center Nick Grant, Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Training Center Florida Kerry Adderly, Orlando, Fla./GTC-LVSA Alex Barrera, Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Ari Barrera, Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Kinkuro Broden, Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Derek Helsby, Orlando, Fla./Penn State University Riley Kerr, Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Danell Leyva, Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Edward Mesa, Cooper City, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Georgia Justin Laury, Marietta, Georgia/Houston Gymnastics Academy Idaho Jeff Crockett, Boise, Idaho/University of Washington Illinois Alex Buscaglia, Oak Brook, Ill./Stanford University Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill./Stanford University Indiana Cameron Deer, Carmel, Ind./Houston Gymnastics Academy Blaize Monks, Noblesville, Ind./DeVeau's School of Gymnastics Iowa Spencer Johnson, West Des Moines, Iowa/Colorado Training Center Kansas Josh Dilworth, Overland Park, Kansas/Great American Gymnastics Express Bryant Hadden, Wichita, Kansas/Stanford University Louisiana Matthew Hicks, Baton Rouge, La./Colorado Training Center Massachusetts R.J. Heflin, Storeham, Mass./Houston Gymnastics Academy Luke Vexler, Amherst, Mass./Temple University Maryland Mario West, Laurel, Md./Preston Gymnastics Academy North Carolina Colin Christ, Charlotte, N.C./UC-Berkeley Nyika White, Williamston, N.C./International Gymnastics Camp New Jersey Joe Catrambone, Deptford, N.J./University of Michigan David Durante, Garwood, N.J./Team Chevron Andrew Elkind, Cherry Hill, N.J./U.S. Olympic Training Center Sterling Kramer, Garwood, N.J./Temple University New Mexico Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M./Team Chevron Edward Umphrey, Albuquerque, N.M./University of Michigan New York Evan Roth, N. Woodmere, N.Y./UC Berkeley Ohio Alexy Bilozertchev, Hilliard, Ohio/OSU Boys Team Miguel Pineda, Galloway, Ohio/Hocking Valley Gymnastics Blaine Wilson, Worthington, Ohio/Team Chevron Pennsylvania James Crane, Allentown, Pa./GTC-LVSA Tennessee Charles Baysinger, Nashville, Tenn./Arizona State University Texas Tim Gentry, Plano, Texas/Stanford University David Henderson, Crosby, Texas/U.S. Olympic Training Center Jamie Henderson, Crosby, Texas/University of Oklahoma-Gattaca Tyler Mizoguchi, Houston, Texas/Houston Gymnastics Academy Philip Onorato, Plano, Texas/WOGA Tim Pittman, Houston, Texas/GTC-LVSA Greg Stine, Houston, Texas/Air Force Academy Clay Strother, Jasper, Texas/Team Chevron Todd Thornton, Houston, Texas/Team Chevron Sean Townsend, Dickinson, Texas/Team Chevron Utah Jake Lee, Saratogo Springs, Utah/Minnesota Gymnastics Virginia Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va./UC-Berkeley Viorel Popescu, Glen Allen, Va./GTC-LVSA Justin Spring, Burke, Va./Team Chevron Wisconsin Morgan Hamm, Waukesha, Wis./Team Chevron