POSTED: Sunday February 7th 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pacific Coast Classic to Feature Japan Collegiate All-Star Gymnasts
Top NCAA and Japan College Men's Gymnastics Teams Compete for Honors at the Oakland Convention Center in Oakland, Calif., USA
OAKLAND, Calif. - The four-day Pacific Coast Classic, the premier men's gymnastics competition in the U.S., will highlight the Japan Collegiate All-Star Team vs. Cal, Stanford, University of Iowa, Arizona State University, University of Washington on Saturday, Feb. 20, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at the Oakland Convention Center, 1001 Broadway in Oakland.
Japan is returning to defend their title and face reigning NCAA National champions Stanford. The Japan Gymnastic Association selected their top "under 21-year-old" gymnasts, excluding national team members, to compete at the Pacific Coast Collegiate Classic. Performances at the 2009 Japan Collegiate National Championships determined the men who comprise their delegation. Japan also added freshman, Hiroyuki Imai, a former Jr. National Team Member, to round out the team. A total of 11 gymnasts represent the Japan Collegiate All-Stars.
Sophomore Riku Munakata returns - a spectacular vaulter who placed second at the 2009 Pacific Coast Collegiate Classic after his teammate, Go Tagashira, who was Japan's National Champion on this event. Also returning is sophomore Kazuaki Koizumi who took third on high bar. Both Munakata and Koizumi are former Japan Jr. National Team Members.
The talented All-Star Team is coached by some of Japan's best, Takahiro Moriizumi, Koichi Mizushima, and Mutsumi Harada. Moriizumi was head coach of Japan's Olympic Team that won the Gold Medal in 2004 and Silver Medal in 2008. Mizushima competed at the Seoul Games and is a 1988 Olympic Bronze Medalist. Harada, 2000 Olympian for Japan in Sydney, was assistant coach for the 2004 Olympic team, assistant coach at Stanford University (2005-06) and is currently head coach for Juntendo University men's gymnastics team.
Juntendo University in Tokyo is the No. 1 team in Japan. Graduates include notable Olympic legends: Hiroyuki Tomita - 2004 Gold (Team), Silver (Pommel), 2008 Silver (Team); Takehiro Kashima - 2004 Gold (Team), Bronze (Pommel); and Isao Yoneda - 2004 Gold (Team), Bronze (High Bar).
"The Pacific Coast Classic has evolved to be one of the best collegiate competitions outside of the NCAA Championships," said Yoichi Tomita, USA Gymnastics Men's Program Committee Chairman and U.S. Olympic assistant coach in three Olympiads (1984, 1988 and 2000). Tomita was Japan's 1973 high school gymnastics champion who became a standout NCAA gymnast for Long Beach State University.
Collegiate gymnasts to watch include athletes who were selected to represent the United States in international competition. 2009 and recently named 2010 U.S. Men's Senior National Team Members include Kyle Bunthuwong and Glen Ishino of Cal along with Alex Buscaglia and Tim Gentry of Stanford.
The Pacific Coast Collegiate Classic is a platform to support men's collegiate athletic programs in the U.S. and will be televised and broadcast nationally. 1984 Olympic Gold Medalists, Peter Vidmar and Tim Daggett are the co-hosts and gymnastics analysts for the show. Vidmar earned two golds (Team, Pommel) and Daggett won gold (Team) and bronze (Pommel). Both teammates were inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame.
Advance tickets are recommended and can be purchased online at http://www.usa-sports.org/tickets.htm. Open seating. For more information, contact Karen Owoc at (925) 735-0700 or email karen.owoc@usa-sports.org. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. during warm-ups.
About USA Sports Management
Based in San Ramon, California since 2003, USA Sports Management, the host of the Pacific Coast Classic, is an event production company with the purpose of organizing promotional and competitive events to support Olympic sports and intercollegiate athletic programs.
Karen Owoc owns USA Sports Management and is also the creator of the Pacific Coast Classic. For more information, log on to http://www.usa-sports.org.
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Keywords · Pacific Coast Classic · NCAA mens gymnastics · Cal · Stanford · University of Iowa · ASU · UW
Name: Karen Owoc
Organization: USA Sports Management
Email:
Phone: 925-735-0700
URL: http://www.usa-sports.org
Please refer all questions to the company listed above issuing the press release. SFC will not be able to assist you with any inquiries and disclaims any content in these press releases.
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