May 26, 2008

HOUSTON - Tim McNeill, a four-year letterwinner for the Golden Bears, earned a spot on the U.S. Senior Team after a strong performance at the U.S. Visa Championships over the weekend. Ten other gymnasts qualified for the team based on their points earned at the meet, and four others - including McNeill - were selected by the Men's Program Committee. The gymnasts will compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Philadelphia on July 19-22.

"I think this is great for Tim," California head coach Barry Weiner said. "He made some mistakes on day one, which put a lot of pressure on him for the second day. He hit every routine on day two - he showed steadiness and combined with him competing in the all-around and the points he earned on his best events - it all enabled him to make the team."

McNeill took silver on pommel horse, an event on which he has won three NCAA individual titles. The Falls Church, Va., native finished 10th in the all-around. Also representing Cal at the meet were graduated seniors Kyle Brady, Tyler Block and incoming senior Kyson Bunthuwong. Brady's best event was rings, where he was ninth after two days with 30.000 points. Block was 11th on rings and finished 14th on both parallel bars and horizontal bar. Bunthuwong closed out the competition 11th in the all-round and was sixth on h-bar.

"Kyson was fifth in the all-around the first day, and was the talk of the meet in the group of younger guys," Weiner said. "Most of the guys on the national team are in their mid to late 20s so for him to garner the attention he did speaks volumes about his talent."

Cal recruit Glen Ishino claimed the junior men's all-around titles in the 16-18 year-old division at the Visa Championships. Ishino signed a national letter of intent with Cal last fall. The Santa Ana, Calif., native also claimed four individual event titles.

2008 Visa Championships Senior men's final results
Cal participants

All-around
10. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 175.600
11. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 173.550

Floor exercise
13. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 29.300
15. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 29.050

Pommel horse
2. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 29.900
12. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 28.100

Still rings
9. Kyle Brady, Monterey, Calif., 30.000
11. Tyler Block, Kensington, Calif., 29.650
15. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 29.300
16. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 29.250

Vault
17. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 30.850
23. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 30.300

Parallel bars
14. Tyler Block, Kensington, Calif., 29.200
16. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 29.000
31. Kyle Brady, Monterey, Calif., 27.700
35. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 27.400

Horizontal bar
6. Kyson Bunthuwong, El Cerrito, Calif., 29.400
14. Tyler Block, Kensington, Calif., 28.300
24. Tim McNeill, Falls Church, Va., 27.300