Illinois can now claim the obscure fame of being the alma mater of the youngest champion in NCAA history. Illini gymnast and literal child Brandon Ngai, whose 18th birthday will be June 20, outperformed the nation's best collegiate gymnasts this past weekend in the pommel horse event at nationals, scoring a 15.450, which apparently is a great pommel horse score. The Illini as a team finished fourth, which is fine, though not ideal for a program that passes for a national powerhouse in the world of college gymnastics. Oklahoma won the national team title.
Ngai also holds the distinction of being the youngest athlete to ever compete for the Orange and Blue, when he competed last year in his freshman season.