Justin Spring

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[edit] Background

Justin Edward Spring (born March 11, 1984) is an American gymnast from Burke, Viriginia.

Currenly, Spring is entering his first season as a coach with the University of Illinois men's gymnastics program. Spring, one of the Illini's most talented gymnasts, finished his competitive career in 2006 and now looks to help lead the Orange and Blue to Big Ten and NCAA Championship titles in his new role on the coaching staff.

In 2006, Spring strung together one of the best seasons in Illinois gymnastics' history, which culminated in earning the 2006 George Nissen-Emery Award, an honor that goes to the top senior male gymnast in the nation. [[1]] A double titlist at the 2006 NCAAs, Spring took home the crown in the high bar and defended his title in parallel bars. In addition, he carded five total All-America honors with a second-place finish in all-around, third on floor exercise and fourth on vault.

Along with his individual honors, Spring helped the Illini to runner-up finishes at the 2006 NCAA and Big Ten Championships. The finish at NCAAs came half-a-point shy of team-champion Oklahoma, and just short of the Orange and Blue's 10th national title.

Overall, the Burke, Va., native is a four-time NCAA Champion, winning a pair of titles on high bar in both 2004 and 2006 and back-to-back crowns on parallel bars in 2005 and 2006. Along with his national recognition, Spring earned 2006 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year accolades after winning the all-around crown at the Big Ten Championships. In all, Spring finished his illustrious career being named to the All-Big Ten first team three times, grabbed Big Ten Gymnast of the Week laurels six times and earned Inside Gymnastics' NCAA Gymnast of the Week honors three times.

During his four-year career, Spring garnered three Big Ten Championships with titles on parallel bars and all-around in 2006 and on the floor exercise in 2004. Spring is a two-time recipient of the Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year award (2004, 2006), which goes to Illinois' top male and female athlete. A face and name that will forever be remembered in Illini record books, Spring left the Fighting Illini a 12-time All-American, the most since Abie Grossfeld earned 12 from 1957-59, and holds the Illinois record on the floor exercise, vault, parallel bars and high bar.

Spring's success has extended far beyond his honors in Big Ten and NCAA competition. He represented the U.S. at the 2005 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Melbourne, Australia on floor exercise, parallel bars and high bar as a member of the 2005 U.S. National Team. At 2005 World Championships, Spring finished 10th to qualify as a reserve on high bar and finished 12th on parallel bars. In 2005, Spring became the first Illini to ever win a U.S. National title with his two-day combined high bar score of 18.750, while also scoring a 9.500 on high bar at the 2005 American Cup to take home the silver medal behind only Olympic champion Paul Hamm. The Illini gymnast finished fourth on the high bar at the 2004 Visa U.S. Championships with scores of 9.600 and 9.650 in the two-day format, and competed for Team USA at the 2003 World University Games in Daegu, South Korea, advancing to the finals on floor. In 2006, Spring garnered a selection to the 2006 Men's World Championships team, but had to withdraw due to injury. Spring graduated from the University of Illinois in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in speech communication.

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[edit] International Career

• Three-time U.S. Senior National Team Member • 2005 U.S. World Championships Team Member • 2005 Visa U.S. Championships High Bar Champion • 2005 Winter Cup High Bar Champion • 2005 American Cup High Bar Silver Medalist • 2003 World University Games Team Member

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[edit] Collegiate Career

• 2006 Nissen-Emery Award winner • 2006 NCAA Parallel Bars Champion • 2006 NCAA High Bar Co-Champion • 2006 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year • 2006 Big Ten Parallel Bars Champion • 2006 Big Ten All-Around Champion • 2005 U.S. National High Bar Champion • 2005 NCAA Parallel Bars Champion • 2004 NCAA High Bar Champion • 2004 Big Ten Floor Exercise Champion • 12-time All-American • Three-time All-Big Ten Team Member • Six-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Week • Three-time Inside Gymnastics NCAA Gymnast of the Week • Two-time UI Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year (2004, 2006) • Illinois School Record Holder (FX, VT, PB, HB) • Two-Year Team Captain

http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-gym/mtt/spring_justin00.html

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