| 1948 | |
Bartlett Gymnasium, site of the 1948 NCAA gymnastics championships
| |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Collegiate gymnastics |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois |
| Date | March 27, 1948 |
| Administrator | National Collegiate Athletic Association |
| Host(s) | University of Chicago |
| Venue(s) | Bartlett Gymnasium |
| Participants | 10 teams[a] |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Penn State (1st title) |
| 1st runners-up | Temple |
| 2nd runners-up | Illinois |
| Tournament statistics | |
| All-Around Champion | Ray Sorensen, Penn State (1537) |
← 1942
1949 →
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The 1948 NCAA gymnastics championships were contested at the sixth annual National Collegiate Athletic Association-sanctioned men's gymnastics championships to determine the team and individual national champions of men's collegiate gymnastics among its member programs in the United States.[1] Due to the interruption of sporting events caused by World War II, these were the first championships held since 1942.
The championships were hosted by the University of ChicagoatBartlett GymnasiuminChicago, Illinois.[2] It was the location's 5th time hosting out of 6 total events, but following 1948 the championships would not return to Chicago until 2018.
Four-time defending champions Illinois, who won the last event in 1942, were bested by Gene Wettstone-led Penn State. It was the Nittany Lions' first team gymnastics championship.
The individual all-around championship was won by Ray Sorensen from Penn State.
The table below reflects the official NCAA record books. However, newspaper recaps of the event reported participation by Navy who scored 0 points.[3][4]
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
 |
Penn State | 55 |
 |
Temple | 34.5 |
 |
Illinois | 22.5 |
| 4 | Minnesota | 14 |
| 5 | California | 12 |
| 6 | Michigan | 7 |
| 7 | UCLA | 5.5 |
| 8 | Nebraska | 1.5 |
| 9 | Chicago | 1 |
| USC |
According to the NCAA record books, Free Exercise (now known as the Floor Exercise) did not award a championship in 1948. However, newspaper reports show the event taking place.[5]
| Event[5] | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual All-Around | Ray Sorensen, Penn State (1537) | William Bonsall, Penn State (1462) | Jim Peterson, Minnesota (1415.5) |
| Side Horse[b] | Steve Greene[c], Penn State (286) | Vito Zinzi, Illinois (283) | Joe Berenato, Temple (275) |
| Long Horse[d] | Jim Peterson, Minnesota (260.5) | William Vrettos, Chicago Vito Zinzi, Illinois (258.5) |
— |
| Parallel Bars | Ray Sorensen, Penn State (285) | Steve Greene[e], Penn State (280) | Bob Stout, Temple (273) |
| Horizontal Bar | Joe Calvetti, Illinois (269) | Jim Peterson, Minnesota (261.3) | William Bonsall, Penn State (259) |
| Trampoline | Gay Hughes[f], Illinois (266) | Charles Lucchesi, California (248) | Thomas Tillman, Michigan (247) |
| Tumbling | Charlie Thompson[g], California (269) | Bill Meade, Penn State (248) | Robert McKinney, Temple (233) |
| Rope Climb | Ken Foreman, USC (3.5 sec.) | Joseph Linn, Penn State (4.0 sec.) | George Hoffman, Navy (4.4 sec.) |
| Flying Rings | George Hayes, Temple (268) | William Bonsall, Penn State (266) | William Winnenberger, Temple (257) |
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