Huskers Announce Talented 2022 Men’s Gymnastics Signing Class

Huskers Announce Talented 2022 Men’s Gymnastic Signing Class

The Nebraska men’s gymnastics team added six gymnasts to the 2022 signing class. Head Coach Chuck Chmelka received six national letters of intent from Jack Critz, Asher Cohen, James Friedman, Toby Liang, Zac Tiderman, and Nathan York.

Jack Critz comes to Nebraska all the way from Huntington Beach, Calif., where he trained at SCATS Gymnastics under coach Grigor Chalikyan. Critz competed in the 2022 Junior Olympic National Championships where he placed first in the all-around competition, still rings, parallel bars, and the horizontal bar. He also earned a second-place finish on vault. 

Asher Cohen, a native of Lakewood, Colo., is set to join the Huskers after training at 5280 Gymnastics under coaches Vladmir Artemev, Sasha Artemev, and Irina Bendassova. Cohen competed at the 2021 USA Championships where he placed fourth on floor and pommel horse and 10th in the all-around competition. At the 2021 Junior Olympic National Championships, Cohen finished first on rings and eighth in the all-around competition. 

Toby Liang will join the Huskers from Roswell, Georgia, after training under coach Felippe Mendonça at Roswell Gymnastics. Liang was the runner-up in the all-around competition at the 2021 USA Championships and the 2021 National Championships. Liang also helped his team to a top-10 national finish in 2021.

Nathan York is set to join the 2022 signing class, a native of Plainfield, Illini., where he trained under Dave Masciola at Premier West Gymnastics. York qualified for the 2021 USA Championships, finishing third on pommel horse and fourth on horizontal bar and in the all-around competition. At the 2021 National Championships, York prevailed to earn fifth place on floor and sixth place on pommel horse. York was also named a 2020 Windy City Regional Team member.

James Friedman will join Nebraska next year as a transfer from the University of Iowa. Friedman is originally from Salem, Oregon. He will compete for the Iowa GymACT program for the 2022 season under coach Peyton Hobson. Friedman was a competitor for the Hawkeyes at the NCAA Championship Qualifiers where he earned his career-best score of 13.700 on the rings. Friedman also qualified as an individual to compete in the 2021 NCAA Finals on rings finishing with a 13.46. At the 2018 Junior Olympic National Championships, Friedman took home the title on still rings and in the all-around competition.

Zac Tiderman is set to compete for NU next year as a University of Iowa transfer. Originally from Wilsonville, Oregon, Tiderman competed at Omega Gymnastics under coach Seth Smart. Tiderman competed in one meet for the Hawkeyes before suffering from a season-ending injury. At the 2018 National Championships, Tiderman helped his team to a fourth-place finish. Tiderman placed third on vault at the 2018 USA Championships.