College Achievers: Stevenson graduate sets a high bar for Air Force gymnasts
Air Force senior Tai Gopaul, a graduate of Stevenson High School from Buffalo Grove, won the USA Gymnastics Collegiate Nationals high bar title on March 21 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado.
The last competitor of the event finals, Gopaul earned a score of 13.550 to win the apparatus. Gopaul’s score was just 0.050 points off his own Air Force record of 13.600 at the 2025 USAG Nationals team finals. He also tied for seventh on still rings in the individual finals.
In the 2026 team finals, Gopaul placed third on high bar, tied for fifth on floor exercise and finished seventh on rings to help Air Force win the team title.
A team captain for the Falcons, Gopaul earned the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s gymnast of the week award on March 24. His younger brother, Devin Gopaul, a freshman, is also an Air Force gymnast.
Two-time champ
Kelly Gorbatenko (Barrington) got the Wisconsin’s women’s hockey off to a fast start toward repeating as NCAA champions on March 22. The junior forward scored the Badgers’ first goal and assisted on the second in the 3-2 win over Ohio State. It was Wisconsin’s ninth title overall, most in the nation. Scoring 28 goals with 22 assists, Gorbatenko’s 50 points placed fourth on a team with six 2026 Olympic gold medalists. This season she scored 4 goals against St. Cloud State, had a hat trick against Quinnipiac, and also made the Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic Team a second straight year.
Sweet backhander
Also at Wisconsin, on the men’s team, Jack Horbach had only 2 goals on the season, but the Naperville native’s third goal helped the Badgers win their first NCAA Tournament game since 2010. On March 26 against Dartmouth the senior forward’s backhand shot, triggered by a steal from sophomore defenseman Jack Phelan (Hinsdale Central), snapped a 1-1 third-period tie and led to a 5-1 Wisconsin win. On Saturday Wisconsin beat Michigan State 4-3 in overtime to reach the Frozen Four.
Nicely done
Ohio State redshirt freshman Ben Davino (St. Charles East) finished second at 133 pounds at the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 21 in Cleveland. The No. 2 seed, Davino (31-2) went unbeaten through four matches until No. 1 Jax Forrest of Oklahoma State won on a 5-2 decision in the final. At the Big Ten Conference championships, Davino went 4-0 to win the 133-pound title and was named Big Ten freshman of the year.
Likewise, Iowa senior Mikey Caliendo (Batavia), the No. 3 seed at 165 pounds, placed second by technical fall to his familiar nemesis and the bracket’s top seed, Penn State’s Mitch Mesenbrink. It was the second straight year Mesenbrink defeated Caliendo in the NCAA championship match. In four seasons including his redshirt freshman year at North Dakota State, Caliendo earned All-America honors each time, and recorded a combined record of 103-19.
Top of their game
Illinois State was rolling. The men’s basketball team and freshman Ty’Reek Coleman (Waubonsie Valley) advanced to the NIT semifinals, while two Redbirds baseball players reaped awards.
Junior right-handed pitcher Michael Addari (Libertyville) earned Missouri Valley Conference pitcher of the week after striking out seven Belmont batters in 5 innings and dropping his ERA to a league-leading 1.04. On Saturday Addari threw 1-hit ball through 5 innings. Illinois State sophomore outfielder Brayden Bakes (Huntley) earned MVC player of the week, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association co-hitter of the week and Baseball America Team of the Week honors after going 12-for-18 with 5 home runs, 8 runs scored, 13 RBI, and 30 total bases.