Oklahoma Men's Gymnastics

2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 2008EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS 1977 | 1978 | 1991 | 2002 | 2003 | 2005 | 2006 | 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

2009 SCHEDULE SOONERS SEEK NINTH NATIONAL TITLE

DAY....DATE...... OPPONENT...... LOCATION...... TIME/ RESULTS NORMAN, Okla.-- After finishing second at the MPSF Championship the No. 2 Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team heads to Minneapolis, Minn., in search of the program’s ninth Sat...... Jan. 10...... Rocky Mountain Open...... Colorado Springs, Colo...... First, 355.000 national title. The 2009 NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships will take place April 16-18 at Sports Pavilion on the campus of University of Minnesota. Sun...... Jan. 18...... Nebraska...... Lincoln, Neb...... W (354.300-337.600) “Hopefully, all the teams will be ready to go at it and have a great competition,” said head Sat...... Jan. 31 ...... TEXAS...... NORMAN...... W (349.050-304.950) coach Mark Williams. “Our intention is to be familiar with the surroundings and not be intimidated by going in there to compete for a national championship.” Thurs...... Feb. 5-7...... Winter Cup...... Las Vegas, Nev...... Individual Results The 2009 NCAA Championships will begin on Thursday, April 16 with two qualifying Sat...... Feb. 21...... IOWA...... NORMAN...... W (354.250-336.000) sessions at 1 and 7 p.m. (CDT). The Sooners will compete in session two with No. 3 Illinois, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Minnesota, No. 10 Illinois-Chicago, and No. 11 Iowa. The top three Sat...... Feb. 28...... NEBRASKA...... NORMAN...... W (358.300-342.400) teams from each session will earn berths in Friday night’s team and all-around Finals, scheduled for a 7 p.m. start. Individual national champions will be determined at the event Sat...... March 7...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... Minneapolis, Minn...... W (357.850-356.400) finals on Saturday night at 7 p.m. APRIL 16-18, 2009 | NEWS AND NOTES 2009 | NEWS APRIL 16-18, Sat...... March 14...... OHIO STATE...... NORMAN...... W (357.450-353.150) The Sooners have previously competed this year at the site of the 2009 National Champion- ship in Minneapolis, Minn. when they faced No. 1 Stanford and No. 7 Minnesota. Oklahoma Sat...... March 21...... PENN STATE ...... NORMAN...... W (366.850-356.300) won the meet with a team score of 357.850. Sophomore Steven Legendre claimed the event title on vault with a 16.200 and senior co-captain Chris Brooks claimed the high bar Sat...... April 4...... MPSF Conference Meet.....Palo Alto, Calif...... Second (358.350) title with a 15.100 and the all-around with career high score of 90.200.

Thurs...... April 16...... NCAA Team Qualifiers...... Minneapolis, Minn...... 7 p.m. “The fact that we competed at Minnesota, put it on a neutral floor for both Stanford and ourselves. I was encouraged by the competition we had there earlier this year, where we did Fri...... April 17...... NCAA Team Finals...... Minneapolis, Minn...... 7 p.m. well,” said head coach Mark Williams.

Sat...... April 18...... NCAA Event Finals...... Minneapolis, Minn...... 7 p.m. In 2008, Oklahoma won its eighth National Championship and now owns the most titles of any OU athletics program. Jonathan Horton, became the Sooners’ sixth Nissen-Emery Award winner and earned All-America status on three events (AA, SR, PB) to bring his career SETTING THE SCENE total to 18, a program record.

2009 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS The Sooners have won five of the last seven NCAA crowns, all under Williams.

WHAT: 2009 NCAA Championships SOONER GYMNAST TO WATCH WHERE: Sports Pavilion; Minneapolis, Minn. STEVEN LEGENDRE WHEN: April 16-18, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. (CST)

LIVE SCORES: Saturday night’s meet will be broadcast live on Minnesota All-Access. Fans can access the feed on the Web Casts page by going to www.gophersports.com

TICKETS: All-session adult tickets, which include four competition sessions, are priced at $35, with all-session student tickets available for $25. Single-session tickets are priced at $15 for adults and $8 for students. Special single-session packages for groups of 15 or more are also available and are priced at $5 per ticket.

Sophomore Steven Legendre won individual national championships on floor exercise and vault, earning All-America honors on both events as well as on high bar, at the 2008 National Championships.

Legendre became just the fourth Sooner to earn multiple NCAA titles in a season and the first freshman in school history to win national crowns on at least two events. The official site of OU Athletics supplies Sooner fans worldwide with the latest news and fea- tures on Oklahoma athletics direct from Norman. The site provides the latest press releases, rosters, bios, schedules, statistics, notes, quotes, athlete blogs, photo galleries and audio and video available to both Sooner fans and the media.

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

ALPHABETICAL ROSTER AND PRONUNCIATIONS

Name Yr. Ht. Hometown (High School) (Club) Pronunciation Chris Brooks Sr. 5-8 Houston, Texas (Cypress Creek HS) (Houston North Gymnastics) Garrett Carr Jr. 5-11 Mandeville, La. (Fountainbleau HS) (Aces) Chad Crumley Fr. 5-11 Long Grove, Ill. (Stevenson HS) (Buffalo Grove Gymnastics Center) CRUHM-lee Russell Czeschin Sr. 6-3 Independence, Mo. (Fort Osage HS) (Great American Gymnastics Express) shuh-SHEEN Corey English Jr. 5-7 Covington, La. (St. Paul’s HS) (Mandeville Sports Complex) David Finning Fr. 5-4 Claremore, Okla. (Cy Falls HS) (Cypress Academy) C.J. Grimes So. 5-5 Ulysses, Kan. (Ulysses HS) (Littlestar Gymnastics) Ian Jackson Jr. 5-6 Harrisburg, Pa. (Central Dauphin HS) (Artistic Sports Academy Plus) Jason Laughton Sr. 5-6 Northridge, Calif. (Sunland Christian School) (SCATS Gymnastics) lawton Steven Legendre So. 5-6 Port Jefferson, N.Y. (Spring Creek Academy) (World Olympic Gymnastics Academy) la-ZHAHN-druh Benjamin Mayer Fr. 5-10 Houston, Texas (Home School) (Cypress Academy) MAY-er Kyle McNamara Sr. 5-7 Littleton, Colo. (Heritage HS) (5280 Gymnastics) MAC-nuh-mare-uh Jacob Messina Sr. 5-6 Matthews, N.C. (East Mecklenburg HS) (G&J Speedway) Troy Nitzky Fr. 5-6 Southampton, Pa. (William Tennent HS) (Temple Boys Gymnastics) Anthony Naddour So. 5-11 Gilbert, Ariz. (Highland HS) (USA Flairs) na-DOOR Patrick Piscitelli Fr. 5-11 Charlotte, N.C. (Charlotte Catholic HS) (G & J Speedway) PISK-uh-telly Reed Pitts Jr. 5-9 Allen, Texas (Allen HS) (Eagle’s Wings Athletics) Bobby Shortle So. 5-2 Brunswick, Ohio (Brunswick HS) (Gym World) SHORT-uhl

APRIL 16-18, 2009 | ROSTER, NEWS AND NOTES AND NOTES 2009 | ROSTER, NEWS APRIL 16-18, Head Coach Mark Williams 10th Season Nebraska, 1980 Assistant Coach Rustam Sharipov Fourth Season Kharkov State, 1997 roos-TOM SHARE-ee-pahv Assistant Coach Daniel Furney Fourth Season Oklahoma, 2004 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY AND NOTES

2008 NCAA CHAMPIONS 2003 NCAA CHAMPIONS 1977 NCAA CHAMPIONS HOSTED BY STANFORD UNIVERSITY HOSTED BY TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSTED BY ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY The Sooners won their fifth title in the last seven season The Sooners won their second straight title in 2003 under Four years into the Paul Ziert era, OU won its first national while finishing the season 28-1. Senior Jonathan Horton Mark Williams with a perfect 26-0 record. Daniel Furney title. The Sooners (7-1) tied Indiana State for the national won the still rings title while freshmen Steven Legendre (Nissen Award winner) was the all-around and parallel bars crown. It remains the only tie in NCAA team captured the floor and vault titles. The Sooners rounded out champion. Josh Landis won titles on the floor and pommel championship history. the 2008 season with 11 All-America honors, second highest horse. in the nation. Total National Championships... 2002 NCAA CHAMPIONS Penn State (12) 2006 NCAA CHAMPIONS HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA Illinois (9) HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA OU won its fourth national championship on its home floor OKLAHOMA (8) OU won its fourth NCAA crown in five years while after suffering just one defeat in the 2002 season. The Nebraska (8) compiling a perfect 31-0 record. Jonathan Horton captured Sooners, guided by Mark Williams, went 28-1 one year after *Southern Illinois (4), California (4) the all-around, as well as individual titles on the parallel finishing as NCAA runners-up. *Iowa State (3), Michigan (3), Ohio State (3), Stanford (3) bars and high bar. The Sooners again led the nation in All- *Florida State (2), * UCLA (2) America honors, setting a school record with 14 honorees. 1991 NCAA CHAMPIONS HOSTED BY PENN STATE UNIVERSITY * indicates school no longer sponsors a men’s gymnastics 2005 NCAA CHAMPIONS Head coach Greg Buwick produced OU’s third national title program HOSTED BY THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY and his first of three Nissen Award winners with Jarrod The Sooners won their third title in four years under Mark Hanks in 1991. Buwick’s Sooners went 15-1 and also won A Perennial Title Contender... Williams, finishing 21-2 on the season and leading the na- the Big Eight title. Since 2000, The University of Oklahoma men’s gymnastics tion with 13 All-America honors. David Henderson was the program is the only collegiate men’s gymnastics program to still rings champion and Jonathan Horton brought home five 1978 NCAA CHAMPIONS4 finish in the top four every year at the NCAA Championships. All-America honors. HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON Head Coach Paul Ziert and the Sooners won their second Since their fourth-place finish in 2000, the Sooners have straight national title with a 10-1 season. OU was led by finished no lower than second in their quest for the national All-American Bart Conner who won his second straight title under head coach Mark Williams. all-around title.

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977

OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES

Season Superlatives... A Tradition of Championship ... NEWS AND NOTES | RELEASE NO. 10 Chris Brooks ... Set Oklahoma record on vault with a score of 16.450 against Texas club team Since the creation of collegiate men’s gymnastics (1953), only seven current teams have won ... Earned a spot on U. S. Senior National Team. consecutive national championships.

Chad Crumley ... Broke career high on rings with a 13.150 in home win against Nebraska. Oklahoma is the only men’s gymnastics program to have won two straight or more on three separate occasions. Russell Czeschin ... Set career high and won event title on vault with a score of 16.100 in win over Iowa ... Claimed event title on floor braking previous career high with a score of Penn State and Nebraska are the only schools to win three or more straight titles. After win- 15.700 in win over Ohio State. ning back-to-back titles in 1953 and 1954, Penn State won three in a row from 1959 to 1961. Nebraska ran an impressive string of four straight titles from 1979-1982. OU’s eight national Corey English ...Won pommel horse with a career high score of 14.900 and tied for third on championships ties Nebraska for third all-time behind Penn State (11) and Illinois (9). parallel bars (14.600) at the Rocky Mountain Open ... Consecutive NCAA Titles (years)... David Finning ... Broke career high on floor with a score of 14.550 in win over Minnesota and Penn State (1953-1954, 1959-1961) Stanford. Set a career high on high bar with a score of 14.500 in a win over Penn State. Illinois (1955-1956) *Southern Illinois (1966-1967) Ian Jackson ... Won rings with a score of 15.300 and finished third on vault (15.650) and Michigan (1969-1970) parallel bars (14.600) at the Rocky Mountain Open. *Iowa State (1973-1974) Nebraska (1979-1982) Jason Laughton ... Broke career high and won event title on pommel horse with a team Stanford (1992-1993) season high score of 15.000 in home win against Nebraska ... Broke career high on parallel California (1997-1998) bars with a score of 14.550 in win over Ohio State. OKLAHOMA (1977-1978, 2002-2003, 2005-06)

Steven Legendre ...Earned a spot on U.S. Senior National Team ... Claimed four indidual * indicates school no longer sponsors a men’s gymnastics program titles to win all-around while posting OU record 16.500 on vault and breaking three career marks on vault, parallel bars and all-around in home win against Nebraska . Oklahoma On Top of the Rankings... The Sooners topped the Gyminfo poll for seven weeks this season and did not drop down Kyle McNamara ... Placed second on parallel bars (14.850) and third on rings (14.800) in lower than No. 2 for the entire 2009 season. Nebraska win ... Came in first on rings (14.900) and posted a career high on vault (16.000) against Texas club team. Current Gym Info Rankings... 1. Stanford 9. Nebraska Jacob Messina ... Won parallel bars (14.900) and pommel horse (14.800) while scoring a 2. OKLAHOMA 10. Illinois-Chicago career high on pommel horse in win over Iowa ... Set career highs on pommel horse (14.900) 3. Illinois 11. Iowa and rings (15.450) placing first on rings and tying for second on pommel in a win over Penn State. 4. Michigan 12. Navy 5. California 13. Williams and Mary Anthony Naddour ... Finished third on floor (13.650), pommel horse (14.150) and rings 6. Ohio State 14. Temple (14.450) in first action of the season as a Sooner ... Set a career high on rings with a score of 7. Minnesota 15. Air Force 15.150, tying for third on the event in a win over Penn State. 8. Penn State

Patrick Piscitelli ... Tied for second on rings (15.150) and finished third on floor (14.650) at Individual National Title Under Williams... the Rocky Mountain Open. Under head coach Mark Williams, six University of Oklahoma gymnasts have been responsible for 14 NCAA individual national championships. The Sooners have a total of 27 title winners Bobby Shortle ... Broke career high on vault placing fourth with a score of 16.050 in win over in the history of the program. Minnesota and Stanford ... Set a career high on vault with a score of 16.100, placing third on the event in a win over Penn State. Jonathan Horton (2008)...... Still Rings Steven Legendre (2008)...... Floor Exercise, Vault Legendre Captures MPSF Vault Title... Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons(2007)...... All-Around Sophomore Steven Legendre finished first on vault with a 16.450 helping the Sooners claim Jonathan Horton (2007)...... Floor Exercise, High Bar their single team event title on vault (64.350). Oklahoma finished second at the MPSF Cham- Jonathan Horton (2006)...... All-Around, Floor Exercise, Still Rings pionship on April 4. It was the first time since 2004 that OU didn’t win the conference crown. David Henderson (2005)...... Still Rings Daniel Furney (2003)...... All-Around, Parallel Bars Sooners Break NCAA Scoring Record Again... No. 2 Oklahoma posted a NCAA scoring record with a 366.850 on March 21 against No. 8 Penn Brooks Named Nissen Emery Finalist... State on senior night. OU broke its own record (364.600) which happened to be recorded on Senior co-captain Chris Brooks was named a finalist for the Nissen Emery Award on March 24. senior night in 2008. The Sooners swept all event titles by scoring team event highs on March This season, Brooks was named a U.S. Senior Natonal Team Member and has won 10 event 21 on floor (62.150), pommel horse (59.250), rings (60.850), vault (64.650), parallel bars titles, three being for the all-around competition. (59.950) and high bar (60.000). Since the award’s inception, Oklahoma has claimed a nation-leading six Nissen honorees: Sooners Finish Undefeated for Third Time... Bart Conner (1981), Jarrod Hanks (1991), Dan Fink (1998), Todd Bishop (1999), Daniel Furney Oklahoma went undefeated with a 12-0 record in the regular season for the third time under (2003) and Jonathan Horton (2008). Williams. The Sooners have finished undefeated three times in the past 10 years (2003, 2006, 2009).

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

The following is an event-by-event comparison of the top six teams in the final GymInfo standings. National Qualifying Averages are in parentheses.

GymInfo Rankings

Team Ranking No. 1 (359.920) No. 4 (354.130) No. 5 (353.970) No. 8 (346.430) No. 9 (341.930) No. 12 (337.160) Top All-Arounder Sho Nakamori Chris Cameron Glen Ishino Noam Shaham John Robinson Dylan Parrott No. 2 (89.530) No. 4 (88.800) No. 6 (87.360) No. 11 (83.100) No. 3 (82.650) No. 10 (83.310)

Floor Ranking No. 2 (61.040) No. 4 (59.760) No. 6 (59.580) No. 5 (59.680) No. 10 (57.670) No. 13 (56.320) Top Individual Josh Dixon Chris Cameron Kyson Bunthuwong Casey Sandy Josh Dilworth Dylan Parrott No. 1 (15.770) No. 7 (15.225) No. 9 (15.190) No. 11 (15.090) No. 26 (14.790) No. 26 (14.790)

Pommel Horse No. 3 (57.740) No. 2 (58.450) No. 6 (55.910) No. 14 (53.790) No. 9 (55.080) No. 10 (55.050) Ranking Sho Nakamori Chris Cameron Glen Ishino Casey Sandy T.J. Schmidt Joseph Atzenbeck Top Individual No. 4 (14.880) No. 3 (15.070) No. 20 (14.300) No. 2 (14.400) No. 7 (14.760) No. 23 (14.160)

Still rings Ranking No. 1 (60.930) No. 4 (59.460) No. 5 (59.420) No. 8 (57.860) No. 7 (58.750) No. 14 (55.580) Top Individual Bryant Hadden Phillip Goldberg Evan Roth Noam Shaham Tony Maras Adam Stanton No. 1 (15.450) No. 8 (15.105) No. 7 (15.120) No. 26 (14.705) No. 19 (14.850) No. 48 (14.240)

Vault Ranking No. 2 (63.440) No. 9 (61.390) No. 6 (62.070) No. 5 (62.200) No. 10 (61.340) No. 15 (60.330) Top Individual Josh Dixon Ben Baldus-Strauss Kyle Bunthuwong Nick Virbitsky John Robinson Andrew Faulk No. 4 (16.060) No. 25 (15.495) No. 13 (15.620) No. 11 (15.690) No. 36 (15.320) No. 20 (15.570) APRIL 16-18, 2009 | 2009 TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL RANKING 2009 | TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL APRIL 16-18,

Parallel Bars No. 2 (58.680) No. 5 (59.760) No. 1 (59.030) No. 8 (56.400) No. 9 (55.520) No. 14 (54.710) Ranking Sho Nakamori Chris Cameron Kyle Bunthuwong Casey Sandy John Robinson Adam Stanton Top Individual No. 1 (15.410) No. 8 (14.650) No. 2 (15.020) No. 10 (14.600) No. 32 (14.000) No. 39 (13.870)

High Bar Ranking No. 1 (59.090) No. 2 (58.340) No. 5 (57.940) No. 6 (57.650) No. 12 (55.520) No. 8 (56.390) Top Individual Josh Dixon Thomas Kelley Kyle Bunthuwong Shaun Antonio Kyle Shanahan Dylan Parrott No. 3 (14.950) No. 1 (15.235) No. 9 (14.750) No. 11 (14.490) No. 25 (14.230) No. 6 (14.840)

OKLAHOMA NATIONAL EVENT RANKINGS BY NATIONAL QUALIFYING AVERAGE -- FLOOR, POMMEL HORSE, RINGS

NOTE: The NQA is computed by selecting the four highest regular-season scores, counting no more than two home meets, and the highest of these scores will be dropped. The conference meet score will be doubled and added to the three remaining regular-season scores. The average of these five scores, which includes the doubled conference score, will be the national qualifying average. The conference score will count 40 percent and the regular season scores will count 60 percent.

Event Gymnast Rank NQA Event Gymnast Rank NQA Event Gymnast Rank NQA FX...... Steven Legendre...... 2...... 15.560 PH...... Corey English...... 06...... 14.810 SR...... Steven Legendre...... 9...... 15.010 FX...... Chris Brooks...... 6...... 15.280 PH...... Jacob Messina...... 22...... 14.190 SR...... Kyle McNamara...... 15...... 14.930 FX...... Bobby Shortle...... 17...... 14.960 PH...... Chris Brooks...... 26...... 14.020 SR...... Chris Brooks...... 16...... 14.900 FX...... Patrick Piscitelli...... 24...... 14.790 PH...... Jason Laughton...... 32...... 13.950 SR...... Patrick Piscitelli ...... 38...... 14.450 FX...... Russell Czeschin...... 33...... 14.660 PH...... Steven Legendre...... 59...... 13.280

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977

The following is an event-by-event comparison of the top six teams in the final GymInfo standings. National Qualifying Averages are in parentheses. 2009 TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL RANKING | RELEASE NO. 10

GymInfo Rankings

Team Ranking No. 2 (357.570) No. 3 (355.960) No. 6 (349.870) No. 7 (348.250) No. 11 (337.790) No. 10 (339.030) Top All-Arounder Chris Brooks Paul Ruggeri Jake Bateman D.J. Repp N/A Andrew Stover No. 1 (89.640) No. 7 (86.230) No. 5 (87.960) No. 17 (81.210) No. 9 (83.900)

Floor Ranking No. 2 (61.040) No. 3 (59.970) No. 8 (59.070) No. 7 (59.460) No. 9 (57.790) No. 15 (55.730) Top Individual Steven Legendre Paul Ruggeri Eddie Hay Adam Reichow Geoff Reins Jeffrey Bill No. 2 (15.560) No. 5 (15.300) No. 14 (15.050) No. 18 (14.950) No. 8 (15.210) No. 56 (14.010)

Pommel Horse No. 5 (57.040) No. 1 (59.870) No. 7 (55.740) No. 4 (57.050) No. 13 (54.080) No. 11 (55.050) Ranking Coery English Daniel Ribeiro Ty Echard Kit Beikmann Mike Jiang Neal Thompson Top Individual No. 6 (14.810) No. 1 (15.600) No. 4 (14.410) No. 4 (14.880) No. 28 (13.990) No. 13 (14.450)

Still Rings Ranking No. 3 (60.000) No. 6 (58.840) No. 2 (60.310) No. 11 (57.190) No. 15 (55.410) No. 9 (57.430) Top Individual Steven Legendre Tyler Williamson Brandon Wynn Russell Dabritz Reid Urbain Nikolai Korepanov No. 9 (15.010) No. 12 (14.970) No. 4 (15.240) No. 32 (14.610) No. 41 (14.380) No. 5 (15.210)

Vault Ranking No. 1 (64.200) No. 7 (61.960) No. 3 (62.310) No. 4 (62.270) No. 8 (61.190) No. 12 (60.860) Top Individual Steven Legednre Paul Ruggeri Pejman Ebrahimi Cole Storer Geoff Reins Bobby Solomon No. 1 (16.360) No. 10 (15.720) No. 13 (15.620) No. 9 (15.800) No. 2 (16.125) No. 50 (15.200)

Parallel Bars No. 3 (58.560) No. 4 (58.310) No. 7 (56.880) No. 6 (57.190) No. 12 (54.810) No. 13 (54.770) Ranking Steven Legendre Paul Ruggeri Jake Bateman Russell Dabritz Jonathan Buese Neal Thompson Top Individual No. 7 (14.680) No. 5 (14.790) No. 12 (14.560) No. 4 (14.870) No. 41 (13.850) No. 21 (14.320)

High Bar Ranking No. 3 (58.010) No. 4 (57.980) No. 10 (56.120) No. 7 (56.670) No. 15 (53.360) No. 9 (56.250) Top Individual Chris Brooks Paul Ruggeri Jake Bateman Aaron Fortunato Paul Ruggeri Thomas Kelley No. 4 (14.930) No. 2 (14.975) No. 10 (14.500) No. 13 (14.440) No. 1 (14.900) No. 17 (14.270)

OKLAHOMA NATIONAL EVENT RANKINGS BY NATIONAL QUALIFYING AVERAGE -- VAULT, PARALLEL BARS, HIGH BAR

Event Gymnast Rank NQA Event Gymnast Rank NQA Event Gymnast Rank NQA V...... Steven Legendre...... 1...... 16.360 PB...... Steven Legendre...... 7...... 14.680 HB...... Chris Brooks...... 4...... 14.930 V...... Chris Brooks...... 3...... 16.110 PB...... Chris Brooks...... 8...... 14.650 HB...... Jake Messina...... 12...... 14.440 V...... Russell Czeschin...... 6...... 15.950 PB...... Jacob Messina...... 13...... 14.550 HB...... Steven Legendre...... 18...... 14.340 V...... Bobby Shortle...... 8...... 15.870 PB...... Corey English...... 16...... 14.500 HB...... Jason Laughton...... 19...... 14.300 PB...... Jason Laughton...... 25...... 14.200 HB...... Kyle McNamara...... 54...... 13.650 PB...... Kyle McNamara...... 34...... 13.950 HB...... Patrick Piscitelli...... 107...... 8.310

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

FLOOR EXERCISE Top Individual VAULT Top Individual National Event Ranking: 2 Legendre, 15.560 National Event Rank: 1 Legendre, 16.360 Average Score: 61.040 Ranked No. 2 Average Score: 64.200 Ranked No. 1

With a No. 2 national ranking on floor going into the postseason. OU has two top 10 gym- Currently ranked No. 1 on the event, OU has four gymnasts ranked in the top 10 in the top 20 nasts with Steven Legendre and Chris Brooks ranked second and sixth, respectively. poll. Oklahoma posted a school-record 64.350 to claim the conference event title on April 4.

Top Scores: Legendre, 15.560 | Brooks, 15.280 Top Scores: Legendre, 16.360 | Brooks, 16.110 APRIL 16-18, 2009 | 2009 EVENT RANKING AND REVIEW 2009 | EVENT RANKING APRIL 16-18,

POMMEL HORSE Top Individual PARALLEL BARS Top Individual National Event Rank: 5 English, 14.810 National Event Rank: 3 Legendre, 14.680 Average Score: 57.040 Ranked No. 6 Average Score: 58.560 Ranked No. 7

The Sooners shattered the program record of 56.850 on pommel horse by posting a score Oklahoma currently has four gymnasts in the GymInfo top 20. OU received a career marks of 59.250 against No. 6 Penn State on March 21. Oklahoma currently has three gymnasts come from junior Corey English on parallel bars with a score of 14.950 in a win against No. 6 ranked in the top 20 with Corey English (6), Jake Messina (22) and Chris Brooks (26). Penn State.

Top Scores: English, 14.810 | Messina, 14.190 Top Scores: Legendre, 14.680 | Brooks, 14.650

STILL RINGS Top Individual HIGH BAR Top Individual National Event Rank: 3 Legendre, 15.010 National Event Rank: 3 Brooks, 14.930 Average Score: 60.000 Ranked No. 9 Average Score: 58.010 Ranked No. 4

OU posted a season-high score on rings with a score of 60.850 with the help of senior co- Senior Chris Brooks is currently ranked No. 4 in the nation on the event with an average captain Jacob Messina claimed the event title against Penn State while setting a career high score of 15.083. Brooks posted a career-high 15.550 against No. 6 Penn State on March 21. on rings with a score of 15.450. The Sooners recorded a season high score of 60.000 against Penn State as well.

Top Scores: Legendre, 15.010 | McNamara, 14.930 Top Scores: Brooks, 14.930 | Messina, 14.440

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977

2009 INDIVIDUAL EVENT TITLES 2009 TEAM EVENT TITLES

STEVEN LEGENDRE (23) FLOOR (6) EVENT AND TEAM TITLES | RELEASE NO. 10 Floor Exercise (5): Rocky Mountain Open, 15.350, 1/10/09; vs. Texas, 15.500, 1/31/09; Rocky Mountain Open, 59.300, 1/10/09; vs. Nebraska, 58.600, 1/18/09; vs. Iowa, 15.650, 2/21/09; vs. Nebraska, 15.800, 2/28/09; vs. Penn State, 16.000, 3/21/09 vs. Texas, 57.650, 1/31/09; vs. Iowa, 60.650, 2/21/09; vs Nebraska, 59.750, 2/28/09; vs. Ohio State, 61.800, 3/14/09; vs. Penn State, 62.150, 3/21/09 Vault (5): Rocky Mountain Open, 15.900, 1/10/09; vs. Nebraska, 16.300, 1/18/09; vs. Nebraska, 16.500, 2/28/09; vs Stanford/Minnesota, 16.200, 3/7/09; POMMEL HORSE (7) vs. Penn State, 16.400, 3/21/09; MPSF Championship, 16.450, 4/4/09 Rocky Mountain Open, 56.800, 1/10/09; vs. Nebraska, 55.750, 1/18/09; vs. Texas, 56.650, 1/31/09; vs. Iowa, 57.050, 2/21/09; vs Nebraska, 57.750, 2/28/09; Parallel Bars (5): Rocky Mountain Open, 14.950, 1/10/09; vs. Texas, 15.200, 1/31/09; vs Stanford/Minnesota, 57.150, 3/7/09; vs. Penn State, 59.250, 3/21/09 vs. Nebraska, 15.150, 2/28/09; vs. Ohio State, 14.900, 3/14/09; vs. Penn State, 15.100, 3/21/09 STILL RINGS (7) Rocky Mountain Open, 60.750, 1/10/09; vs. Nebraska, 58.600, 1/18/09; High Bar (3): Rocky Mountain Open, 14.700, 1/10/09; vs. Iowa, 15.150, 2/21/09; vs. Texas, 57.850, 1/31/09; vs. Iowa, 58.550, 2/21/09; vs Nebraska, 59.650, 2/28/09; vs. Ohio State, 14.800, 3/14/09 vs Stanford/Minnesota, 59.050, 3/7/09; vs. Ohio State, 63.150, 3/14/09; vs. Penn State, 60.850, 3/21/09 Still Rings (2): vs. Nebraska, 14.900, 1/18/09; vs. Nebraska, 15.150, 2/28/09 VAULT (9) All-Around (2): Rocky Mountain Open, 89.400, 1/10/09; vs. Penn State, 92.250, 3/21/09 Rocky Mountain Open, 62.650, 1/10/09; vs. Nebraska, 63.600, 1/18/09; vs. Texas, 63.550, 1/31/09; vs. Iowa, 64.000, 2/21/09; vs Nebraska, 64.500, 2/28/09; JACOB MESSINA (4) vs Stanford/Minnesota, 64.200, 3/7/09; vs. Penn State, 64.650, 3/21/09; Pommel Horse (1): vs. Iowa, 14.800, 2/21/09 MPSF Championship, 64.350, 4/4/09

Parallel Bars (1): vs. Iowa, 14.900, 2/21/09 PARALLEL BAR (7) Rocky Mountain Open, 58.600, 1/10/09; vs. Nebraska, 59.300, 1/18/09; High Bar (1): vs. Nebraska, 14.650, 2/28/09 vs. Texas, 58.000, 1/31/09; vs. Iowa, 57.600, 2/21/09; vs Nebraska, 59.100, 2/28/09; vs. Ohio State, 58.850, 3/14/09; vs. Penn State, 59.950, 3/21/09 Rings (1): vs. Penn State, 15.450, 3/21/09 HIGH BAR (7) COREY ENGLISH (2) Rocky Mountain Open, 56.900, 1/10/09; vs. Nebraska, 58.450, 1/18/09; Pommel Horse (2): Rocky Mountain Open, 14.900, 1/10/09; vs. Texas, 14.500, 1/31/09 vs. Texas, 55.350, 1/31/09; vs. Iowa, 56.400, 2/21/09; vs Nebraska, 57.550, 2/28/09; vs. Ohio State, 58.100, 3/14/09; vs. Penn State, 60.000, 3/21/09 IAN JACKSON (1) Still Rings (1): Rocky Mountain Open, 15.300, 1/10/09

RUSSELL CZESCHIN (2) Vault (1): vs. Iowa, 16.100, 2/21/09 Floor (1): vs. Ohio State, 15.700, 3/14/09

BOBBY SHORTLE (1) Floor Exercise (1): vs. Nebraska, 14.900, 1/18/09

CHRIS BROOKS (10) Vault (2): vs. Texas, 16.450, 1/31/09; vs. Ohio State, 16.150, 3/14/09

Parallel Bars (1): vs. Nebraska, 15.300, 1/18/09

Still Rings (1): vs. Iowa, 14.800, 2/21/09 Sweeping the Competition... Oklahoma swept event titles a total of six times this season (Rocky Mountain Open, High Bar (4): vs. Nebraska, 15.050, 1/18/09; vs. Texas, 15.100, 1/31/09; Nebraska, Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State).Six out of the five teams that OU swept were vs Stanford/Minnesota, 15.100, 3/7/09; vs. Penn State, 15.550, 3/21/09 against top 10 opponents.

All-Around (2): vs. Nebraska, 89.200, 1/18/09; vs Stanford/Minnesota, 90.200, 3/7/09; Individual Titles in 2009... The Sooners have claimed 43 total individual titles so far in the 2009 season and have vs. Ohio State, 88.700, 3/14/09 swept individual event titles three times at the Rocky Mountain Open and against Nebraska and Texas. Twenty three of the titles have come from sophomore Steven Legendre, which KYLE MCNAMARA (1) eclipsed his 12 total event titles from 2008. Still Rinsgs (1): vs. Texas, 14.900, 1/31/09 An accumulation of nine gymnasts Legendre (23), Brooks (10), Messina (4), English (2), JASON LAUGHTON (1) Czeschin (2), Jackson (1), Shortle (1), McNamara (1) Laughton (1) have claimed event titles Pommel Horse (1): vs. Nebraska, 15.800, 2/28/09 during the 2009 season.

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

QUICK FACTS 2009 MPSF CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP MEET 9

GENERAL INFORMATION The No. 2 University of Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team lost its first Mountain Pacific Location...... Norman, Okla. Sports Federation conference championship since 2004 on Saturday, April 4 in the Maples Enrollment...... 29,721 Pavilion on the campus of Stanford University. The Sooners had won 10 out of the last 11 Founded...... 1890 years and the four previous MPSF championships. President...... David L. Boren Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics/AD...... Joe Castiglione OU finished second with a score of 358.350, while No. 1 Stanford won the meet earning Nickname...... Sooners an 363.750 and No. 3 Cal finishing third posting 352.550. No. 9 Nebraska and No. 15 Air Colors...... Crimson & Cream Force rounded out the scoring with an 341.850 and 330.150, finishing fourth and fifth, Conference...... Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) respectively. Arena(s)...... Howard McCasland Field House (2,300) The Sooners claimed one team event title on vault (64.350) and Senior co-captain Chris Lloyd Noble Center (12,000) Brooks finished second in the all-around with a score of 90.050, while sophomore Steven OU All-Time Record...... 521-165-1 (.758) Legendre finished first on vault with a 16.450 and fourth in the all-around posting a score of 87.450. TEAM INFORMATION 2008 Overall Record...... 28-1 (.966) Oklahoma started the night on floor a little shaky scoring a 61.450 to finish second on the High Score...... 364.600 apparatus. Brooks and freshman Pat Piscitelli both recorded career highs on the event scor- MPSF Finish...... First ing 15.650 and 15.100, respectively. NCAA Finish...... First Letterwinners Returning/Lost...... 11/2 OU then moved to pommel horse where they received a career high score of 14.950 from All-Americans Returning/Lost...... 5/2 junior Corey English finishing the night third on the apparatus.

COACHING STAFF The Sooners had a strong showing on rings and vault events scoring a 60.250 and 64.350, respectively but would falter on parallel bars scoring a 57.900 to finish third on the event. Head Coach...... Mark Williams Year...... 10th Season On the final rotation OU scored a 57.650 on high bar to finish second on the event. Alma Mater...... Nebraska, 1980

APRIL 16-18, 2009 | NEWS, NOTES, AND AWARDS AND AWARDS NOTES, 2009 | NEWS, APRIL 16-18, Record at OU...... 223-18 (.925) Team / Individual Results Career Record...... 223-18 (.925) 1. Stanford, 363.750 2. OKLAHOMA, 358.350 Assistant Coach (Alma Mater)...... Rustam Sharipov (Kharkov State, 1997) 3. California, 352.550 Year...... Fourth Season 4. Nebraska, 341.850 5. Air Force, 330.150 Assistant Coach (Alma Mater)...... Daniel Furney (Oklahoma, 2004) Year...... Fourth Season All-Around: Sho Nakamori (91.850), Stanford

Men’s Gymnastics Office Phone...... (405) 325-8349 Floor: Josh Dixson (15.900), Stanford

Men’s Gymnastics Office Fax...... (405) 325-7485 Pommel Horse: Sho Nakamori (15.250), Stanford

Men’s Gymnastics Contact...... Matt Wilson Rings: Bryant Hadden (15.650), Stanford Office. #...... (405) 325-8231 Fax #...... (405) 325-7623 Vault: Steven Legendre (16.450), OKLAHOMA Cell #...... (405) 831-3344 E-mail...... [email protected] Parallel Bars: Sho Nakamori (15.400), Stanford Web site...... www.soonersports.com Mailing address...... 180 West Brooks St., Suite 2525; Norman, OK 73019 High Bar: Sho Nakamori (15.000), Stanford 2009 CONFERENCE AND NATIONAL AWARDS

NATIONAL GYMNASTS OF THE WEEK MPSF GYMNASTS OF THE WEEK OTHER COMMUNITY AWARDS

Week... Student-Athlete School Week... Student-Athlete School Feb. 6...... Russel Czeschin (Chick-Fil-A) Mar. 25...... Steven Legendre OKLAHOMA Mar.24...... Steven Legendre OKLAHOMA Mar.16...... Casey Sandy Penn State Mar. 17...... Chris Brooks OKLAHOMA Mar. 9...... Chris Brooks OKLAHOMA Mar. 10.Kyson Bunthuwong Calif Mar. 2...... Steven Legendre OKLAHOMA Mar. 3...... Steven Legendre OKLAHOMA Feb. 23...... Chris Cameron Michigan Feb. 24...... Bryant Hadden Stanford Feb. 16.Kyson Bunthuwong Calif. Feb. 17...... Tim Gentry Stanford Feb. 9...... Sho Nakamori Stanford Feb. 10...... Sho Nakamori Stanford Feb. 2...... Casey Sandy Penn State Feb. 3...... Nash Mills Air Force Jan. 19...... Chris Cameron Michigan Jan. 27....Kyle Bunthuwong California Jan. 20...... Glen Ishino California Jan. 13...... Steven Legendre OKLAHOMA

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2009 AWARDS AND EVENT RANKINGS 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977

at Rocky Mountain Open (01.10.09) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA...... 59.300...... 56.800...... 60.750...... 62.650...... 58.600...... 56.900...... 355.000

No. 10 Nebraska...... 52.600...... 56.000...... 57.700...... 59.500...... 55.150...... 51.450...... 332.400 2009 MEET BY MEET RESULTS | RELEASE NO. 10 No. 13 Air Force...... 51.550...... 52.000...... 55.850...... 57.250...... 53.000...... 48.250...... 317.900 Arizona State...... 51.550...... 49.000...... 54.700...... 58.100...... 51.100...... 48.500...... 312.950 Washington...... 51.800...... 44.800...... 52.400...... 55.800...... 51.050...... 47.350...... 303.200

at Nebraska (01.18.09) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA...... 58.600...... 55.750...... 58.600...... 63.600...... 59.300...... 58.450...... 354.300 No. 10 Nebraska...... 55.550...... 54.600...... 56.750...... 61.350...... 55.850...... 53.500...... 337.600

Texas (01.31.09) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 1 OKLAHOMA...... 57.650...... 56.650...... 57.850...... 63.550...... 58.000...... 55.350...... 349.050 Texas...... 52.100...... 46.100...... 51.400...... 58.350...... 51.650...... 45.350...... 304.950

Iowa (02.21.09) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 1 OKLAHOMA...... 60.650...... 57.050...... 58.550...... 64.000...... 57.600...... 56.400...... 354.250 No. 9 Iowa...... 57.850...... 52.500...... 55.150...... 61.850...... 54.950...... 53.700...... 336.000

Nebraska (02.28.09) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA...... 59.750...... 57.750...... 59.650...... 64.500...... 59.100...... 57.550...... 358.300 No. 9 Nebraska...... 56.650...... 53.250...... 58.450...... 62.200...... 55.600...... 56.250...... 342.400

Minnesota (03.07.09) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA...... 61.200...... 57.150...... 59.050...... 64.200...... 58.050...... 58.200...... 357.850 No. 1 Stanford...... 61.850...... 56.150...... 57.400...... 63.000...... 59.000...... 59.000...... 356.400 No. 7 Minnesota...... 60.200...... 54.500...... 56.450...... 62.850...... 58.400...... 55.550...... 347.950

Ohio State (03.14.09) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA...... 61.800...... 55.850...... 59.700...... 63.150...... 58.850...... 58.100...... 357.450 No. 6 Ohio State...... 59.700...... 56.500...... 60.850...... 61.600...... 57.950...... 56.550...... 353.150

Penn State (03.21.09) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 1 OKLAHOMA...... 62.150...... 59.250...... 60.850...... 64.650...... 59.950...... 60.000...... 366.850 No. 8 Penn State...... 60.450...... 55.650...... 59.400...... 63.350...... 57.650...... 59.800...... 356.300

at MPSF Championship (04.04.09) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA...... 61.450...... 56.750...... 60.250...... 64.350...... 57.900...... 57.650...... 358.350 No. 1 Stanford...... 61.800...... 58.750...... 61.500...... 64.100...... 58.500...... 59.100...... 363.750 No. 3 California...... 60.100...... 53.600...... 59.700...... 62.050...... 60.200...... 56.900...... 352.550 No. 9 Nebraska...... 57.800...... 55.650...... 59.350...... 60.850...... 54.300...... 53.900...... 341.850 No. 15 Air Force...... 55.900...... 53.650...... 56.800...... 60.600...... 51.100...... 52.100...... 330.150

2009 TEAM EVENT HIGHS 2009 INDIVIDUAL EVENT HIGHS

Event Score Last Time Event Score Gymnast Floor Exercise...... 62.150...... 03.21.09 All-Around...... 92.250...... Legendre Pommel Horse...... 59.250...... 03.21.09 Floor Exercise...... 16.000...... Legendre Still Rings...... 60.850...... 03.21.09 Pommel Horse...... 15.000...... Laughton Vault...... 64.650...... 03.21.09 Still Rings...... 15.450...... Messina Parallel Bars...... 59.950...... 03.21.09 Vault...... 16.450...... Brooks, Legendre High Bar...... 60.000...... 03.21.09 Parallel Bars...... 15.300...... Brooks Total...... 366.850...... 03.21.09 High Bar...... 15.550...... Brooks

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

NO. 2 OU V. NO. 8 PENN STATE RECAP MEET 8 NO. 2 OU V. NO. 6 OHIO STATE RECAP MEET 7

Another win over a top 10 team resulted in another undefeated regular season for the top- The No. 2 Oklahoma men’s gymnastics squad posted a 357.450 team score en route to a ranked University of Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team on Saturday. The Sooners complet- victory over No. 6 Ohio State on Saturday night inside McCasland Field House. ed their 2009 regular season with a win over No. 8 Penn State at the Howard McCasland Field House and improved to 12-0 on the season. OU (11-0) defeated its seventh top-10 opponent on the year, as the Buckeyes posted a team score of 353.150 in the loss to the Sooners in front of 534 fans. The Sooners won the senior night match after posting a NCAA scoring record with a 366.850, while the Nittany Lions posted a final score of 356.300 to finish second on the The Sooners claimed four team event titles on the night, including wins on floor (61.800), night. vault (63.150), parallel bars (58.850) and high bar (58.100).

Oklahoma swept all event titles by scoring team event highs on the night on floor (62.150), Senior co-captain Chris Brooks claimed the vault title, posting a score of 16.150, and the pommel horse (59.250), rings (60.850), vault (64.650), parallel bars (59.950) and high bar all-around title with an 88.700. Sophomore Steven Legendre claimed two event titles, with (60.000). wins on high bar (14.800) and parallel bars (14.900).

Sophomore Steven Legendre captured the floor, vault, parallel bars and all-around on the Oklahoma scored a season high 61.800 on floor to claim the event title with Russell night with a score of 92.250, senior co-captain Chris Brooks claimed the high bar title and Czeschin posting a career-high 15.700 for the individual title. senior co-captain won the rings event title. With an injury to freshman David Finning, OU only had four gymnasts compete on vault OU started the night off in dominating fashion scoring a team high 62.150 to win the event and still scored a 63.000 to claim the event title. title over PSU, while Legendre captured the individual title with a 16.000. The Buckeyes claimed two event titles on pommel horse (55.850) and rings (60.850), with On pommel horse senior co-captain Chris Brooks broke a career high scoring a 14.400. The Bateman coming in third in the all-around with a score of 88.100.

APRIL 16-18, 2009 | 2009 EVENT RECAPS 2009 | EVENT RECAPS APRIL 16-18, Sooners scored their highest total of the season posting a score of 59.250. At the end of the meet Sooner fans had a chance to see Olympic medalist Jonathan Horton Oklahoma received another career high on rings when senior co-captain Jacob Messina perform a couple of release moves on high bar. posted a 15.450.

OU finished off the night by having career marks come from junior Corey English on parallel bars with a score of 14.950 and Brooks with a score of 15.550 on high bar. NO. 2 OU V. NO. 1 STANFORD/NO. 7 MINN. RECAP MEET 6 NO. 1 OU V. NO. 9 NEBRASKA RECAP MEET 5

The No. 2 Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team kept its undefeated streak alive with a win The No. 2 Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team kept its undefeated streak alive in dominating over No. 1 Stanford and No. 7 Minnesota at the Sports Pavilion on Saturday. The victory fashion, defeating its fourth top-10 opponent on the year, with a win over No. 9 Nebraska over the Gophers and Cardinal marks the fifth and sixth top-10 opponents the Sooners at the Howard McCasland Field House on Saturday. have defeated on the season. The Sooners claimed their third victory over the Huskers in 2009, scoring a 358.300- The Sooners won the competition after scoring a 357.850 in the victory. Stanford posted 342.400 win over NU. OU’s team total was the second highest this season in the NCAA. a 356.400 and finished second while Minnesota placed third in the competition with a 347.950. OU opened the night with an event title on floor and a pair of season-high scores for sophomore Steven Legendre (15.800) and freshman Pat Piscitelli (14.750). Sophomore Steven Legendre claimed the event title on vault with a 16.200 and senior co-captain Chris Brooks claimed the high bar title with a 15.100 and the all-around with Oklahoma posted its highest team score of the year with a 57.750 on pommel horse, while career high score of 90.200. senior Jason Laughton claimed the event title for the Sooners with a team season high and career high individual score of 15.000. OU claimed three team events on the night with pommel (57.150), rings (59.050), and vault (64.200). The Sooners dominated vault with a program record team tally of 64.500. Legendre led the way and posted a school-record 16.500 while sophomore Bobby Shortle and senior Russell Oklahoma started the night on rings and won the apparatus with a score of 59.050. Senior Czeschin posted career marks of 16.000 and 16.100, respectively. co-captain Jacob Messina led the Sooners with a 15.000 and finished in second place on the event. Oklahoma finished the night with season-high totals coming from Laughton on parallel bars (14.400) and a high bar (14.600). On pommel horse, OU finished first and was led by Messina after he tied for the event title after posting a 14.700. The Sooners also won the event with the help of sophomore Steven Legendre won the all-around competition with a score of 90.750, winning four events Legendre (14.200) and junior Corey English (14.500) as they posted a team tally of 57.150 Saturday evening en route to the crown.

The Sooners finished the night placing second on parallel bars with a score of 58.050. All OU gymnasts that competed on the event scored a 14.050 or higher. Brooks led the way on the apparatus scoring a 14.900 to finish third.

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977

NO. 1 OU V. NO. 10 IOWA RECAP MEET 4 NO. 1 OU V. TEXAS RECAP MEET 3

The No. 1 Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team claimed all six event titles en route to its The No. 1 Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team claimed its third straight victory by winning 2009 EVENT RECAPS | RELEASE NO. 10 fourth straight victory with a victory over No. 10 Iowa on “Cleveland Elementary Night” all six events over the University of Texas club team on Saturday in front of 958 fans at the Saturday at the Howard McCasland Field House. Howard McCasland Field House.

The Sooners scored a 354.250 to beat the Hawkeyes (336.000) in front of 779 fans. The Sooners scored a 349.050 to best the Longhorns (304.950) in the home opener.

OU started strong with a season high team score of 60.650 on floor exercise, as sophomore The Sooners dominated their Red River rivals by also claiming all six individual event titles. Steven Legendre claimed the event title with a career high 15.650. Russell Czeschin also Senior co-captain Chris Brooks led the way and posted a school-record 16.450 on vault, posted a career-high score of 15.150, coming in second on the event. topping the old mark of 16.400, and finished first on the high bar with a 15.100.

Oklahoma extended its lead by claiming its second event title with a season high 57.050 on OU started strong with a 57.650 on floor exercise as sophomore Steven Legendre claimed pommel horse. Senior co-captain Jacob Messina captured the event title with a career high the event title with a 15.500. Russell Czeschin came in second with a score of 14.900. score 14.800 and junior Corey English finished second with a career-high score of 14.750. The Sooners extended their lead during the second rotation as Corey English scored a team- The Sooners claimed the vault title with a score of 64.000. Senior Russell Czeschin won the best 14.500 on pommel horse and Steven Legendre posted a career-high 14.100. individual title by posting a career-high score of 16.100, while sophomore Bobby Shortle tallied a career high as well with a score of 16.000. The sweep was completed in the remaining rotations with Kyle McNamara finishing first on still rings with a 14.900 and Legendre scoring a team-best 15.200 on parallel bars. On parallel bars, the Sooners added another career high from Jacob Messina with a score of 14.900. It was Messina’s second career-high mark of the night. In addition, Anthony Naddour scored a 13.650 on floor exercise in his Sooner debut and later added a 14.150 on pommel horse and a 14.450 on still rings. The sweep of the meet was completed on high bar with a team event score of 56.400 and a career score coming from sophomore Steven Legendre (15.150).

NO. 2 OU V. NO. 10 NEBRASKA RECAP MEET 2 2009 ROCKY MOUNTAIN OPEN RECAP MEET 1

The second-ranked Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team claimed its second straight victory by The Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team started the season with a victory at the Rocky winning all six events over No. 10 Nebraska Sunday at the Bob Devaney Center in Lincoln, Mountain Open claiming the meet championship for the tenth consecutive year. The Neb. The Sooners scored a 354.300 to beat the Huskers (337.600) in the second meeting of second-ranked Sooners scored a 355.000 Saturday night in Colorado Springs, Colo., to the season and did so in impressive fashion on Sunday despite a depleted roster. win the collegiate portion of the competition, while Legendre claimed his second Rock Mountain Open all-around title with an 89.400. The Sooners were already without the services of Ian Jackson and Reed Pitts heading into this weekend and lost Troy Nitzky in warmups prior to Sunday’s meet with an ankle injury. No. 10 Nebraska finished second with a 332.400 total, while host Air Force placed third The freshman’s status is undetermined for OU’s next competition against Texas. with a 317.900 team total. Club teams from Arizona State University (312.950) and the University of Washington (303.200) placed fourth and fifth, respectively. A team comprised Senior co-captain Chris Brooks (89.200) and sophomore Steven Legendre (87.850) led of athletes from the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs scored a 147.950 but OU for the second consecutive week and finished one-two in the all-around competition, was ineligible for awards in the collegiate division. respectively. Oklahoma recorded a couple of season highs against the Huskers with sophomore Bobby Shortle scoring 14.900 on floor, while Legendre scored a 16.300 on the vault Oklahoma gymnasts claimed all of the individual titles at the Rocky Mountain Open with to match a 2009 high. the help of Legendre winning event titles on floor (15.350), vault (15.900), parallel bars (14.950), high bar (14.700) and coming in tied for second with Chris Brooks on rings with Legendre claimed two event titles (vault and still rings) against conference rival Nebraska a score of 15.150. on Sunday and upped his season total to seven. As a team, OU improved on its scores from last week marking season high scores in vault (63.600), high bar (58.450) and parallel bars Senior co-captain Chris Brooks came in second in the all-around while juniors Ian Jackson (59.300). and Corey English claimed individual titles in rings (15.300) and pommel horse (14.900), respectively.

On Saturday, junior Ian Jackson suffered an injury to his Achillies tendon during the meet on the last pass of his floor routine. The Harrisburg, Pa, native competed in the all-around on and claimed the rings title and finished third in vault and parallel bars before he was injured.

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 HEAD COACH MARK WILLIAMS 10th Year at OU: 236-19 | Alma Mater: Nebraska, 1980

Five National Championships Eight Conference Championships Five-Time National Coach of the Year Eight-Time MPSF Coach of the Year

Career Coaching Highlights • 2008 U.S. Olympic Personal Coach • 2008 NCAA National Champions • 2008 MPSF Coach of the Year • 2008 National Coach of the Year • 2007 MPSF Coach of the Year • 2006 U.S. World Championships Head Coach • 2006 USA Gymnastics Coach of the Year • 2006 NCAA National Champions • 2006 National Coach of the Year • 2006 MPSF Coach of the Year • 2005 NCAA National Champions SOONERS UNDER WILLIAMS • 2005 National Coach of the Year • 2005 MPSF Coach of the Year • 2004 U.S. Olympic Personal Coach Year Record Conference (Finish) Postseason (Finish) • 2003 NCAA National Champions 2000 15-4 MPSF (First) NCAA (Fourth) • 2003 National Coach of the Year 2001 24-2 MPSF (First) NCAA (Second) • 2003 MPSF Coach of the Year

APRIL 16-18, 2009 | HEAD COACH MARK WILLIAMS 2009 | HEAD COACH APRIL 16-18, 2002 28-1 MPSF (First) NCAA (First) • 2003 World Championship Personal Coach 2003 26-0 MPSF (First) NCAA (First) • 2002 World Championship Personal Coach 2004 24-4 MPSF (Second) NCAA (Second) • 2002 NCAA National Champions 2005 21-2 MPSF (First) NCAA (First) • 2002 National Coach of the Year 2006 31-0 MPSF (First) NCAA (First) • 2002 MPSF Coach of the Year 2007 26-4 MPSF (First) NCAA (Second) • 2001 MPSF Coach of the Year 2008 28-1 MPSF (First) NCAA (First) • 2001 West Region NCAA Coach of the Year 2009 15-1 MPSF (Second) • 2001 World Championship Personal Coach TOTAL 238-19 .926 WINNING PERCENTAGE • 2000 MPSF Coach of the Year • 1999 Pan American Games Head Coach • 1996 Assistant Olympic Coach BY THE NUMBERS • 1995 Assistant World Championship Coach • 1994 World Championship Personal Coach • 1994 USA Gymnastics Coach of the Year .926 14 • 1994 NCAA Assistant Coach of the Year The winning percentage since head The number of individual national • 11-time USA International Team Coach coach Mark Willimas has been titles won under the direction of at the University of Oklahoma. Williams. Coaching Accomplishments Willimas has won an average of 24 • Athlete on U.S. Olympic Team matches each of his nine years at the • Two athletes on World Championship Teams university. • Athlete on Pan American Games Team • Athlete on Pan American Championship Team 30 • Athlete on World University Games Team The number of individual conference • Nine athletes on USA Senior National Team championships that have awarded • Eight athletes on Junior National Team under Williams. 1 • 92 NCAA All-America Athletes Since Mark Willams has been at • 14 NCAA National Champions Oklahoma, the Sooners have finished • Two USA Junior National All-Around Champions either first or second in the last eight NCAA Championships. 92 Gymnastics Activities The number of All-Americans that • NCAA Rules Committee Chair, 2005 have been produced while Willimas • NGJA Nationally Certified Judge, 1984-2001 has been at Oklahoma. • F.I.G. Certified Judge, 1998-2004 2 • USAG Men’s Program Committee Member, 1994-2000 The number of Olympic gymnasts • U.S. Men’s Elite Coaches Association Sec./Treas. & V.P., 1991-98 who have come from Oklahoma • USAG Board of Directors Sr. Rep, 1996-98 since Williams has been coaching at 100 • Coached on seven NCAA National Championship Teams Oklahoma. The number of wins that Williams (1981, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008) collected by 2004. Williams reached the plateau quicker than any coach in NCAA history. 2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 CHRIS BROOKS

Senior | 5-8 | Hometown: Houston, Texas PAGESGYMNAST | RELEASE NO. 10 Club: Houston North Gymnastics | High School: Cypress Creek Events: All-Around

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2008 Team Captain ... Three-time All-American on high bar (2006, 07, 08) and All-American on parallel bars (2008) ... Won four individual event titles in 2007, three on floor and one on vault.

2009: 2009 Team Captain ... Set a career high on rings (15.150) while coming in second in the all-around (86.600) at the Rocky Mountain Open ... Took all-around (89.200), parallel bars (15.300) and high bar (15.050) titles in Nebraska win ... Set Oklahoma record on vault with a score of 16.450 against Texas club team ... Placed fifth in all-around at Winter Cup ... Earned a spot on U. S. Senior National Team ... Claimed rings event title (14.800) and finished second on floor (15.000) in win over Iowa ... Took all-around (90.200) and floor (15.600) titles with career high on both events in win over Minnesota and Stanford ... Named National Gymnasts of the week March 12 by the CGA ... Broke career high on pommel horse (13.900) and claimed event title on vault (16.150) while winning all-around with a score of 88.700 in a win against Ohio State ... Named MPSF Gymnast of the Week on March 17. Set career high on pommel horse (14.400) and high bar (15.550), while claiming an event title on high bar in a win against Penn State ... Set career high on floor with a score of 15.650, while finishing third in vault (16.150) and second in CAREER HIGHS the all-around (90.050) at the MPSF Championship. All-Around...... 90.200 Floor Exercise...... 15.650 Pommel Horse...... 14.400 Still Rings...... 15.150 Vault...... 16.450 Parallel Bars...... 15.350 High Bar...... 15.550

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... 90.200 Floor Exercise...... 15.650 Pommel Horse...... 14.400 Still Rings...... 15.150 Vault...... 16.450 Parallel Bars...... 15.300 High Bar...... 15.550

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... 13.850...... 13.850...... 15.150...... 15.400...... 14.450...... 13.900...... 86.600 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... 14.150...... 13.850...... 14.750...... 16.100...... 15.300...... 15.050...... 89.200 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... *...... *...... 14.550...... 16.450...... *...... 15.100...... * 02.05.09...... Winter Cup Challenge...... 14.700...... 12.400...... 14.300...... 16.250...... 14.800...... 14.650...... 87.100 02.21.09...... Iowa...... 15.000...... 10.200...... 14.800...... *...... *...... *...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... *...... 13.800...... *...... *...... *...... *...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... 15.600...... 13.750...... 14.850...... 16.000...... 14.900...... 15.100...... 90.200 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... 15.450...... 13.900...... 14.750...... 16.150...... 13.800...... 14.650...... 88.700 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... 15.500...... 14.400...... 15.150...... 16.150...... 15.000...... 15.550...... 91.750 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... 15.650...... 14.250...... 14.850...... 16.150...... 14.450...... 14.700...... 90.050 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS GARRETT CARR RS Junior | 5-11 | Hometown: Mandeville, La. Club: Aces | High School: Fountainbleau Events: PH, V, PB, HB

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Brother of former Oklahoma gymnast Brian Carr, who ...was an All-American for the Sooners ... Finished second on the vault (9.2) in first action as a Sooner during Air Force win, in 2006 ... One of two current Sooners hailing from Louisian (Corey English is the other) ... Carr and English were both .coached by Alex Shostak at the club level.

2009: Posted a 15.050 on vault in first action of the season against Texas club team. APRIL 16-18, 2009| GYMNAST PAGES APRIL 16-18,

CAREER HIGHS Pommel Horse...... * Vault...... 15.200 Parallel Bars...... * High Bar...... *

* Has not competed in events with new scoring system. Highs on previous scoring system: pommel horse (8.550), vault (9.300) and high bar (8.850)

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... N/A Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... N/A Vault...... 15.050 Parallel Bars...... N/A High Bar...... N/A

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... Did Not Compete...... 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... Did Not Compete...... 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... 15.050...... 02.21.09...... Iowa...... Did Not Compete...... 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... Did Not Compete...... 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... Did not Compete...... 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... Did Not Compete...... 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... Did Not Compete...... 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 RUSSELL CZESCHIN

Senior | 6-3 | Hometown: Independence, Mo. PAGESGYMNAST | RELEASE NO. 10 Club: Great American Gymnastic Express | High School: Fort Osage Events: FX, V

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Earned 2008 All-America honors on floor (15.375) for the second straight season ...Tied his career high (15.450) on floor in both the 2008 NCAA team qualifier and Team Finals ... Earned first career All-America honor with a 9.525 on floor at the 2007 NCAA event finals.

2009: Placed second on floor (14.900) and sixth on vault (15.300) at the Rocky Mountain Open ... Fourth on vault (15.800) in Nebraska win ... Also placed second on floor (14.900) and third on vault against Texas club team ... recipient of the Chick-Fil-A Community of Champions Award ... Set career high and won event title on vault with a score of 16.100 in win over Iowa ... Came in second on vault with a season high 16.100 in home win against Nebraska ... Set a career high on floor (15.550) placing third on the event in win over Minnesota and Stanford ... Claimed event title on floor breaking previous career high with a score of 15.700 in win over Ohio State ... Tied for third on floor with a 15.350 and finished fourth on vault (16.000) in a win against Penn State. Finished sixth on vault with a score of 15.950 at the MPSF Championship. CAREER HIGHS Floor Exercise...... 15.700 Vault...... 16.100

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... 15.700 Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... N/A Vault...... 16.100 Parallel Bars...... N/A High Bar...... N/A

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... 14.900...... *...... *...... 15.300...... *...... *...... * 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... 14.400...... *...... *...... 15.800...... *...... *...... * 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... 14.900...... *...... *...... 15.950...... *...... *...... * 02.21.09...... Iowa...... 15.150...... *...... *...... 16.100...... *...... *...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... 15.100...... *...... *...... 16.100...... *...... *...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... 15.550...... *...... *...... 15.950...... *...... *...... * 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... 15.700...... *...... *...... 15.900...... *...... *...... * 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... 15.350...... *...... *...... 16.000...... *...... *...... * 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... 13.750...... *...... *...... 15.950...... *...... *...... * 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS COREY ENGLISH Junior | 5-7 | Hometown: Covington, La. Club: MGA | High School: St. Paul’s Events: PH, PB

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recorded OU’s third highest score on pommel horse (14.100) in 2008 NCAA team finals ... Claimed first event title of his OU career with a 14.000 on pommel horse at Iowa in 2008 ... One of two current Sooners hailing from Louisiana (Garrett Carr is the other). Carr and English were both coached by Alex Shostak at the club level.

2009: Won pommel horse with a career high score of 14.900 and tied for third on parallel bars (14.600) at the Rocky Mountain Open ... Placed sixth on pommel horse in Nebraska win ... Won pommel horse (14.500) and finished second on parallel bars (14.650) against Texas club team ... Came in second on pommel horse (14.750) and tied for third on parallel bars (14.100) in win against Iowa ... Broke career high on parallel bars (14.850) in home win against Nebraska ... Placed second on pommel horse with a score of 14.500 in win over Minnesota and Stanford ... Tied for second place on parallel bars with a score of 14.750 in win over Ohio State. Set a career high on parallel bars with a score of 14.950 to finish third on the event in a win against Penn State. APRIL 16-18, 2009| GYMNAST PAGES APRIL 16-18, Finished third with a career high score on pommel horse (14.950) at the MPSF Championship. CAREER HIGHS Pommel Horse...... 14.950 Parallel Bars...... 14.950

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... N/A Pommel Horse...... 14.950 Still Rings...... N/A Vault...... N/A Parallel Bars...... 14.950 High Bar...... N/A

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... *...... 14.900...... *...... *...... 14.600...... *...... * 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... *...... 13.500...... *...... *...... 13.650...... *...... * 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... *...... 14.500...... *...... *...... 14.650...... *...... * 02.21.09...... Iowa...... *...... 14.750...... *...... *...... 14.100...... *...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... *...... 14.150...... *...... *...... 14.850...... *...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... *...... 14.500...... *...... *...... 14.050...... *...... * 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... *...... 13.850...... *...... *...... 14.750...... *...... * 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... *...... 14.900...... *...... *...... 14.950...... *...... * 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... *...... 14.950...... *...... *...... 14.500...... *...... * 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 IAN JACKSON

Junior | 5-6 | Hometown: Harrisburg, Pa. PAGESGYMNAST | RELEASE NO. 10 Club: ASAP | High School: Central Dauphin Events: All-Around

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Scored a 14.900 on rings in 2008 NCAAteam finals to.help OU clinch the national title ... MPSF Gymnast of the Week for Feb. 19, 2007 ... Won the all-around (85.400) and vault (15.900) titles in home win against Nebraska in 2007.

2009: Won rings with a score of 15.300 and finished third on vault (15.650) and parallel bars (14.600) at the Rocky Mountain Open ... Will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn Achilles tendon at Rocky Mountain Open.

CAREER HIGHS All-Around...... 85.400 Floor...... 15.250 Pommel...... 13.700 Still Rings...... 15.300 Vault...... 15.900 Parallel Bars...... 14.600 High Bar...... 13.900

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... 73.200 Floor Exercise...... 14.350 Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... 15.300 Vault...... 15.650 Parallel Bars...... 14.600 High Bar...... 13.300

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... 14.350...... *...... 15.300...... 15.650...... 14.600...... 13.300...... 73.200 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... Out for season due to injury...... 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... 02.21.09...... Iowa...... 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JASON LAUGHTON Senior | 5-6 | Hometown: Northridge, Calif. Club: SCATS Gymnastics | High School: Sunland Christian School Events: PH, SR, PB, HB

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Earned first career All-America honor in 2008 with a.14.375 on pommel horse in the Event Finals ... Runner-up on pommel horse with a career-high 14.450 at 2008 MPSF Championship ... Scored a career-high 9.35 on rings in the 2007 NCAA Champi- onship team finals.

2009: Placed second in pommel horse (14.450) and high bar (14.550) in win against Nebraska ... Also came in fifth on pommel (13.350) and parallel bars (13.600) against Texas club team ... Tied for third on pommel horse (14.100) in win over Iowa ... Broke career high and won event title on parallel bars with a team season high score of 15.000 in home win against Nebraska ... Tied season high on parallel bars with a score of 14.400 in win over Minnesota and Stanford ... Broke career high on parallel bars with a score of 14.550 in win over Ohio State .... Finished sixth on high bar setting a career high score of 14.850 on the event in a win against Penn State ... Finished fifth on high bar (14.650) at the MPSF Championship. APRIL 16-18, 2009| GYMNAST PAGES APRIL 16-18,

CAREER HIGHS Pommel Horse...... 15.000 Still Rings...... 14.150 Parallel Bars...... 14.850 High Bar...... 15.000

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... N/A Pommel Horse...... 15.000 Still Rings...... N/A Vault...... N/A Parallel Bars...... 14.550 High Bar...... 14.850

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... *...... 13.400...... *...... *...... *...... *...... * 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... *...... 14.450...... *...... *...... 14.300...... 14.550...... * 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... *...... 13.350...... *...... *...... 13.600...... *...... * 02.21.09...... Iowa...... *...... 13.200...... *...... *...... 14.100...... 13.250...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... *...... 15.000...... *...... *...... 14.400...... 14.600...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... *...... 13.600...... *...... *...... 14.400...... 13.050...... * 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... *...... 14.450...... *...... *...... 14.550...... 13.050...... * 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... *...... 14.900...... *...... *...... 13.950...... 14.850...... * 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... *...... 13.400...... *...... *...... 13.950...... 14.650...... * 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 STEVEN LEGENDRE

Sophomore | 5-6 | Hometown: Port Jefferson, N. Y. PAGESGYMNAST | RELEASE NO. 10 Club: World Olympic Gymnastics | High School: Spring Creek Academy Events: All-Around

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Competed in first U.S. Senior National Team competition at the Toyota Cup in Toyota City, Japan ... Won a bronze medal on vault ... Was the first freshman in OU history to win two NCAA event titles in 2008, earning national crowns with career bests on floor (16.100) and vault (16.400) ... Legendre is the fourth Sooner to win multiple titles in one season ... Claimed MPSF floor exercise title with a 15.800.

2009: Won floor (15.350), vault (15.900), parallel bars ( 14.950), high bar (14.700 and the all-around (89.400) at the Rocky Mountain Open ... Also won rings ( 14.900) and vault (16.300) event titles against Nebraska ... Placed first in floor (15.500) and parallel bars (15.200) in Texas club team win ... Finished seventh in all-around at the Winter Cup ... Earned a spot on U.S. Senior National Team ... Won floor (15.650), and high bar (15.150), with a career high on high bar in win against Iowa ... Claimed four indidual titles to win all-around while posting OU record 16.500 on vault and breaking three career marks on vault, parallel bars and all-around in home win against Nebraska ... Named National Gymnast of the week March 4 by the CGA Claimed vault event title with a score of 16.200 in win over Minnesota and Stanford ... Claimed event titles on parallel bars (14.900) and high bar CAREER HIGHS (14.800) in win over Ohio State. Set a career high on pommel horse (14.550) and all-around (92.250), while claiming event title on floor, vault, parallel bars and all-around in a win against Penn State ... Won vault event title with a score of 16.450 at the All-Around...... 92.250 MPSF Championship. Floor Exercise...... 16.100 Pommel Horse...... 14.550 Still Rings...... 15.150 Vault...... 16.500 Parallel Bars...... 15.200 High Bar...... 15.150

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... 92.250 Floor Exercise...... 16.000 Pommel Horse...... 14.550 Still Rings...... 15.150 Vault...... 16.500 Parallel Bars...... 15.200 High Bar...... 15.150

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... 15.350...... 13.350...... 15.150...... 15.900...... 14.950...... 14.700...... 89.400 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... 14.650...... 12.950...... 14.900...... 16.300...... 14.600...... 14.450...... 87.850 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... 15.500...... 14.100...... *...... 15.150...... 15.200...... *...... * 02.05.09...... Winter Cup Challenge...... 15.550...... 12.800...... 14.750...... 16.000...... 14.400...... 14.150...... 87.650 02.21.09...... Iowa...... 15.650...... 13.050...... 14.250...... 16.000...... *...... 15.150...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... 15.800...... 14.250...... 15.150...... 16.500...... 15.150...... 13.900...... 90.750 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... 14.950...... 14.200...... 14.550...... 16.200...... 14.250...... 14.800...... 88.950 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... 15.550...... 13.100...... 14.900...... 15.200...... 14.900...... 14.800...... 88.450 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... 16.000...... 14.550...... 15.100...... 16.400...... 15.100...... 15.100...... 92.250 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... 15.850...... 12.300...... 14.950...... 16.450...... 14.350...... 13.550...... 87.450 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS KYLE MCNAMARA Senior | 5-7 | Hometown: Littleton, Colo. Club: 5280 Gymnastics | High School: Heritage Events: All-Around

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Shattered his previous career high with a 14.650 on high bar in 2008 NCAA Championship team finals ... Set season highs on rings (14.850) and p-bars (15.100) at 2008 MPSF Championship ... Took the high bar title against the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2007.

2009: Finished third on high bar (14.200) and fifth on rings (14.950) at the Rocky Mountain Open ... Also placed second on parallel bars (14.850) and third on rings (14.800) in Nebraska win ... Came in first on rings (14.900) and posted a career high on vault (16.000) against Texas club team ... Came in second on rings (14.700) and parallel bars (14.500) while finishing third on vault (15.900) in win over Iowa ... Tied for second on rings (14.950) and third on parallel bars (14.700) in home win against Nebraska ... Placed fifth on parallel bars with a score of 14.500 in win over Minnesota and Stanford ... Place fourth on parallel bars (14.900) with a season high score in a win over Penn State ... Posted a career high on rings (15.000) to finish 10th at the MPSF Championship. APRIL 16-18, 2009| GYMNAST PAGES APRIL 16-18,

CAREER HIGHS All-Around...... 84.900 Floor...... 14.200 Pommel...... 13.950 Still Rings...... 15.000 Vault...... 16.000 Parallel Bars...... 15.100 High Bar...... 14.650

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... N/A Pommel Horse...... 13.950 Still Rings...... 15.000 Vault...... 16.000 Parallel Bars...... 14.900 High Bar...... 14.200

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... *...... *...... 14.950...... *...... 13.950...... 14.200...... * 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... *...... 13.950...... 14.800...... *...... 14.850...... 13.250...... * 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... *...... 13.050...... 14.900...... 16.000...... 14.000...... 13.950...... * 02.21.09...... Iowa...... *...... *...... 14.700...... 15.900...... 14.500...... 12.250...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... *...... *...... 14.950...... 15.900...... 14.700...... 13.900...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... *...... *...... 14.650...... 15.500...... 14.500...... 13.900...... * 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... Did Not Compete...... 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... *...... *...... 14.800...... *...... 14.900...... *...... * 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... *...... *...... 15.000...... 15.700...... 12.850...... 13.250...... * 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 JACOB MESSINA

Senior | 5-6 | Hometown: Matthews, N. C. PAGESGYMNAST | RELEASE NO. 10 Club: G & J Speedway | High School: East Mecklenburg Events: All-Around

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2008 Team Captain ... Earned his second-highest scores of the 2008 season on pommel horse (14.150) and rings (15.300) in NCAA Championship team finals ... Posted career best 15.000 on p-bars and tied career high on rings (15.350) at 2008 MPSF Championship.

2009: 2009 Team Captain ... Tied for second on pommel horse (14.650) and finished fourth on high bar (14.100) at Rocky Mountain Open ... Finished fourth on parallel bars (14.600) in win against Nebraska ... Also came in third on parallel bars with a score of 14.150 against Texas club team ... Won parallel bars (14.900) and pommel horse (14.800) while scoring a career high on pommel horse in win over Iowa. Won high bar with a career high score of 14.650 and tied for second on rings with a 14.950 in home win against Nebraska ... Came in second, tying a season high on still rings with a score of 15.000 in win over Minnesota and Stanford ... Broke season high on rings with a score of 15.050, finishing fourth in win over Ohio State ... Set career highs on pommel horse (14.900) and rings (15.450) placing first on rings and tying for second on pommel in a win over Penn State ... Finished third on rings with a score of 15.350 at the MPSF Championship. CAREER HIGHS All-Around...... * Floor Exercise...... * Pommel Horse...... 14.900 Still Rings...... 15.450 Vault...... * Parallel Bars...... 15.000 High Bar...... 14.650

* Has not competed in events with new scoring system. Previous scoring system: all-around (52.875), floor exercise (9.525) and vault (9.275)

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... N/A Pommel Horse...... 14.900 Still Rings...... 15.450 Vault...... N/A Parallel Bars...... 14.900 High Bar...... 14.650

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... *...... 14.650...... *...... *...... 13.850...... 14.100...... * 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... *...... 13.050...... *...... *...... 14.550...... *...... * 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... *...... 13.900...... *...... *...... 14.150...... 11.550...... * 02.21.09...... Iowa...... *...... 14.800...... 14.650...... *...... 14.900...... 13.750...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... *...... 13.350...... 14.950...... *...... *...... 14.650...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... *...... 14.700...... 15.000...... *...... 14.150...... 14.400...... * 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... *...... 13.600...... 15.050...... *...... 14.650...... 14.600...... * 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... *...... 14.900...... 15.450...... *...... 14.850...... 13.050...... * 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... *...... 13.400...... 15.350...... *...... 14.600...... 14.550...... * 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS REED PITTS Senior | 5-9 | Hometown: Allen, Texas Club: Eagle’s Wings Athletics | High School: Allen Events: FX, V

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Regained All-America status on floor (15.275) at the 2008 NCAA Championships just one year after twice tearing his Achilles tendon ... Recorded career-high 15.350 on floor at MPSF Championship in 2008 ... Was named All-American on the floor exercise, after finishing fourth with a 9.412, and vault with a third-place 9.475 in 2006.

2009: Will miss the reminder of the season due to injury. APRIL 16-18, 2009| GYMNAST PAGES APRIL 16-18,

CAREER HIGHS Floor Exercise...... 15.400 Vault...... 15.950

2008 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... N/A Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... N/A Vault...... N/A Parallel Bars...... N/A High Bar...... N/A

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... Out for year due to injury...... 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... 02.21.09...... Iowa...... 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 C. J. GRIMES

RS Sophomore | 5-5 | Hometown: Ulysses, Kan. PAGESGYMNAST | RELEASE NO. 10 Club: Littlestar Gymnastics | High School: Ulysses Events: SR

2009: Will miss the reminder of the season due to injury.

CAREER HIGHS Still Rings...... *

* Did not compete due to injury.

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... N/A Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... N/A Vault...... N/A Parallel Bars...... N/A High Bar...... N/A

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS BOBBY SHORTLE Sophomore | 5-2 | Hometown: Brunswick, Ohio Club: Gym World | High School: Brunswick Events: FX, V, HB

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recorded his second highest vault score of the season (15.900) in team finals at the 2008 NCAA Championships ... Won the vault title (15.900) and was second on floor (15.400) against Nebraska and Air Force in 2008 ... Recorded nine top-five finishes in 2008.

2009: Finished second on vault (15.700) and fourth on floor (14.400) at the Rocky Mountain Open ... Won floor (14.900) in win against Nebraska. Tied career high on vault (16.000), finishing second and came in second on floor (14.850) in win over Iowa ... Tied career high with a 16.000 to finish third on vault in home win against Nebraska ... Broke career high on vault placing fourth with a score of 16.050 in win over Minnesota and Stanford ... Broke career high on high bar with a score of 14.050 in win over Ohio State. Set a career high on vault with a score of 16.100, placing third on the event in a win over Penn State ... Tied for ninth on vault (15.800) at the MPSF Championship. APRIL 16-18, 2009| GYMNAST PAGES APRIL 16-18,

CAREER HIGHS Floor Exercise...... 15.400 Vault...... 16.100 High Bar...... 14.050

2009 SEASON HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... 15.300 Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... N/A Vault...... 16.100 Parallel Bars...... N/A High Bar...... 14.050

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... 14.400...... *...... *...... 15.700...... *...... *...... * 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... 14.900...... *...... *...... 15.400...... *...... *...... * 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... Did Not Compete...... 02.21.09...... Iowa...... 14.850...... *...... *...... 16.000...... *...... 12.550...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... 14.000...... *...... *...... 16.000...... *...... *...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... 15.100...... *...... *...... 16.050...... *...... *...... * 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... 15.100...... *...... *...... 15.900...... *...... 14.050...... * 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... 15.300...... *...... *...... 16.100...... *...... *...... * 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... 14.850...... *...... *...... 15.800...... *...... *...... * 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 CHAD CRUMLEY

Freshman | 5-11 | Hometown: Long Grove, Ill. PAGESGYMNAST | RELEASE NO. 10 Club: Buffalo Grove Gymnastics Center | High School: Stevenson Events: PH, HB

2009: Tied for sixth on floor (13.250) in win against Texas club team ... Broke career high on rings with a 13.150 in home win against Nebraska.

CAREER HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... 13.250 Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... 13.150 Vault...... N/A Parallel Bars...... N/A High Bar...... 12.500

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... Did Not Compete...... 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... Did Not Compete...... 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... 13.250...... *...... 11.850...... *...... *...... 12.500...... * 02.21.09...... Iowa...... Did Not Compete...... 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... 12.850...... *...... 13.150...... *...... *...... *...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... Did Not Compete...... 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... Did Not Compete...... 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... Did Not Compete...... 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... Did Not Compete...... 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS DAVID FINNING Freshman | 5-4 | Hometown: Claremore, Okla. Club: Cypress Academy | High School: Cypress Falls Events: All-Around

2009: Finished fourth on floor (13.600) and high bar (13.100) against Texas club team. Came in third on high bar with a career high score of 14.000 in win over Iowa ... Broke career high on floor with a 14.100 in home win against Nebraska ... Broke career high on floor with a score of 14.550 in win over Minnesota and Stanford. Set a career high on high bar with a score of 14.500 in a win over Penn State. APRIL 16-18, 2009| GYMNAST PAGES APRIL 16-18,

CAREER HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... 14.550 Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... N/A Vault...... 14.800 Parallel Bars...... N/A High Bar...... 14.500

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... Did not compete...... 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... Did not compete...... 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... 13.600...... *...... *...... *...... *...... 13.100...... * 02.21.09...... Iowa...... 14.000...... *...... *...... *...... *...... 14.250...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... 14.100...... *...... *...... *...... *...... 14.100...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... 14.550...... *...... *...... *...... *...... *...... * 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... 13.600...... *...... 11.050...... *...... *...... *...... * 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... 14.250...... *...... *...... 14.800...... *...... 14.500...... * 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... 14.250...... *...... *...... *...... *...... 13.750...... * 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 BEN MAYER

Freshman | 5-10 | Hometown: Houston, Texas PAGESGYMNAST | RELEASE NO. 10 Club: Cypress Academy | High School: Home School Events: PH, PB

2009: Will miss the reminder of the season due to injury.

CAREER HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... N/A Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... N/A Vault...... N/A Parallel Bars...... N/A High Bar...... N/A

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS TROY NITZKY Freshman | 5-6 | Hometown: Philadelphia, Pa. Club: Temple Boys Gymnastics | High School: William Tennent Events: All-Around

2009: Did not compete in first two meets and missed third due to injury. APRIL 16-18, 2009| GYMNAST PAGES APRIL 16-18,

CAREER HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... N/A Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... N/A Vault...... N/A Parallel Bars...... N/A High Bar...... N/A

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... Did Not Compete...... 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... Did Not Compete...... 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... Did Not Compete...... 02.21.09...... Iowa...... Did Not Compete...... 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... Did Not Compete...... 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... Did Not Compete...... 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... Did Not Compete...... 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... Did Not Compete...... 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... Did Not Compete...... 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 PATRICK PISCITELLI

Freshman | 5-11 | Hometown: Charlotte, N. C. PAGESGYMNAST | RELEASE NO. 10 Club: G & J Speedway | High School: Charlotte Catholic Events: SR, PB, FX, V, HB

2009: Tied for second on rings (15.150) and finished third on floor (14.650) at the Rocky Mountain Open ... Placed second on floor (14.650) and fourth on high bar (14.400) in win at Nebraska ... Placed third on high bar (13.200) and fourth on rings (13.950) against Texas club team ... Set career high on rings with a 14.400 and tied for fourth on parallel bars (14.050) in win over Iowa ... Broke career highs on floor (14.750) and rings (14.600) in home win against Nebraska ... Broke career high on floor with a score of 14.800 in win over Ohio State. Tied for ninth on rings with a score of 14.600 in a win over Penn State ... Set career high on floor with a score of 15.100 to finish eighth at the MPSF Championship.

CAREER HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... 15.100 Pommel Horse...... N/A Still Rings...... 15.150 Vault...... 15.200 Parallel Bars...... 14.050 High Bar...... 14.400

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... 14.650...... *...... 15.150...... 14.900...... *...... 13.450...... * 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... 14.650...... *...... 14.150...... *...... *...... 14.400...... * 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... *...... *...... 13.950...... *...... 13.550...... 13.200...... * 02.21.09...... Iowa...... 14.150...... *...... 14.400...... *...... 14.050...... *...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... 14.750...... *...... 14.600...... 15.200...... 13.900...... 14.200...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... 13.850...... *...... 12.900...... 15.100...... *...... 13.900...... * 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... 14.800...... *...... 13.700...... *...... 13.850...... 13.400...... * 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... *...... *...... 14.600...... *...... *...... *...... * 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... 15.100...... *...... 14.450...... *...... *...... *...... * 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS ANTHONY NADDOUR Sophomore | 5-11 | Hometown: Gilbert, Ariz. Club: USA Flairs | High School: Highland High School Events: FX, PH, SR,

2009: Finished third on floor (13.650), pommel horse (14.150) and rings (14.450) in first action of the season as a Sooner ... Came in third on pommel horse with a career high score of 14.300 in win over Iowa ... Broke a career high with a score of 14.350 to finish second on pommel horse in home win against Nebraska ... Finished fifth on rings (15.00) braking career high in win over Ohio State ... Set a career high on rings with a score of 15.150, tying for third on the event in a win over Penn State ... Finished ninth on pommel horse (14.150) at the MPSF Championship. APRIL 16-18, 2009| GYMNAST PAGES APRIL 16-18,

CAREER HIGHS All-Around...... N/A Floor Exercise...... 13.650 Pommel Horse...... 14.350 Still Rings...... 15.150 Vault...... N/A Parallel Bars...... N/A High Bar...... N/A

DATE EVENT FX PH SR V PB HB AA

01.10.09...... Rocky Mountain Open...... Did not compete...... 01.20.09...... Nebraska ...... Did not compete...... 01.31.09...... TEXAS...... 13.650...... 14.150...... 14.450...... *...... *...... *...... * 02.21.09...... Iowa...... *...... 14.300...... 14.100...... *...... *...... *...... * 02.28.09...... NEBRASKA...... *...... 14.350...... 13.900...... *...... *...... *...... * 03.07.09...... Minnesota/ Stanford...... *...... 11.050...... 14.200...... *...... *...... *...... * 03.14.09...... OHIO STATE...... *...... 13.650...... 15.000...... *...... *...... *...... * 03.21.09...... PENN STATE...... *...... 13.950...... 15.150...... *...... *...... *...... * 04.04.09...... MPSF Championship...... *...... 14.150...... 14.950...... *...... *...... *...... * 04.16.09...... NCAA Qualifier...... 04.17.09...... NCAA Team Finals...... 04.18.09...... NCAA Event Finals......

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977

2009 MEDIA CLIPS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS POSTSEASON GUIDE | soonersports.com

31 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

Inside Gymnastics I chose WOGA after looking at the results of J.O. Nationals and INSIDE: You were second on floor at USAs (by default Legendre seeing they always did real well there. Then, of course, Carly was later upgraded to first after Morgan Hamm’s day two Q & A With Sophomore Steven Legendre (Patterson) won the Olympics and that told me a lot about results were voided following a positive drug test), and actually 12-19-08 them. It worked out, geographically, and they had a great notched the best day two scores on both floor and vault. You reputation. It was a good fit. were 12th in the point totals—ahead of three people who were Gymnastics is a sport that takes years of hard work and training, selected to compete at Trials, and only one point behind Olym- making overnight sensations virtually unheard of. But Steven INSIDE: You were there just over two years. What do you think pian Justin Spring—but weren’t invited to advance, though you Legendre fits that description to a T. you got out of your time at WOGA? were added to the U.S. National Team after the Games. Was that omission difficult? The Oklahoma sophomore, who hails from New York City suburb, LEGENDRE: It was a pretty big change, as far as training goes, Port Jefferson, was a gymnastics unknown before moving to but it was everything I was looking for. I wanted to train hard, LEGENDRE: It was—how should I say this?—a little frustrating. WOGA at age 16. Out of competition for almost two years due learn new skills and have the facility and coaches I needed to do I did kind of feel like I deserved to be there, but it’s nothing to injury, Legendre and his mom transferred to Texas as part of that. WOGA was everything I was looking for. I want to harp about. I’m just letting it motivate me to work a last-ditch effort to get serious about the sport. (Legendre’s harder so it doesn’t happen next time. father, a retired New York City policeman, and the entire family, I think I progressed a ton in the two, two and a half years I was have since moved to Texas.) there. When I first got there I had some fundamentals, but I was It would have been good to have that experience of competing able to develop a ton more skills and clean up what I already at Trials, as far as my development for the next four years goes. But Legendre’s first stop down south wasn’t the well-known had, by a lot. But there’s no sting. Either way I was happy to be put on the Plano, Tx. gym, it was in Norman, Okla., to take part in the Soon- [National] Team. ers’ summer camp, which is where Sooner coach Mark Williams INSIDE: How did you end up at OU? first spotted him. INSIDE: You recently attended your first senior international LEGENDRE: Even before I moved [to Texas] I’d decided I wanted meet, the Toyota Cup in Japan. What was that like? “I noticed him and thought, ‘That guy is great on floor and vault to try and take my gymnastics to the highest level possible and I and he’s pretty bad on everything else,’” Williams recalls with think NCAA gymnastics is the best way to do that. The next stop LEGENDRE: It was a lot of fun. We weren’t in Japan very long, so a laugh. “I didn’t really realize how much he would develop. It along the road [to success]. I didn’t get to see a lot of the country, but I really enjoyed it. The was a pleasant surprise how much he gained in the fairly short meet was a lot of fun. period of time he was down at WOGA.” OU was really nice because it was close to where my family would be living in Texas and my sister was already here, which It was special, especially since [my bronze on vault] was my first At WOGA, Legendre worked with coach Yuri Kartsev and went was another big plus. I had come here for a camp before I moved international medal as a senior and I’m sure it’s one I’ll remem- from nobody to junior National Team member. By the end of his and had a great time, which automatically gave OU a higher ber for a while. (laughs) I wish I could have had a different color senior year of high school, Legendre was a top recruit, but he spot in my decision. and maybe one more, but I was still a lot of fun. APRIL 16-18, 2009 | MEN’S GYMNASTICS MEDIA CLIPS 2009 | MEN’S GYMNASTICS MEDIA CLIPS APRIL 16-18, still had a soft spot for OU, partly due to older sister Jessica’s spot on the Sooner softball roster. (Laughs) My coach is sitting right behind me, so I’ve gotta say it INSIDE: You train alongside Olympian Jonathan Horton. How has was all him. Yeah, I based my decision solely on the greatness of he influenced your gymnastics? Now Legendre, just 19, is a three-time NCAA champ (team, Mark Williams. (laughs and asks) Does that sound good Mark? floor and vault) and senior U.S. National Team member who just LEGENDRE: Jon is great. It is definitely motivating seeing earned his first international medal (bronze on vault) earlier this No, seriously, it’s pretty awesome here. I couldn’t be any happier. someone you know going out and accomplishing such awesome month in Japan. things. It was fun and exciting, and very nerve-wracking, to Being at OU, and being a part of this team, has been a huge, watch him [at the Games] on TV. [The whole team] watched Not bad for “a nobody from nowhere,” as Legendre jokingly calls positive difference for me. I think that was one of my problems everything he did. himself. when I younger: always just competing for myself. I didn’t care enough. Coming here and having a whole team of 15 or so guys It was just so cool to see what he accomplished and it gives you We go Inside with this college standout and top tumbler … behind you, not only makes it easier to work harder, but when that little bit of fire to go out there and do it too. you’re competing you want to do your best for them. INSIDE: How did the move to WOGA come about? New York to INSIDE: Do you have Olympic dreams? Texas is quite a jump. INSIDE: You came into college and, your freshman year, you won LEGENDRE: Yes, that’s definitely one of the long-term goals for LEGENDRE: I made the decision with my parents and family that a team and two individual championships. Do you think you me. I’m hoping to get there. I wanted to keep going in gymnastics. I wanted to train at a can fully appreciate how huge that is, when it’s all you’ve ever higher level and do gymnastics in college, and beyond, [and] I known? INSIDE: What are your short-term goals? realized that New York wasn’t a great place to do that. LEGENDRE: I think I do appreciate it. I personally feel like I put in LEGENDRE: My short-term goals are, of course, to win NCAAs as I was hurt and didn’t really compete from the time I was 14 until as much work as I possibly could have—nothing came easy. I a team. That’s the No. 1 priority for myself and everyone else on 16 and then, like, 6 months before I moved I tore think everything that turned out at the end I earned. I’m sure, as my team. my shoulder and had to do 4 months of physical therapy. Once I with everything, there’s always like a bit of luck, but I know that, was healthy, my mindset just kind of changed. as a team, we worked very hard all season to [get that result]. Personally, I’d like to make the senior National Team again at Winter Cup and whatever comes after that. My uncle had a house [in Texas,] near WOGA, that he wasn’t It was very exciting at the time. I’m still excited about it. going to be living in, so it worked out pretty well and my mom I think the [2009] individual Worlds would be a good fit, a good and I moved down there right after my 16th birthday. INSIDE: As the only returning individual NCAA champ on your opportunity for me to make a name for myself and gain a lot of team, do you feel like a leader? international experience.

LEGENDRE: I don’t know if I’d say I’m a leader, verbally, but I try Interview with Legendre Continued to next page... and lead by example. If someone is having a hard time in the INSIDE: Do you think of yourself as a floor and vault specialist, or gym, I try and help them out, and vice versa. as an all-arounder?

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977

LEGENDRE: I guess I would agree that floor and vault are my better events, but I would like to develop into more of an all-around gymnast and also keep those events strong, if not MEDIA CLIPS | RELEASE NO. 10MEN’S GYMNASTICS stronger, than what they are now. I just want to build up my other events.

(Laughs) If I could stay on pommel horse, that would help. That is my worst event, by far. I don’t mind pommel horse, I’m just not very good at it. I think I’m improving and, eventually, I’ll come around.

INSIDE: What do you think of Oklahoma’s potential this season?

LEGENDRE: I think our team potential is exactly what it was last year. We have the opportunity to win another national championship. We have a ton of talented guys this year. I think, personally, we’re working harder than we [did] last year. I think that at this point we’re better than we were last year. As long as we keep a good mindset, and keep improving, we’ll do [great].

[2008 seniors] Jon and Taqiy (Abdullah-Simmons)—they’re definitely a loss. Not only as far as gymnastics, but their leadership and their ability to motivate people. But I think we have good replacements in [2009 co-captains] Jake (Messina) and Chris (Brooks).

I think a lot of people will be pretty surprised at how some guys have developed this year. How much better they are. I hope I’m better—I think I’ll be pretty good this year—but I’m really talking about Chris. Chris is going to surprise a lot of people this year with how good he is.

INSIDE: And you’re going to be debuting a new 16.8 Start Value floor routine?

LEGENDRE: Yeah, the new floor routine is going along pretty good. … I’m doing six passes, which is a lot, I know. For me, the most impressive pass, the one that’s hardest for me, is the 1-1/2 to [front] double full. But the passes that impress most people are the Hypolito, a laidout Arabian double front—it’s piked in the Code, but I don’t really pike—or the laidout double-double.

… The time limit is pretty tight, so that’s a work in progress. Usually I’m right on the bubble with it. One good thing is that the NCAA doesn’t have a time limit, so that’s a good break for me, to work out the kinks.

It’s definitely tough to get it all in, but I think I just need to build up my endurance, and my ability, and then I think I’ll be able to move through faster. I’m just getting everything solidified, and trying to get everything to where I want to be.

It’s a pretty good routine. I think it’s probably good enough to compete for medals, internationally. It’s just a matter of me getting consistent and cleaner. That’s what I’m reaching for now.

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

Inside Gymnastics will be a rebuilding year for Oklahoma. Would you agree? INSIDE: Are you expecting this team to win another national championship? Q & A With Head Coach Mark Williams WILLIAMS: I wouldn’t say it’s rebuilding, but there’s a certain 12-24-08 amount of reloading. WILLIAMS: I think that’s a little bit too high of an expectation. Personally, I always want to feel we’re in contention to win, but In the nine seasons since Mark Williams has taken over as head Two-thirds of our team from last year’s National championship I tend to be satisfied if my team goes out and does what it can coach, Oklahoma has dominated men’s NCAA gymnastics. team is intact. It’s just gonna put a little more pressure on guys do. If we get beat by a better team that’s just how it is that year. who have been there before and certainly the new guys are go- I won’t be happy unless we end up performing well at the end The Sooners have won 5 NCAA team titles, been runner-up ing to have to fit into the system quickly in order to contribute of this season and give ourselves a chance to be in the mix. If we another 3 times, had 3 NCAA all-around champions (Daniel to a program that has high expectations. do that, where we finish isn’t as important. Furney, Jonathan Horton and Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons), 2 Nissen-Emery award winners (gymnastics’ equivalent of the It will be different not having Jon at the end of the line-up. Obviously, it’s always nice to finish No. 1, but I really just want Heisman; to date OU has more than any other school), won 8 He’s been there for the last four years and he’s led the team, on to do everything we can to finish without any regrets. That’s my conference team titles, claimed 14 national event crowns and and off the floor. But in terms of the leadership I have from co- wish for any seniors I have, every season. For them, I want to notched more All-Americans than any other program, 8 of captains Chris Brooks and Jake Messina, they’re doing a great feel like they have a successful year, stay healthy and compete Williams’ 9 seasons to date. job so far and I expect that they’ll lead a very good team on the to be as good a team as we’ve got the potential to be. floor once we get to March and April. In short, they’re a gymnastics juggernaut. And that’s without That’s my commitment to this team, and every team: I will help taking into account Oklahoma athletes’ international accom- Early on the fortitude of this team was tested by the shocking them reach their potential, whatever that may be. plishments, which include two Olympic medalists, Guard Young news that Chris’ father had passed away in a car accident. Larry (2004) and Horton (2008), and Williams’ stint as assistant coach Brooks was a strong supporter of our program, a fellow coach INSIDE: Who, specifically, will be critical to your success this at a third Games, in 1996. and certainly a very prevalent influence on Chris’ gymnastics season? throughout his career. That loss reverberated through the team Never one to be satisfied with past success, Williams is a coach and I’m proud of how the guys rallied around Chris and offered WILLIAMS: Freshman Pat Piscitelli has assimilated well to what who is always coaching. “At the Olympics, after I landed my their support. we do. He’s a good performer; a hard worker. I expect to use him [high bar] dismount [in finals,] Mark and I were like, ‘Oh my a lot throughout the season and, in time, I hope to see his Start God, did that just really happen?, … I don’t think I’ve ever seen In the days and weeks that have followed I think the team really Values and scores raise to the level where he’s going to really Mark that excited,” Horton recalls of his coach in Beijing. “… circled the wagons and became an even stronger family. We’re contribute, and I think he will. Troy Nitzky is our other freshmen But, like, five minutes later, we were sitting there and Mark was going to continue to do what we can to support Chris. where we hope he’ll help our team [right away]. Troy has a little like, ‘If you had just stayed down a little longer you would have bit farther to go and this season will be a learning experience. stuck your dismount.’ … He just couldn’t hold it in.” For Chris, he told me recently that his dad had told him, ‘You have to prioritize the things in your life that are important.’ I [Sophomore] Steve Legendre is going to be awesome on floor

APRIL 16-18, 2009 | MEN’S GYMNASTICS MEDIA CLIPS APRIL 16-18, That steely-eyed focus on the future has clearly worked for think the right thing for [Chris] has been to come back, focus on and vault, like he always is, but he’s going to help us on parallel Williams, himself a member of three national championship school, and lead this team to their very best this season. I think bars and high bar, too, and I’d like to see him do the all-around teams at Nebraska in the late 1970s and early ’80s—not Chris has done a great job [dealing] with what is an unspeak- more. [Senior] Kyle McNamara has the potential to be a big coincidentally the last time a team dominated as completely as ably tragic thing—I’ve never dealt with a young athlete losing score for us on p-bars and high bar and [senior] Jason Laughton Oklahoma has. a parent in my 30 years of coaching—and I hope he knows he was an All-American for us on pommel horse last year, and is has the love and support of his team behind him. somebody we also need on p-bars and high bar. “The guys give me a hard time because every time we win [a national championship] I always say, ‘This one is special,’” As a team, we’ve talked about dedicating our season to Larry’s [Junior] Ian Jackson is another kid who is part of our rings Williams notes with a laugh. “The truth is they are all special, memory, because he affected every single one of the guys, team and he’s a pretty good all-arounder and I’d like to see him all unique. Because every single one I know what went into and all of the staff. Larry was just so full of life. He was always develop in that area, too. getting there, everything it took and everything the team a huge supporter of us, attending meets, dropping in on [Fifth-year senior] Jake Messina will be key to maintaining our overcame. Every year there are challenges. New strengths, new practices. He absolutely loved to watch Chris compete. Larry still rings score and helping us be better on pommel horse. But, weaknesses. Every year we have to start from scratch.” was such a positive influence on so many people. We want to be because of his ACL tear two years ago, he’s no longer doing the inspired by that and in some way honor him. all-around. That is true this season, more than most. Losing athletes of Horton and Abdullah-Simons’ caliber could be expected to INSIDE: Other coaches ranked you second, where do you expect Honestly, despite all he’s been through, I expect [senior] Chris devastate any team, but Williams has the same goal for this your team to be at the end of the season? Brooks to really be the team’s leader, in terms of the all-around group as he does every year. and on high bar, where I feel like he’s one of the best in the WILLIAMS: I never think we will be the national champions, but country. To step into, in a way, Jonathan Horton’s shoes. “I don’t ever look at a team and say, ‘We’re going to win a I always feel comfortable that we can compete for the national national championship,’” Williams insists. “They may say that championship when guys do their job. I definitely think this WILLIAMS: It’s kind of hard to tell until you start to see teams to each other, but they don’t hear that from me. My goal is team has the capability to be in the NCAA team finals and com- competing. I’m not much for looking on paper and saying, always to get them to a place where they can challenge for that peting for a spot at the top. It just depends on what everyone ‘They’re gonna be a good team,’ but I certainly think the coaches top spot. To get them to a place where they are fulfilling their else does and the kind of day we have. With the departure of poll is a good indication of who we expect to be good. potential.” Jon and Taqiy, that’s [six] scores we lose from our team. And of those six scores, there are only a few places where there’s a big Stanford, Illinois, Michigan [and] Ohio State are all towards the And even though he may have a right to be, Williams isn’t cocky. difference between them, and what the [next guy] got. top and I know in the end Penn State will have a competitive In fact, he’s only ranked his own team No. 1 three times in ten team and Cal, too. So, it wouldn’t surprise me if we had four or years for the pre-season coaches poll, and he remains steadfast I think rings are where they’ll be missed the most—we’re five teams that are within a few points of each other on that that there is no secret to his success. definitely going to feel it there—but other places we’re pretty final night. good. We’re still going to be good on floor and vault. I expect “There’s nothing super-secret or special about training for the to be a little more consistent on pommel horse this year, which highest level of the sport,” Williams demurs, “it simply takes would be a nice change (laughs). [On] high bar and p-bars, our hard work. It takes tenacity and you have to be there working team is mostly back again. on it almost every day.” Looking at things on paper we’re almost as good as we were last INSIDE: You lost two very big stars, leading most to assume this year; though I’m never big on judging things based on paper. Interview with Williams Continued to next page...

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977

INSIDE: You talk about teams being within a few points where, I’m excited to see that over half our bronze-medal-winning year we’re figuring out new ways to reach those goals we set. on the women’s side, it’s a few tenths. The men compete under Olympic team came from NCAA programs. That wouldn’t have the FIG (Olympic-level) Code of Points, with the open-ended happened if we hadn’t been using the FIG Code, and I’d like to INSIDE: You turned 50 last year. Do you think you’ve mellowed

scoring system, while the women use a Junior Olympic Code see that trend continue. I think athletes see that it’s absolutely with age? MEDIA CLIPS | RELEASE NO. 10MEN’S GYMNASTICS and have kept the 10.0, making it so that most of the scores, for possible to work towards a degree, even do post-graduate most of the top teams, fall within the narrow 9.9 to 10.0 range. work—prepare yourself for a life outside the sport—and still WILLIAMS: (laughs) No, but I’m working on it. Which way is better? have competing in the Olympic Games as one of your goals. It doesn’t have to be an either/or situation and I think that’s very I don’t know that it’s a mellowing. I still strongly feel that I have WILLIAMS: I think the good side of having the FIG [Code] for good, not only for the NCAA, and the sport as a whole, but for to push teams to get what we need out of them. Sometimes NCAA men’s gymnastics is that guys who ultimately want to our athletes’ futures. There is more to life than just gymnastics. they need that not-so-nice guy in order to push past those last participate in the sport at the highest level can do so within the hurdles we have; to meet the goals they set. But along the way NCAA program, easily. INSIDE: How does this team compare to your past squads? I never lose sight of the fact that these are young kids that are still figuring out who they are, what they’re going to be. I feel, as a coach, that this system allows me to develop WILLIAMS: I think we’re still trying to find out how good we are. gymnasts as far as their potential allows. If it’s better for them We had a preseason intrasquad [in early December] that I was I think I have a reputation as a serious guy and I am very serious to risk less and compete cleaner and better executed routines, very pleased with, in terms of our performance. We’re not at the about what we do in our training plan. But, even then, I never as opposed to just doing a tremendous amount of difficulty and point where I’m comfortable with all of our routines or the Start lose sight of the fact that gymnastics is fun. I have to occasion- losing a lot in execution, that’s a viable option with this system. Values, but some years we really struggle this early in the year. ally remind the guys of when they were little, when they used I think that it’s a natural evolvement for boys from the J.O. level, This is a team that has gotten a good head start and I see that to love to go to the gym and flip and twist. Right now, the to the NCAA level and then the Elite level, if they choose to do they’ve come a long way. gym is my son’s favorite place in the world and I want them to that. They can go as far as their talents allow. remember when they felt like that. I don’t want it to be a job. I To reach our potential this year, I felt we had to push early want them to have that energy and to enjoy the sport, to enjoy I don’t know if either way is actually “better.” On the women’s and get going. We may not have the same high-end [scoring] being a part of a team and have fun while they’re out there side, they’re working with athletes, for the most part, at the potential as we did last year, so we’re going to have to be con- competing. Competition should be a celebration of all the hard end of their careers, and allowing them to maintain or even sistent and strong, all season long. If you look at the intrasquad work they’ve put in to get to that point. downgrade their skills under the [women’s NCAA] Code, is last year it was far, far worse, but I also knew that the potential probably a good thing. was great, and that Jon and Taqiy would come on strong at the Now that I’m a father [to two-year-old son Cooper,] it’s easier end of the year. This year we have some depth issues on some for me to view these boys as sons. Even as young as my son is, On the men’s side, we’re dealing with a whole different animal. events and it’s going to have to be a full team effort that keeps I know that daily amazement of watching him grow and learn. [Male gymnasts] tend to peak in their early to mid-20s. We us in things. We may not be able to rely on that one big score to I also think I treasure more the responsibility that parents give come in expecting guys to progress every year; get better, get save an event. me by bringing their sons to our university and letting me help stronger and [add] more difficulty. That’s the way it’s supposed shape their lives. I think I see that as a more of an awesome to work, and the FIG Code rewards that and allows for that INSIDE: This is your tenth season as OU’s head coach but you’ve responsibility than I did before. progression. been coaching for more than 30 years. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned? INSIDE: What do you say to those who claim its “easy” to win a The downside of using the FIG system is, undoubtedly, that it’s men’s NCAA title because there are so few gymnastics teams much more difficult for fans to understand our intricate scoring WILLIAMS: That’s a difficult question to answer. I’ve learned left? system. To recognize the difference between the routine with a many things along the way. I’ve been in a lot of different high Start Value, that is maybe not done with exquisite execu- roles: club college, high school coach, assistant college coach WILLIAMS: I’d say that they need to come and watch our tion, and somebody who does an elegant, beautiful routine and, now, a head coach, and I’ve learned it’s not all about the Championships, because they obviously don’t understand the with a low Start Value. When that perfect routine scores lower gymnastics. sport, or competition. than one with [a] higher Start Value but more errors, that can be hard to understand and appreciate. I really think I’ve broadened my perspective. These are kids, I don’t think it’s easy when it seems like every year we have not just gymnasts. I need to prepare them for life outside of between 8 and 10 teams that are within 3 or 4 points of each To the fans, the scores sometimes don’t make sense with gymnastics, foster their success in school, as well as make sure other by the end of the season. I think, on any given day, 4 or what they saw. You almost have to have a group that’s willing they’re performing to their highest ability in the gym. 5 teams have the opportunity to win a national championship to trust, or even ignore, the scoring, and just appreciate the and it comes down to whoever puts it all out on the floor that gymnastics. I think [I’ve learned that] there are definitely different ways night. to motivate kids on a team. No one way works for all athletes. I don’t blame the fans for being confused. The first couple of I’m always shocked by the difference in the team chemistry I also feel like there is a certain amount of parity because the years, even as a coach and [certified] judge, it was hard for me from one year to the next. Every year, it takes a whole different teams have been condensed to a smaller number, therefore to know what a good score was. It wasn’t that easy for me to approach to get to the same end result. we are also condensing the talent pool. The top 10 teams have, transition to [the new] scoring system, even though I’d had overall, more depth on each of their events than they had 25 kids competing internationally for a full year and a half before I think I’ve learned that there aren’t any fast fixes. There is no years ago when there were 75 teams. the NCAA adopted the [open-ended] Code. It was still a little ingenious shortcut to making individuals good. It’s a process, bit weird. In fact, I still can’t judge a routine in my head like I and it takes time, and a lot of times I’m amazed, four years later, It’s a given that, with so few schools sponsoring the sport, it’s used to. to see how far they’ve come. easier to be in the top 10 now than it used to be, but it’s just as difficult to be in the top 3 as it ever has been, and maybe more I think now that people have seen the Olympics and seen the There is such a huge separation between the kids coming in, so, just because there are a lot of good teams that are closer system used internationally, on national TV, it won’t seem as and kids going out of the program, just in maturity, and what than they ever have been. confusing, or at least not so weird. they can do, both in and out of the gym. But I’ve learned to trust the process. Every kid we’ve ever brought in has helped I’ve been involved in NCAA gymnastics since I was 17 years old. What the women do is obviously working, and it’s clear that the program in some way. It’s not always on the competition And, yes, there used to be a lot more teams then, but I’ve never fans get what they’re doing, and appreciate it. If every routine floor, but we try to make sure each of our teams have a unique been a part of an NCAA Championship—and I’ve been a part of starts from 10.0, it’s easy to look and say: ‘That one was better.’ bond and I think that’s a big factor in our success. nine now—that was easy. However, I don’t think that system works particularly well for the men. And that’s what keeps me excited about each new season. The outcome is never a given. The process is always changing. Every

SOONERSPORTS.COM 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

OU Dialy Maybe the gymnastics team will win an unprecedented ninth championship in April to give OU its first national title By Jono Greco of 2009. 12-24-08 Overall, the athletic program is flourishing and this past year Sooner fans should enjoy has to be one of its best in school history.

current OU athletic success So here’s a toast to us being spoiled. Let’s hope we can hold our glasses high to this kind of treatment for many years to come. Everyone at OU is spoiled in one way or another.

We get to come to this beautiful campus everyday and take in the many traditions the university has to offer, albeit with a small fee.

There are many people who see flaws in the university, but there are worse places you could get your college education.

But the area we have been spoiled in the most in recent years is sports.

Just look at our athletic program. This season the football team went to the national championship game and quarterback Sam Bradford won the Heisman Trophy. The women’s and men’s basketball teams are ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in the nation and feature two of the most dominating players in their respective sports.

The baseball team is the No. 16 team in the country after spending much of the 2008 season outside the top 25. APRIL 16-18, 2009 | MEN’S GYMNASTICS MEDIA CLIPS APRIL 16-18, At the baseball team’s media day Feb. 11, head coach Sunny Golloway joked that the team needs to pick up the slack in the rankings because its ranking is low compared to other OU sports.

“If you’re ranked 16th down in Norman at the University of Oklahoma, then you’re kind of way behind,” Golloway said. “The fact is we got to bring up that tail end a little bit better.”

If a coach is cracking jokes about the recent athletic depart- ment’s success, then you know, as students, we are in sports heaven.

Arguably the most successful sport on campus is one that the student body may be the most uninformed about — men’s gymnastics.

I bet there are only a handful of the 35,000-plus students on campus able to tell me what the men’s gymnastics team is currently ranked or how many national championships it has won without looking up the answers on the Internet.

Even though football, basketball, baseball and softball produce professional athletes, gymnastics is the sport which has given the school worldwide recognition.

The team has two athletes, senior Chris Brooks and sophomore Steven Legendre, who recently made the U.S. national team. The program put out an Olympic silver and bronze medalist last year, Jonathan Horton, and is led by one of the best coaches in the business, Mark Williams.

2009 OKLAHOMA MEN’S GYMNASTICS NOTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS - 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2003 |2002 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977

OU Dialy “I actually challenged them a few weeks ago that we can’t afford to be a team that misses half the routines in competi- By Claire Brandon tions,” Williams said. “They kind of stepped up, so hopefully 4-3-08 we’re over that hurdle.” MEDIA CLIPS | RELEASE NO. 10MEN’S GYMNASTICS

OU shooting for conference OU broke the all-time NCAA scoring record at its last meet, posting a 366.85. Although the Sooners swept every event title title, the pommel horse brought in the lowest score.

As the four-time defending conference champions, the No. “Pommel is a beast,” Legendre said. “That’s the one we have 2 OU men’s gymnastics team will compete this weekend at to conquer. Pommel kind of dictates a lot of things when the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Conference Champi- we’re competing. If we do good on pommel a lot of times onship. The meet will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday at Stanford’s the rest of the events follow in that way. But a bad pommel Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto, Calif. day can send you in the wrong direction, so it’s definitely an important one for us.” “I think we’re looking good as a team and I think we should all feel pretty confident coming in,” sophomore Stephen The Sooners beat Stanford in the regular season but are Legendre said. “As long as we do what we can do and just going against California for the first time this year. go out there and hit our routines, I think we should be good to go.” “I’m just thinking about crushing Stanford’s dreams,” Mes- sina said. OU will compete against No. 1 Stanford, No. 3 California, No. 9 Nebraska and No. 15 Air Force. The Sooners accomplished that feat at last year’s NCAA Championships, defeating top-ranked Stanford in Palo Alto “We’ve put ourselves in a good position to win, but it’s also to win OU’s eighth national title. going to be in California where Stanford and California are going to be favored to win,” senior co-captain Chris Brooks Williams said he has been preparing the team for this week- said. “So we just have to go out there and do our job and let end so the team knows what to expect at the meet. the chips fall where they may.” “It’s one of those things you get in a championship-meet Head coach Mark Williams said he is confident competing environment, and guys need to be able to step up when against the first- and third-ranked teams in the nation. the pressure’s on,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll see some great performances this weekend and get us some confidence “It’s probably going to take a fairly consistent and good day going before the NCAA’s in two weeks.” by our team to really finish up at the top,” Williams said. “Trying to travel there gives us a bit of a challenge because The NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships will be April of the two teams that are right there. I feel like we’ve 16-18 in Minneapolis. prepared as well as we can. It’s going to be up to them to make the performances happen.”

Since Williams took over as head coach in 2001, the Sooners have won every conference championship, excluding 2004. Senior co-captain Jacob Messina said he feels slightly pres- sured about this weekend since he has won the conference championship every year he has been at OU.

“I want to live up to it and go out on top,” Messina said. “I’d hate to go out with a loss. No one wants to do that.”

This weekend, the Sooners will be looking to focus on their performances rather than the scoreboard.

“Our first two events are going to be low-scoring events compared to what the other two teams are going to be starting on,” Brooks said. “So staying away from looking at the scoreboard [will be our toughest challenge] because when you look up, we’re going to be behind after the two events. We can’t let that get to our head.

The pommel horse is normally OU’s lowest-scoring event, however, the Sooners went six-for-six in the event at their last meet, and five-for-six the previous meet.

SOONERSPORTS.COM