A Closer Look

Jan. 27, 2001

The Sooners opened their 2001 home season with a home-away-from-home meet versus Air Force, hosted by the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy, January 27.

OU began their competition on floor with a strong team effort (36.3). Sophomore Josh Landis debuted a new tumbling pass in his routine (2-1/2, punch front, punch full), earning a 9.05. The highlight was anchor Brendan O'Neil's 9.4. Currently, O'Neil is ranked number one in the nation on this event.

Pommel horse was another disappointing effort for the Sooners, who also struggled on this event in their season opener. Landis was OU's top athlete with a 9.1 and the team score improved by more than a point over the season opening total, but coach Mark Williams is still displeased with his team's pommels performances.

"We have the difficulty on this event, but apparently it's going to take more than a couple meets to perfect the performances," Williams said. "During the next week I expect we'll do pommel horse routines every day as a team -- twice a day if we have to. I may also have to make a couple of line-up changes. I'd say that the biggest disappointment about our pommels performance was that if we had four guys who got through their routines we could have posted the highest score in the nation tonight."

The Sooners redeemed themselves on rings with strong performances from sophomores Daniel Furney (9.1) and Brett Covey (9.15), along with 2000 All-American David Johnston (9.15). Sophomore Shannon Carrion won the event with a 9.35, to secure a team total of 36.7, the highest event of the night for the Sooners.

On vault, freshman Heath Mueller won the event with a 9.05, performing a Kas full. "That was a new vault for Heath and though he did fairly well, he did land short and sprain his ankle which hindered his performance on parallel bars."

O'Neil earned an 8.7 for a solid, if not overly-difficult performance, on the Sooners fifth event, parallel bars. (O'Neil plans to add new elements to the routine to up his start value in the upcoming weeks.)

Furney anchored the event, earning a meet-high 9.1. Furney is currently ranked number two in the nation on this event. "Daniel did a very nice parallel bars routine," Williams said. "He could compete with that routine in any competition in the world and score well. It was a great set."

The Sooners closed the evening with three strong high bar performances: Furney (8.85), Steve Van Etten (8.9) and Gabe Hansen (9.1). Hansen's event winning performance (layout Kovacs, layout double-double dismount) also secured the all-around title for the senior, who racked up a 52.3, which puts him third in the nation.

"Gabe's set really fired up the team and sealed his all-around victory," Williams said proudly. "He's worked hard this year and is proving himself to be one of the nation's top all-arounders.

"Even though we still had trouble on pommel horse I am still pleased with the overall performance of the team. Our team total ranks us second in the nation, within striking distance of Michigan. Given a little more time, particularly on pommel horse, I think we have the potential to move into the top spot."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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