Sooners Finish Second at NCAA Championships

April 6, 2001

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics team placed second at the NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio, to host school Ohio State. The Sooners scored a 217.775 to Ohio State's 218.125. California placed third (216.775), followed by Michigan (216.175), Penn State (212.125) and Michigan State (211.875). OU's finish was its highest since finishing as NCAA runner-up in 1997.

Starting on its worst event, vault, Oklahoma trailed Ohio State and Michigan at the end of the first rotation. Sophomore Josh Landis tied his season high on vault (9.00) set yesterday during the first qualifying session. The Sooners slipped to fourth after the second rotation, scoring a 34.950 on parallel bars, its lowest score in that event since the Southwest Cup on March 3. Landis also tied his season best on p-bars (8.75), which was also set during the qualifier.

OU stayed in fourth at the end of the third rotation when it scored a 36.250 on horizontal bar. Two Sooners - Landis and senior Steve Van Etten scored season highs on floor with a 9.30 and 9.275, respectively, to help OU climb back to third and cut Ohio State's lead to just .175. Oklahoma ended the fifth rotation in second place after scoring a 36.100 on pommel horse. Sophomore Daniel Furney set a season best on pommel horse, posting a 9.25. The Sooners trailed by .225 going into their sixth and best event still rings. OU scored a solid 36.95 on rings but Ohio State posted the highest score of the meet on vault to clinch the championship.

"I have to congratulate Ohio State," said OU Head Coach Mark Williams. "They had to have their meet of the season and have their high score to beat us. They had a great crowd that gave them a home court advantage and a lot of emotion. My guys fought to the last routine and kept they pressure on them. We had a great meet. I couldn't be prouder of the way we competed. This isn't the outcome we expected, but today Ohio State was the better team."

OU's season will conclude tomorrow when Sooners Steve Van Etten (floor, pommel horse and horizontal bar), Josh Landis (floor and pommel horse), Brendan O'Neil (floor), Daniel Furney (pommel horse and parallel bars) and Ryan Hillyer (horizontal bar) compete in the individual event finals. Action begins at 7 p.m.


TEAM SCORES

        TotalFXPHSRVPBHB

Ohio State218.12536.25036.10036.65037.07536.65035.400

Oklahoma217.77536.92536.60036.95036.10034.95036.250

California216.77536.80036.45035.10036.17535.20037.050

Michigan216.17536.40034.65036.60036.65035.72536.150

Penn State212.12533.35035.00036.00036.77533.95035.050

Michigan State211.87536.00035.55035.45036.12533.50035.250


OKLAHOMA INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Floor Exercise        Pommel HorseStill Rings

Gabe Hansen 8.95David Johnston 8.40Brendan O'Neil 8.65

Jock Stevens 9.10Heath Mueller 8.65Gabe Hansen 8.70

Shannon Carrion 8.95Daniel Furney 9.25Daniel Furney 9.15

Josh Landis 9.30Gabe Hansen 8.60David Johnston 9.15

Steve Van Etten 9.275Steve Van Etten 9.30Shannon Carrion 9.20

Brendan O'Neil 9.25Josh Landis 9.40Brett Covey 9.45

Vault        Parallel BarsHorizontal Bar

Josh Landis 9.00Josh Landis 8.75David Johnston 8.85

Heath Mueller 8.875Gabe Hansen 8.50Daniel Furney 8.85

Jock Stevens  9.025Jock Stevens 8.50Gabe Hansen 8.75

Gabe Hansen 8.925Brendan O'Neil 8.25Everette Bierker 9.05

Everette Bierker 8.95Everette Bierker 8.675Steve Van Etten 9.10

Steve Van Etten 9.125Daniel Furney 9.025Ryan Hillyer 9.25

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooners Finish Second at NCAA Championships

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors