Men's Gymnastics Returns To No. 1 Ranking

March 4, 2003

GymInfo NCAA Weekly Poll

NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma men's gymnastics team has returned to the top spot in the GymInfo NCAA weekly poll for the first time since the preseason poll was released. During the collegiate gymnastics season GymInfo releases 11 weekly polls leading up to the NCAA Championships. Since the beginning of the 2001 season, a span of 29 polls, OU has been the top-ranked team 16 times. OU faces its biggest test of the season when No. 3 Ohio State visits the Lloyd Noble Center, along with No. 8 Stanford, Friday at 7 p.m.

The Oklahoma and Ohio State rivalry began in 2001, when the Buckeyes edged the Sooners for the NCAA title. OU had its revenge by beating the Buckeyes in the Lloyd Noble Center last season and claiming the program's fourth national title.

"The last three years have been a battle with Ohio State," said OU Head Coach Mark Williams. "It's like two titans going after each other. Neither team wants to relinquish any ground. We expect to defend our home turf, like we did at the NCAA's last season. I am definitely looking forward to the challenge they will present. We hope to send a message that we are the No. 1 team and will be when all is said and done."

OU enters the triangular meet in the midst of a number of streaks, most notably the nation's longest current winning streak against collegiate opponents, which stands at 25. OU has won 13 straight home meets and 20 of the last 21 in Norman. The Sooners have also improved their team score in every competition this season. OU has defeated the Buckeyes in two straight meetings, both during 2002, when OU also took two of three from Stanford.

The departing senior class of Josh Landis, Daniel Furney, Brett Covey and Shannon Carrion will be honored prior to the meet. The senior class boasts eight All-America honors, six of the seven school records, two current or former national team members (USA and Canada), three team Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships, four individual conference champions and one NCAA National Championship.

"If we acknowledge all of the accomplishments of this class we probably won't be able to fit the meet in Friday," said Williams. "In my 16 years at Oklahoma, this is the most special group we have had. The only class that could compare is the 1991 team that won a national championship, but they weren't as successful from beginning to end. It will be an emotional farewell to their home crowd but they are far from finished. They really want to end their Sooner careers like the 1991 class did.... as NCAA champions."

OU closes out the regular season with a non-conference dual against Illinois, March 15, at 7 p.m., inside Huff Hall on the Champagne campus. OU then has a week off to prepare for the MPSF Championships, which are hosted by Nebraska and will take place March 28-29, inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Admission to Senior Night is $5 for adults and $2 for children. The first 250 fans in attendance will receive free thunder sticks. For more information on tickets, call (800) 456-GoOU.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Men's Gymnastics Returns To No. 1 Ranking

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