No. 1 vs. No. 2, Sooners vs. Buckeyes

NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 1 University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics team will stay in Big Ten country, this Saturday, Feb. 18, when it travels to Columbus, Ohio, to take on No. 2 Ohio State and Mountain Pacific Sports Rival No. 7 California. The Sooners will enter the meet after picking up their sixth consecutive win of the season after defeating Iowa 212.000-206.650 in Iowa City.

The Sooners took four events (floor exercise, still rings, parallel bars and high bar) from the Hawkeyes and improved their record to 6-0 on the year. The Sooners posted their best score of the year on the still rings (37.85) and took the top four spots on the event with Jonathan Horton and Jamie Henderson tying for first with a score of 9.65. Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons (9.3) and sophomore Jacob Messina (9.15) finished third and fourth, respectively.

Weekly Release (PDF) | 2006 NCAA Championships in Norman

"We are expecting a tremendous competition with the top two teams in the country going head-to-head," said OU head coach Mark Williams. "Oklahoma and Ohio State have had a great rivalry the last five years, so competing against them is always a good indicator of where we are. The winner of this meet should come out with an edge to win the national championship. I'm hoping that we are prepared and start off better than we did against Iowa."

Ohio State is coached by Miles Avery who is in his ninth season with the program. Under Avery, OSU has won one NCAA title (2001) and three Big Ten titles (2001, 2002 and 2005)-. The Buckeyes are led by senior Ronald Ferris and sophomore D.J. Bucher, both three-time All-Americans. Ohio State (7-0) returns to the floor after posting its lowest score of the season last Saturday in a 205.85-204.05 win over Illinois-Chicago. Previously, OSU defeated Illinois and took first in the Windy City Invitational. The Buckeyes are the top-ranked team on the parallel bars while Bucher is the No. 2 gymnast on the apparatus.

California (1-3) is coached by Barry Weiner who is in his 15th season with the program and has led Cal to two consecutive NCAA titles in 1997 and 1998. The Golden Bears are led by senior captains Shawn Mowry and Chris Rodriguez. Cal's three losses all have come to MPSF and Bay Area-rival Stanford, while its one win came against Nebraska in the Stanford Open. The Bears are the No. 3 team on the pommel horse, still rings and parallel bars and boast the nation's top gymnast on the high bar in Timothy McNeill who is also No. 2 on the pommel horse.

The event to watch should be the high bar as the Sooners are the top-ranked team on the apparatus followed by Ohio State at No. 2 and Cal at No. 4.

Sooners Reclaim No. 1 Ranking
The University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics program was at the top of the list in the new GymInfo poll released Tuesday. OU claimed the No. 1 spot with a scoring average of 211.8. Despite the Sooners recent success, it is the first time for the program to be ranked No. 1 in a regular-season poll since March 7, 2003.

OU began the 2006 season ranked No. 1 in the GymInfo pre-season coaches poll and then slipped to No. 3 after posting a season-low 208.85 at the Rocky Mountain Open. After defeating the Air Force Academy 210.15-171.65, OU moved up a spot to No. 2 before reaching its current status by defeating then-No. 5 Iowa, 212.0-206.65, last Friday in Iowa City, Iowa.

Prior to meeting the Hawkeyes, the Sooners posted the nation's highest score of 2006, 216.2, in its Jan. 27 win over current-No. 5 Michigan.

Not only did the Sooners claim the top overall spot, but they are also the best team in the nation on the floor exercise, still rings and high bar with averages of 35.95, 36.425 and 36.237, respectively.

Individually, sophomore Jonathan Horton is the nation's top all-around gymnast with an average of 53.55 and senior Jamie Henderson is the nation's best on the still rings with an average of 9.437 on the apparatus.

Currently, the GymInfo rankings are determined by averaging all of a team's scores from the 2006 season. Beginning next week, the rankings will be tabulated by averaging a team's top three scores of the season. The rankings will change once more on March 13, when the polls will be determined by the modified three score average which consists of selecting the four highest scores, counting no more than two home meets and dropping the highest score before averaging the three remaining scores.

The changes in rankings come just four days before the Sooners travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Revisiting Ohio State - 2005
On March 5, 2005, OU and Ohio State met up in Norman and were ranked No. 3 and No. 1, respectively. In a tightly-contested battle, the Sooners came out as victors in the end posting a 222.825-222.675 win. The Sooners went into the final event down by two points, but rallied on the high bar with a score of 37.950 while Ohio State faltered on the parallel bars. The Sooners defeated the Buckeyes on the still rings and parallel bars while the two tied on the high bar.

West Point, N.Y., was the site of the next nerve-wracking ending between the two as the OU took its sixth national title by narrowly defeating Ohio State at the 2005 NCAA Championships. The Sooners school record 225.675 topped second place OSU's 225.450. The competition between Oklahoma and Ohio State came down to the very last rotation, with OU on the vault and the Buckeyes on the still rings. OU nailed a score of 37.275 to outdistance Ohio State. It came down to the very last attempt on the vault, where freshman Jonathan Horton stuck a title-clinching 9.5, tying his career high from the night before.

Iowa Recap
The No. 2 University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics team continued its perfect season last Friday night in Iowa City, Iowa, where it knocked off then-No. 5 Iowa 212.0-206.65. The Sooners took four events (floor exercise, still rings, parallel bars and high bar) from the Hawkeyes and improved their record to 6-0 on the year.

The Sooners posted their best score of the year on the still rings (37.85) and took the top four spots on the event with Horton and Henderson tying for first with a score of 9.65. Abdullah-Simmons (9.3) and sophomore Jacob Messina (9.15) finished third and fourth, respectively.

Freshman Chris Brooks continued his impressive year on the high bar posting a season-high 9.6 to take first on the apparatus. Messina finished second behind his teammate with a career-high 9.25.

Horton also took first on the floor exercise with a 9.55.

Top That
Besides defeating then-No. 6 Michigan, the OU men's gymnastics team posted the nation's highest score of the 2006 season. The 216.2 tops the second-highest score (213.35) set by Ohio State. The Sooners and the Buckeyes will meet on Feb. 18, in Columbus, Ohio in a re-match of last year's No. 1 versus No 2 meeting that the Sooners won in Norman 222.825-222.675.

Currently, the OU program has posted eight of the top-20 NCAA all-time high scores (under the old scoring system). Six of the eight scores were posted in the 2005 season including the national title-clinching 225.675 on April 8, 2005, in West Point, N.Y. A complete listing of the top-20 scores can be found on page five.

Sooners Exercise The Right To Be No. 1
Following a season-high 36.8 performance against Michigan, the OU floor exercise team jumped to the top spot in the event's rankings. Prior to its current ranking, Oklahoma began the season at No. 4 before stepping up to No. 2. It's no question that having three of the top 12 gymnasts on the event helped OU reach the lofty status.

The floor exercise is arguably the event that this year's freshman class has had the biggest impact on with three freshman being ranked in the top 25; Russell Czeschin at No. 7, Chris Brooks at No. 12 and Reed Pitts at No. 23. Add the three with two returning floor exercise All-Americans, Jonathan Horton (currently ranked No. 3) and Jacob Messina, and Mark Williams has a potent event to begin competitions with.

Taking It Higher
After putting together yet another solid performance on the high bar against Iowa (36.45), OU leap-frogged Ohio State to take the No. 1 ranking on event. Oklahoma is the nation's best with seven gymnasts in the top 25 of the apparatus' individual rankings. Leading the way are freshman Chris Brooks (No. 9) and junior Brian Carr (No. 13).

Jamie Henderson and Jacob Messina are next in line tied at No. 14 followed by Jonathan Horton at No. 18 and James Myers at No. 20. Freshman Wesley Aderhold (No. 23) rounds out the group.

Still Ringing It In
After sitting behind MPSF rival Stanford in the second spot on the still rings, OU jumped the Cardinal in the rankings after posting a season-high 37.85 on the apparatus in its win over Iowa. It was the second straight week that the Sooners topped the 37-point mark after posting a 37.05 against Michigan. Individually, the Sooners also boast the nation's top athlete on the still rings. Senior captain Jamie Henderson leads the way with an average of 9.437 on the event. Henderson is joined in the event's top-20 rankings by Jonathan Horton (No. 6), Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons (No. 11) and Jacob Messina (No. 19).

Looking Ahead
The Sooners travel to Oakland, Calif., next Saturday, Feb. 25, to compete in the Pacific Coast Classic. The event, which is hosted by USA Sports Management in partnership with the Oakland Marriott City Center, will feature seven NCAA teams: Oklahoma, Iowa, Michigan, Stanford, Cal, Minnesota and William & Mary. The goal of the USA Sports Management Group is to provide direct assistance in preserving men's collegiate gymnastics programs and increasing scholarship and training opportunities in the United States.

Sooner Notes
Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons- Finished second on the parallel bars (8.75) and third on the still rings in win over Iowa
Wesley Aderhold- Ranked No. 15 in the all-around and No. 23 on the high bar
Chris Brooks- Took first on the high bar (9.6) and second on the vault (9.25) in Iowa win
Brian Carr- Tied teammate Jamie Henderson for third on the pommel horse (8.25) in Iowa win
Garrett Carr- Competed on pommel horse and vault versus Iowa
Russell Czeschin- Currently ranked No. 7 on the floor exercise and No. 19 on the vault
Jamie Henderson- Tied teammate Jonathan Horton for first place on still rings (9.65) in Iowa win
Jonathan Horton- Took first on the floor (9.55) and tied Jamie Henderson for first on the still rings (9.65) versus Iowa
Jason Laughton- Tied teammate Jonathan Horton for third on the parallel bars (8.6) versus Iowa
Kyle McNamara- Saw action on vault against Iowa
Jacob Messina- Took second on the high bar (9.25) against Iowa
James Myers- Finished third on the floor (9.0) in win over Iowa
Reed Pitts- Competed on floor and vault versus Iowa
Joseph Weaver- Competed on floor, pommel horse, rings and parallel bars in Iowa win

Viva Las Vegas
Jonathan Horton's performance in the Winter Cup was not the first time that the sophomore has excelled in the city of lights. In 2005, as a freshman, Horton qualified for the U.S. National Team after finishing first on the floor (8.95) and fourth on the vault (8.975). The Houston, Texas native also finished eighth in the all-around with a score of 51.181. Following both occasions, Horton was named MPSF Gymnast of the Week.

Horton Receives National Honor
Just one day after being named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week, University of Oklahoma gymnast Jonathan Horton garnered another honor when he was named the College Gymnastics Association National Gymnast of the Week on last Wednesday.

The award, which is a product of a national coaches poll, comes after a successful weekend that saw Horton being named to the U.S. Senior National Team after finishing second in the all-around at the 2006 Winter Cup.

The sophomore captain also finished third on the floor exercise, still rings and high bar at the event.

Horton Named Gymnast Of The Week
University of Oklahoma gymnast Jonathan Horton was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week last Tuesday for the week ending Feb. 6. The conference announced the honor three days after Horton finished second in the all-around at the Winter Cup and was named to the U.S. Senior National Team for a third year.

The sophomore captain also finished third on the floor exercise, still rings and high bar at the event. It is the second straight year that the Houston, Texas native was named MPSF Gymnast of the Week following the Winter Cup. In 2005, Horton received the honor after tying for first on the floor and finishing fourth on the vault to earn a spot on the U.S. National team.

Horton's award marked the third straight week that a Sooner gymnast won the honor bestowed on top gymnast from the conference that counts OU, Air Force, California, Nebraska and Stanford as its members.

Horton Named To U.S. National Team
On Feb. 4, OU's Jonathan Horton was named to the U.S. Senior National Team after finishing second in the all-around (177.5) at the Winter Cup finals in Las Vegas, Nev. Horton finished just two-tenths of a point behind champion David Durante's 177.7. The appointment marks Horton's third straight stint with the national team.

With Horton's finish in the all-around, the Houston, Texas, native was invited to represent the U.S. in the prestigious American Cup on March 4, in Philadelphia, Pa. The sophomore also finished third on the floor exercise, still rings and high bar with two-day combined scores of 30.05, 30.55 and 30.35, respectively.

Oklahoma's Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons and Jamie Henderson also competed in Saturday night's Winter Cup finals. Abdullah-Simmons finished eighth and Henderson 24th, despite not competing on the floor exercise or vault in Saturday night's competition. Abdullah-Simmons also finished fifth on the parallel bars with a two-day combined score of 29.55. Henderson finished sixth on the still rings (29.25).

The three qualified for Saturday finals after their performance two qualifying sessions on Feb. 2. Horton finished second in the all-around, Abdullah-Simmons fourth and Henderson 19th.

Oklahoma No. 1 in Preseason Poll
The Oklahoma men's gymnastics team, coming off its third national title in four years, was voted No. 1 in the GymInfo Coaches' poll.

The Sooners received five first place votes followed by Illinois (4), Ohio State (4) and Stanford (1). OU has been the preseason No. 1 team in each of the last five seasons and ranked in the top five of the preseason poll over each of the last nine seasons.

OU was voted No. 1 prior to last season and went on to win the program's sixth national title in West Point, N.Y.

Henderson And Czeschin Receive MPSF Honors
Senior Jamie Henderson and freshman Russell Czeschin were named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnasts of the Week on Tuesday when the conference announced the honor for the first three weeks of the 2006 season.

Henderson received this week's honor (Jan. 30) after posting season highs and taking first place honors on still rings (9.65) and high bar (9.5) in OU's win over then-No. 6 Michigan. Henderson helped the Sooner team post the nation's highest score of the 2006 season, 216.2, in its defeat of the Wolverines.

Czeschin received his honor for the week of January 23 after the Air Force meet in which he won the vault title with a career-high 9.25 and tied for first place on the floor exercise (9.05). That performance came one week after the Independence, Mo., native captured the floor exercise championship (8.85) at the Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Colo.

40 Years
The beginning of the 2006 season marks the 40th anniversary for the University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics program. During that time period, the Sooners have excelled by winning six NCAA Championships, 18 NCAA Individual Championships, 141 All-America honors, 14 conference championships (7 in MPSF and 7 in Big Eight), 94 individual conference champions and five Nissen Emery awards.

Additionally, four coaches (Russ Porterfield, Paul Ziert, Greg Buwick and Mark Williams) accumulated an all-time record 436-160-1, a winning percentage of 73.1 percent in those 40 years. The Oklahoma program has been responsible for placing 15 gymnasts on the U.S. Senior National Team and sent two members of its program to the Olympics on four different occasions.

Williams Signs English
Oklahoma men's gymnastics coach Mark Williams announced the signing of Corey English on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005. The Covington, La., native is a former club teammate of current Sooners Brian and Garrett Carr.

“We are excited to announce the addition of Corey English to the Oklahoma men's gymnastics program,” said Williams. “We feel like he'll be a good fit for our system and will be someone who can contribute to our recent success.”

English, who trains at the Mandeville Sports Complex under Alexandre Shostak, finished second in the all-around at the 2005 Louisiana Gymnastics State Championships. In 2004, English took the all-around title at the Louisiana State Championships. The past three years, English has qualified for the U.S. Junior Nationals Championships.

English attends St. Paul's High School and is the son of Wayne and Sandra English.

Horton Leads U.S. to Pan-Am Gold
University of Oklahoma sophomore gymnast Jonathan Horton finished a team-best fifth in the all-around, with a score of 52.650, and helped lead the U.S. team to a gold medal in the 2005 Pan American Championships in the October 8th competition in Rio de Janeiro.

Along with helping the U.S. team establish the top team score of 159.825, Horton posted the night's top score on the vault with a 9.525.

The U.S. team, led by OU head coach Mark Williams and University of Minnesota coach Mike Burns, consisted of Horton, David Durante, Joseph Hagerty and Guillermo Alvarez. OU senior Jamie Henderson was the team's alternate.

In the following day's event finals, Horton placed eighth on the vault and high bar with scores of 8.675 and 8.175, respectively. Alvarez took silver on the floor exercise and Hagerty took bronze on the high bar.

The Pan Am Championships is a qualifying tournament for the 2007 Pan American Games, slated for July 13-29, in Rio de Janeiro. In 2003, Horton tied for fourth in the all-around and was a member of the U.S. team that finished third at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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