No. 3 Oklahoma Opens Season at Rocky Mountain Open

Jan. 14, 2010

No. 3 Oklahoma at Rocky Mountain Open
Date	Saturday, Jan. 16 \| 7 p.m. (CT)
Location	Colorado Springs, Colo. \| Cadet West Gymnasium
Tickets	Order Online \| (719) 472-1895 or (800) 666-8723
Live Stats	None
Online	None
Meet Notes	Sooners

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The No. 3 Oklahoma men's gymnastics team opens the 2010 season Saturday, Jan. 16, at the Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Colo. The event, hosted by the U.S. Air Force Academy, will start at 7 p.m. (CT) at Cadet West Gymnasium and will include both team and individual awards.

Competing at the meet is Air Force, fellow Mountain Pacific Sports Federation rival Nebraska, club teams from Arizona State and the University of Washington, and athletes from the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Last season, Oklahoma won its 10th straight Rocky Mountain Open, sweeping the team event titles with a score of 355.000.

The Sooners also claimed all of the individual titles at the Rocky Mountain Open in 2009 with the help of Steven Legendre winning event titles on floor, vault, parallel bars, high bar, Corey English winning pommel horse and Ian Jackson winning rings.

OPPONENT PREVIEW
Air Force is in its 11th season under the leadership of Kip Simons. The Falcons return 11 letterwinners from last year's squad that finished fifth in the MPSF.

The University of Nebraska is ranked ninth in the preseason poll and returns 11 letterwinners from a team that finished ninth in the NCAA last year. The Cornhuskers are led by head coach Chuck Chmelka, who replaced long-time Nebraska coach Francis Allen.

UP NEXT
Oklahoma will face a familiar Big Ten foe next weekend as it travels to Iowa City, Iowa, on Jan. 23, to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes. The meet is scheduled for a 2 p.m. (CT) start inside the Field House on the University of Iowa campus.

EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY
Saturday, Jan 16:
Windy City Invitational 7 p.m. (CT)
West Point Open 8 p.m. (CT)

Oklahoma Roster | 2010 Schedule and Results | Complete 2010 Preview with Event Breakdowns

MEET NOTES

A GOOD START
The past 10 years have been good to the Oklahoma men's gymnastics team at the Rocky Mountain Open. OU will look to win its 11th straight RMO, Jan. 16 at Air Force.

The Sooners currently hold the individual high scores on each event at the RMO since 2008, when the new scoring was put in place. (Floor: Steven Legendre, 15.400; Pommel Horse: Corey English, 14.900; Rings: Ian Jackson, 15.300; Vault: Legendre, 15.900; Parallel Bars: Legendre, 14.950; High Bar: Legendre, 14.700; All-Around: Legendre, 89.400)

Since 2000, Oklahoma has won at least two individual event titles in each compition at the
Rocky Mountain Open and has swept the individual titles four times (2001, 2006, 2008,
2009).

2009 ROCKY MOUNTAIN OPEN TEAM STANDINGS
1. OKLAHOMA - 355.000
2. Nebraska - 332.400
3. Air Force - 317.900
4. Arizona State - 312.950
5. Washington - 303.200

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
Floor Exercise: Stephen Legendre, Oklahoma
Pommel Horse: Corey English, Oklahoma
Still Rings: Ian Jackson, Oklahoma
Vault: Stephen Legendre, Oklahoma
Parallel Bars: Stephen Legendre, Oklahoma
High Bar: Stephen Legendre, Oklahoma
All-Around: Stephen Legendre, Oklahoma

GYMNASTS TO WATCH

Steven Legendre | Jr. | All-Around -- Member of the USA Senior National Team at the 2009 World Championships in London ... 2009 NCAA All-Around, Floor and Vault National Champion

Jake Dalton | Fr. | All-Around -- Member of the USA Senior National Team at the 2009 World Championships in

London ... Posted a score of 16.050 on vault at Red/White scrimmage

BRINGING IN MORE TALENT
For the 2010 season head coach Mark Williams signed three gymnasts as a part of the 2009 signing class. Freshman Jake Dalton, Alex Naddour and Chris Stehl look to fill the departure of one of the most decorated classes in Oklahoma history as each of the `09 recruits finished in the top five at the 2009 Men's Junior Olympic National Championships.

Alex Naddour
Hometown: Gilbert, Ariz.
High School: Highland | Club: Arizona Flairs

Jake Dalton
Hometown: Reno, Nev.,
High School: Spanish Srings | Club: Gym NV

Chris Stehl
Hometown: Houston, Texas
High School: William B. Travis | Club: Cypress Academy

LEADING THE 2010 SOONERS
Senior Corey English and junior Steven Legendre were named co-captains for the 2010 season
by head coach Mark Williams. Both were a part of the Sooners 2008 national championship
squad and have received national honors for their effort.

SUMMER IN LONDON
Half of Team USA at the 2009 World Championships was represented by the Sooner program. Current OU gymnasts Jake Dalton and Steven Legendre and former Sooner Jonathan Horton competed in London, England.

Current OU Head Coach Mark Williams and former Sooner gymnast Tom Meadows also represented Team USA as individual coaches for the Sooner gymnasts.

ONE MEET AT A TIME
The Sooners will participate in nine regular season meets, and face five opponents that competed at the 2009 NCAA Championships. OU will also host three home meets at the Howard McCasland Field House, highlighted by matchups with Minnesota and Nebraska. The 2010 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships will be hosted by Oklahoma at the Howard McCasland Field House on April 3.

PRE-SEASON PROMINENCE
In the last 10 years, the OU men's gymnastics program has been ranked in the top three of the preseason coaches poll every season. Six of the 10 years the Sooners have been positioned at the top of the poll.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

No. 3 Oklahoma Opens Season at Rocky Mountain Open

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