Completed Event: Men's Gymnastics versus Ohio State on April 17, 2026 , Win , 322.825, to, 320.294
Final
Men's Gymnastics
322.825
vs Ohio State
320.294
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Men's Gymnastics Season Preview
January 11, 2012 | Men's Gymnastics
Jan. 11, 2012
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NORMAN, Okla. -- Coming off of its 11th-straight top-three finish, the University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics teams looks ahead to the 2012 season, which begins Saturday at the Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The Sooners aren't the only ones feeling optimistic about their 2012 campaign. Oklahoma received the No. 1 ranking in 2012 GymInfo Preseason Coaches Poll. OU secured the top ranking with five first place votes.
Oklahoma has been awarded the No. 1 preseason ranking five previous times under Head Coach Mark Williams. In four of those seasons, OU went on to win the NCAA title (2001, 2002, 2005, 2006).
"It is always an honor to be viewed as the top program in the pre-season coaches' poll," said Williams. "We have a young team this year that will need to work hard to reach the high expectations of a championship team. I look forward to the challenges of our regular season and finishing the year hosting the 2012 NCAA Championships at the Lloyd Noble Center."
Oklahoma finished in front of second-ranked Illinois, who led the poll with seven first-place votes. Michigan received two first-place votes and will start the season ranked third.
The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, the hybrid conference that OU men's gymnastics competes in with Air Force, California and Stanford, has three teams ranked in the top five. 2011 NCAA champion Stanford is ranked No. 4 with three first-place votes and California checks in at the No. 5 spot.
BIG THINGS FROM DALTON
The Sooners can expect to see top scores from junior Jake Dalton, one of team's three captains. A seven-time All-American, Dalton claimed the floor and vault individual titles at the 2011 NCAA Championships.
"He's been to one of the highest levels of the sport at this point, competing at two World Championships," said Williams. "He understands the process of preparing for competitions and he's going to be a voice that every guy on our team needs to listen to and follow. He understands what it takes to be a champion."
The junior is also a current member of the U.S. Senior National Team and competed alongside three former OU gymnasts at the 2011 World Championships, helping Team USA take third place.
Coach Mark WIlliams also selected RS-junior Troy Nitzky and senior Patrick Piscitelli as team captains. With a majority of the team being newcomers, Williams knows that his upperclassmen's leadership will be essential to the Sooners 2012 campagin.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS
Jake Dalton leads the returning Sooners with seven All-American honors in just two seasons of competition. The Reno, Nev., native earned All-America status on floor, vault, parallel bars and high bar in 2011 and all-around, floor and vault in 2010.
In addition to Dalton's seven All-America honors, the Sooner lineup also returns junior Troy Nitzky, who earned All-American status on rings after posting a 15.200 at the 2011 NCAA Championships.
PLENTY OF NEW FACES
The Sooners are preparing to defend their No. 1 ranking with a lineup filled with newcomers. Ten of the 18 gymnasts on the OU roster are freshmen.
"I feel like this team will be one that has to develop its identity to some extent because more than half of our team is new to the program," said Williams. "They're going to be learning along the way. We certainly have some veterans that have set a path for them. I like what I see. I think this is going to be a team that I enjoy coaching because there's going to be a lot of learning involved with where we go from January to April."
Williams says the young Sooners are developing quickly to the collegiate level of competition and believes freshmen like Dylan Akers, Danny Beradini and Jacoby Rubin will be essential to the Sooners success in the coming season.
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
Oklahoma will compete in 10 regular season meets before hosting the 2012 NCAA Championship at the Lloyd Noble Center, April 19-21.
"I think we have a challenging competition schedule for the year," said Williams. "The crown of the whole schedule for us is knowing that we're hosting the NCAA National Championship at the Lloyd Noble Center."
The 2012 season begins on the road with five consecutive weekends of away meets. OU competes in the season-opening Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Jan. 14, before traveling to Ohio State, Illinois, Cal and the USA Gymnastics Winter Cup in Las Vegas.
"We start off with the Rocky Mountain Open to get us going," said Williams. "We also have a road meet at Illinois, who will be one of the top contenders for this year's National Championship."
OU then hosts four-straight regular season home meets in Norman, with the home opener slated against Iowa on February 25. OU will also host 2011 NCAA Champion Stanford, Michigan, Nebraska and Air Force. All of the Sooners' regular-season home meets will take place at the Howard McCasland Field House with the exception of the Michigan meet, which will be held at the Lloyd Noble Center.
The Sooners close out their regular season with a trip to Minnesota followed by the MPSF Conference Meet in Colorado Springs, Colo., on April 7.
OU's Lloyd Noble Center will host the NCAA Championship for the third time in the past 10 years. The Sooners are undefeated in past National Championships held in Norman, claiming first place in 2002 and 2006.
"Historically, we haven't lost an NCAA Championship at home yet," added Williams. "It's always nice to be able to stay in your home facility and have your crowd behind you. It's our intention to be peaking as we get to the championship and see if we can win the program's ninth national title."
Friday, May 01
Saturday, April 18
Friday, April 17
Saturday, April 04
