Sooners Set For U.S. Championships

NORMAN – The University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics team, fresh off its fourth-straight NCAA championship and NCAA-leading 12th overall, turns its sights to the national stage as 10 current, former and future Sooners will take part in the 2018 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Boston this weekend.

The event features 81 junior and senior level gymnasts from around the country who will compete in the men's competition, all vying for spots on the U.S. National Team that will compete at the 2018 World Championships this October in Doha, Qatar.

“It's a source of pride for our program. In the last 10 years, we've always had some of the most-represented NCAA guys in the country at the U.S. Championships and this year is no different,” head coach Mark Williams said. “We have guys that have goals beyond the collegiate program and we're trying to put guys on the national team. This particular year, we're looking to get some guys to represent us at the World Championships.”

2017 U.S. all-around champion and two-time American Cup champion Yul Moldauer highlights the OU representation in Boston, where he will try to defend his all-around national title.

“I'm super excited. We have a big group of guys so it's almost going to feel like a team competition," Moldauer said. "Of course, the main goal is to make the [World Championship] team, but you just have to take it one day at a time. You can't rush yourself or live in the past, you have to live in the present and just hope everything goes well.”

Four other current Sooners will be making their first appearance at the U.S. Championships. Senior Genki Suzuki, junior Tanner Justus, and sophomores Gage Dyer and Alexei Vernyi will make their debuts in the senior division competition beginning Thursday.

Incoming freshmen Spencer Goodell and Vitaliy Guimaraes will also participate in the juniors' sessions. Guimaraes, a member of the U.S. Junior National Team, is also a 2018 junior elite champion in the floor exercise.

Plenty of former Sooners will compete in Boston, as well. 2017 graduate and U.S. National Team member Allan Bower, along with Kanji Oyama and U.S. National Qualifier all-around champ Colin VanWicklen will be featured in the seniors' competition.

Left to right: incoming freshman Spencer Goodell, assistant coach Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, senior Genki Suzuki, junior Tanner Justus, sophomore Alexei Vernyi, graduate Allan Bower, sophomore Gage Dyer, incoming freshman Vitaliy Guimaraes, senior Yul Moldauer and assistant coach Chris Brooks.

Competition will begin on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. CT with the first men's juniors' session, with the senior division to follow at 6:30 p.m. The second day of men's competition will take place Saturday with the juniors at 9:30 a.m. CT and seniors beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Both days of the event will air live on NBCSN and The Olympic Channel and will be available via live stream through the NBC Sports App.

Players Mentioned

Gage Dyer

Spencer Goodell

Vitaliy Guimaraes

Tanner Justus

Yul Moldauer

Genki Suzuki

Alexei Vernyi

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics