Sooners to Host No. 6 Ohio State

Saturday, March 12

Norman, Okla.

6 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

Ohio State

March 11, 2022 | Men's Gymnastics

Live Stats Meet Notes

NORMAN – The Oklahoma men's gymnastics team is set to host No. 6 Ohio State on Saturday, March 12 at 6 p.m. CT at McCasland Field House in Norman, Oklahoma.

The meet is available to watch on Bally Sports Southwest. Live results can be accessed here.

LAST TIME OUT

The No. 2 Oklahoma men's gymnastics team defeated No. 11 Springfield and No. 13 William & Mary Sunday afternoon with a total score of 400.900. William & Mary finished with a score of 377.800 and Springfield tallied a 373.950. The Sooners took five team event titles and all six individual event titles.

Oklahoma started the day on still rings, led by redshirt junior Cesar Gracia, who scored a 13.100 in his season debut. Junior Alan Camillus tied his season high and took the individual event title with a 13.500.

On floor, freshman Emre Dodanli impressed and earned the individual title with a career-high 14.500 performance. Senior Spencer Goodell notched a 13.900 and junior Jack Freeman tallied a 13.700.

In the third rotation, senior Vitaliy Guimaraes, coming off his Winter Cup all-around title, scored a career-high 14.100 on pommel horse to start his afternoon and earn the event title. Redshirt junior Braden Collier and junior Zach Nunez each notched a 13.250.

Winter Cup high bar champ Freeman stayed hot on the event with a career-high 14.500 for the title. Gracia earned a 13.900 and Guimaraes followed with a 13.600. The Sooners earned a 69.050 on high bar to win the event.

On vault, the Sooners tallied a score of 70.200. Sophomore Daniel Simmons took the event title with a 14.350. Dodanli continued his strong afternoon with a 14.200 in his vault debut, and freshman Cailen Walker earned a 14.300.

In the final rotation, Guimaraes tallied a 13.450 on parallel bars to lead the Sooners. Goodell chipped in with a 13.200.

SOONERS HOLD STRONG AT NO. 2

The Oklahoma men's gymnastics team remains at No. 2 in week 9 of the Collegiate Gymnastics Association (CGA) rankings.

Following a 400.900 win over No. 13 William & Mary (377.800) and No. 11 Springfield (375.950), the Sooners' 405.700 average brings them to the No. 2 spot in the rankings, behind only Stanford's 411.667. Oklahoma ranks first on floor (68.417), pommel horse (66.267) and high bar (67.650). The Sooners rank second on parallel bars (67.583) and third on still rings (66.767). On vault, Oklahoma's 71.267 score puts them at fifth.

Sophomore Zach Nunez notched the No. 1 spot in the all-around individual rankings with a score of 80.550. Freshman Raydel Gamboa follows him in the No. 2 spot with a 80.333.

On floor, senior Spencer Goodell took the No. 5 spot with a score of 13.850. Junior Jack Freeman secured seventh with his 13.800.

Nunez sits at No. 1 in the individual rankings on pommel horse with a 13.950 score.

Freshman Fuzzy Benas holds the No. 3 spot on vault (14.550) and No. 5 spot on still rings (13.817).

On parallel bars, Benas secured the No. 3 spot (14.283) and Gamboa holds the No. 5 with a score of 13.933.

Four Sooners hold top-ten spots in the high bar rankings. Freeman sits at the No. 2 spot with a score of 14.033. Gamboa earns sixth with a 13.650. Redshirt-junior Cesar Gracia's 13.633 notches seventh, and Guimaraes sits at the No. 10 spot with a 13.450.

GUIMARAES A FINALIST FOR NISSEN-EMERY AWARD

Oklahoma men's gymnastics senior Vitaliy Guimaraes was announced as one of eight Nissen-Emery finalists on Thursday.

Referred to as the "Heisman Trophy" of gymnastics, the honor is awarded to the year's most outstanding senior collegiate gymnast. Announced annually at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships, the award highlights gymnastics excellence, good sportsmanship and a high standard of scholarship.

Guimaraes has shined throughout his career at Oklahoma, claiming his first career All-American honor his freshman year.

Before COVID-19 cut his sophomore year short, he led the Sooners with seven event titles on the season and was named a College Gymnastics Association Regular Season All-American on floor and vault. He also owned the NCAA's best scores of the season on vault (15.050) and floor (15.200).

In 2021, Guimaraes was nominated for the 2021 CGA MVP award and named an All-American in the all-around at NCAA Championships.

Guimaraes was also named to the U.S. Senior National Team following two top-10 finishes at Winter Cup and qualified and competed for Team USA in the 2021 Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in pursuit of the 2021 Toyko Olympics.

The co-captain has faced adversity his senior year after a broken nose injury set him back in training and competition. However, on February 25, Guimaraes won the all-around at Winter Cup to keep his spot on the U.S. Senior National Team.

"Vitaliy has been a tremendous leader within the Sooner program," said head coach Mark Williams. "His artistry and clean gymnastics has been the standard for the team to match. As the ultimate team player, Vitaliy has been outstanding in his contributions to the team throughout his career."

The last Sooner to win the award was 2020 Olympian Yul Moldauer in 2019.

UP NEXT

The Sooners will stay home to compete against California on Saturday March 19, at 6 p.m. CT. in the McCasland Field House.

For updates and more information on Oklahoma men's gymnastics, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_MGymnastics) and like Oklahoma Men's Gymnastics on Facebook.