Benas, Yockers Earn MPSF Awards

NORMAN – Oklahoma men's gymnastics redshirt sophomore Fuzzy Benas was named the MPSF Gymnast of the Week and sophomore Ignacio Yockers was named the MPSF Specialist of the Week after leading the Sooners to a win over No. 10 California on Saturday at McCasland Field House, the conference office announced Tuesday.

Benas scored an 83.350 in the all-around to lead Oklahoma to a 417.800 to 400.800 win over the Golden Bears. The only all-around competitor in the meet, he also claimed the vault event title with a season-high 14.850. On high bar, the Richmond, Texas, product surpassed his previous season high by three-tenths and matched his career-best score with a 14.200, while his 14.300 on parallel bars was his second-highest score on the event this season. Benas has averaged 84.275 on his two all-around performances this year.

Yockers posted the highest score nationally on any event this season with his 15.450 pommel horse routine on Saturday. His 15.450 is the highest on pommel horse this year by .250 points, and he eclipsed the previous high score overall (15.250 on floor exercise by OU's Emre Dodanli) by two-tenths of a point. This is Yockers' fourth career 15-plus score on pommel horse and his first this season. The Tulsa, Okla., product surpassed his previous season high on pommel horse by a half-point, and leads the nation in pommel horse three-score average (15.033).

Benas and Yockers helped lead the Sooners to their second-highest team score of the season, which is also the second-highest team score recorded in the nation this season.

This is the third MPSF weekly award this season for Yockers and the second for Benas. Yockers now has seven career MPSF weekly honors and Benas has four. Oklahoma gymnasts have now won nine MPSF weekly awards this season. Benas was also named MPSF Gymnast of the Week on Jan. 23, Yockers was also named Specialist of the Week on Jan. 23 and Feb. 6, junior Emre Dodanli was named Specialist of the Week on Jan. 16 and Jan. 30, and freshman Colin Flores was named Freshman of the Week on Jan. 23 and Feb. 6.

The Sooners travel to Indianola, Iowa, Saturday for a 1 p.m. meet at Simpson College.

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.

Players Mentioned

Fuzzy Benas

Emre Dodanli

Colin Flores

Ignacio Yockers

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics