Yockers, Velez Belendez Claim Weekly MPSF Awards

NORMAN — Oklahoma men's gymnastics senior Ignacio Yockers was named the MPSF Gymnast of the Week and sophomore Francisco Velez Belendez was named the conference Specialist of the Week, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation announced Tuesday.

The duo led the Sooners to the highest team score in the nation this season (331.600) in a win over No. 8 California (315.700) on Saturday at McCasland Field House.

Yockers scored a 14.050 on pommel horse and a season-high 13.850 on parallel bars to win both event titles. Yockers' pommel score was his fifth score over the 14.000 mark this season and his p-bars score was just .050 shy of his career high. The Tulsa, Okla., product had the highest difficulty score on pommel horse with a 5.3 and also posted the top execution score on parallel bars (9.350) with a stuck dismount. Yockers ranks sixth nationally on pommel horse with a 14.067 four-score average.

Velez Belendez set a new career high on still rings with a 14.400 to win the event title. His score was a team-high on rings this season and the third-highest score in the nation on the event. He also scored a 12.850 on floor exercise in his first collegiate floor routine. Velez Belendez's 5.1 difficulty score on still rings was the highest on the event, and he stuck his dismount. The San Juan, Puerto Rico, product ranks second nationally on still rings with a 13.867 four-score average.

This is Yockers' 11th career MPSF weekly award and the fourth for Velez Belendez. This is the first conference weekly award this season for both gymnasts.

OU has now won 11 MPSF weekly awards this season. Fifth-year senior Brigham Frentheway was named MPSF Gymnast of the Week on March 4 and freshman Nathan Roman won MPSF Specialist of the Week on March 4. Freshman Sasha Bogonosiuk earned MPSF Freshman of the Week honors on March 4 and Jan. 20. Redshirt senior Fuzzy Benas was named MPSF Gymnast of the Week on Feb. 10 and MPSF Specialist of the Week on Feb. 3. Redshirt freshman Colby Aranda won MPSF Freshman of the Week and junior Tyler Flores won MPSF Specialist of the Week on Feb. 10. Redshirt junior Leo Koike was named MPSF Gymnast of the Week on Feb. 3.

Up Next

Oklahoma will take a week off from competition, before heading to Berkely, Calif., for a rematch with California. It is the regular season finale and will take place on March 21 at 6 p.m. CT.

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.