OKLAHOMA MEN S GYMNASTICS

Transcription

1 2008 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CHAMPS OKLAHOMA MEN S GYMNASTICS N AT I O N A L C H A M P I O N S JAN. 31, 2009 NEWS AND NOTES 2009 SCHEDULE DAY... DATE...OPPONENT...LOCATION... TIME/ RESULTS Sat...Jan Rocky Mountain Open... Colorado Springs, Colo...First, Sun...Jan Nebraska... Lincoln, Neb... W ( ) Sat...Jan TEXAS... NORMAN... 7 p.m. Thurs...Feb Winter Cup... Las Vegas, Nev... 7 p.m. Sat...Feb IOWA... NORMAN... 7 p.m. Sat...Feb NEBRASKA... NORMAN... 7 p.m. Sat...March 7...Minnesota... Minneapolis, Minn p.m. SOONERS AT HOME AGAINST TEXAS NORMAN, Okla. -- The top-ranked Oklahoma men s gymnastics team returns to McCasland Field House Saturday night, Jan. 31, for its home opener against the University of Texas club team. The meet is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. and it marks 2008 National Championship Celebration Day were fans will have the opportunity to meet the gymnasts after the meet while they sign autographs and see the 2008 National Championship trophy. We are excited to compete at home. Hopefully the squad will put on a good show for the fans in our first home meet of the season, said head coach Mark Williams. Texas is an independent club team made up of gymnasts looking for an opportunity to compete against the nation s best, even if their school doesn t sponsor an intercollegiate gymnastics team. And even though the Longhorns are not NCAA foes, Friday s matchup is still a meeting of the Red River Rivalry. Sat...March 14...OHIO STATE... NORMAN... 7 p.m. Sat...March 21...PENN STATE... NORMAN... 7 p.m. Sat...April 4...MPSF Conference Meet... Palo Alto, Calif... 7 p.m. Thurs...April 16...NCAA Team Qualifiers... Minneapolis, Minn... 7 p.m. Fri...April 17...NCAA Team Finals... Minneapolis, Minn... 7 p.m. Sat...April 18...NCAA Event Finals... Minneapolis, Minn... 7 p.m. WHAT: Oklahoma vs. Texas WHO: No. 1 Oklahoma, Texas SETTING THE SCENE 2009 ROCKY MOUNTAIN OPEN WHERE: Norman, Okla. Howard McCasland Field House WHEN: Jan. 31, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. (CST) LIVE SCORES: Scores will be available via the live stats page at SoonerSports.com and will be updated following each rotation. Saturday night s meet will be broadcast live on Oklahoma All-Access. Fans can access the feed on the Web Casts page. WHAT 2 WATCH 4: Competing in the all-around, both Chris Brooks and Steven Legendre will look to continue there early season success as both of them will head to the Winter Cup, next week in Las Vegas, Nev., with former Sooner Jonathan Horton. We know that Texas has always been a great Big 12 rival in all sports for Oklahoma and we are excited to be welcoming them up to Norman, added Williams. The Sooners last competition came against Nebraska on Jan. 18. OU recorded its second straight victory over the then No. 9 Cornhuskers by winning all six events at the Bob Devaney Center in Lincoln, Neb. The Sooners scored a to beat the Huskers ( ) in the second meeting of the season. Oklahoma has had strong performances from senior co-captain Chris Brooks and sophomore Steven Legendre in the first two meets at the Rocky Mountain Open and Nebraska. Both Sooners have led OU and finished one-two in the all-around competition in each of the first two competitions. The duo ranks in the top-three nationally in the all-around (Legendre, 2nd - Brooks, 3rd). The University of Texas club men s gymnastics program is undefeated in club meets in the last two years while winning the last three National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs (NAIGC) National Championships. SOONER GYMNAST TO WATCH PAT PISCITELLI The freshman from Charlotte, N.C. is making an immediate impact in the Sooner lineup this year. On Jan. 18, Piscitelli competed on floor (14.650), rings (14.150), and high bar (14.400) helping the Sooners to score a against the then No. 10 Huskers. In his first home meet, look for Piscitelli to mark high scores on floor, rings, parallel bars and high bar. The official site of OU Athletics supplies Sooner fans worldwide with the latest news and features on Oklahoma athletics direct from Norman. The site provides the latest press releases, rosters, bios, schedules, statistics, notes, quotes, athlete blogs, photo galleries and audio and video available to both Sooner fans and the media.

2 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS ALPHABETICAL ROSTER AND PRONUNCIATIONS JAN. 31, 2009 ROSTER, NEWS AND NOTES Name Yr. Ht. Hometown (High School) (Club) Pronunciation Chris Brooks Sr. 5-8 Houston, Texas (Cypress Creek HS) (Houston North Gymnastics) Garrett Carr Jr Mandeville, La. (Fountainbleau HS) (Aces) Chad Crumley Fr Long Grove, Ill. (Stevenson HS) (Buffalo Grove Gymnastics Center) CRUHM-lee Russell Czeschin Sr. 6-3 Independence, Mo. (Fort Osage HS) (Great American Gymnastics Express) shuh-sheen Corey English Jr. 5-7 Covington, La. (St. Paul s HS) (Mandeville Sports Complex) David Finning Fr. 5-4 Claremore, Okla. (Cy Falls HS) (Cypress Academy) C.J. Grimes So. 5-5 Ulysses, Kan. (Ulysses HS) (Littlestar Gymnastics) Ian Jackson Jr. 5-6 Harrisburg, Pa. (Central Dauphin HS) (Artistic Sports Academy Plus) Jason Laughton Sr. 5-6 Northridge, Calif. (Sunland Christian School) (SCATS Gymnastics) lawton Steven Legendre So. 5-6 Port Jefferson, N.Y. (Spring Creek Academy) (World Olympic Gymnastics Academy) la-zhahn-druh Benjamin Mayer Fr Houston, Texas (Home School) (Cypress Academy) MAY-er Kyle McNamara Sr. 5-7 Littleton, Colo. (Heritage HS) (5280 Gymnastics) MAC-nuh-mare-uh Jacob Messina Sr. 5-6 Matthews, N.C. (East Mecklenburg HS) (G&J Speedway) Troy Nitzky Fr. 5-6 Southampton, Pa. (William Tennent HS) (Temple Boys Gymnastics) Patrick Piscitelli Fr Charlotte, N.C. (Charlotte Catholic HS) (G & J Speedway) PISK-uh-telly Reed Pitts Jr. 5-9 Allen, Texas (Allen HS) (Eagle s Wings Athletics) Bobby Shortle So. 5-2 Brunswick, Ohio (Brunswick HS) (Gym World) SHORT-uhl Head Coach Mark Williams 10th Season Nebraska, 1980 Assistant Coach Rustam Sharipov Fourth Season Kharkov State, 1997 roos-tom SHARE-ee-pahv Assistant Coach Daniel Furney Fourth Season Oklahoma, 2004 OKLAHOMA MEN S GYMNASTICS NEWS AND NOTES Coming Up Next Week... Following the meet with Texas, select Sooners will make the trip to Las Vegas to compete in the Winter Cup (Feb 5-7). The annual individual event helps determine the participants at the U.S. Visa Championships. Oklahoma s next home meet will come against Iowa on Cleveland Elementary Night. Students, parents and teachers will pack the Howard Mc- Casland Field House as the annual event is part of a Partners in Education program with Cleveland Elementary. Move to No The University of Oklahoma men s gymnastics program was at the top of the list in the latest GymInfo poll released on Tuesday. OU vaulted to the No. 1 spot after improving to 5-0 on the season with an impressive win against No. 10 Nebraska on Jan. 18. The Sooner squad began the regular season ranked No. 2 in the GymInfo pre-season coaches poll after winning the 2008 National Championship. Oklahoma stayed in the No. 2 position after sweeping the competition in the season opener at the Rocky Mountain Open and posting a score of , the top total this season in the NCAA. Legendre Impresses... Oklahoma sophomore Steven Legendre was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the week on Jan. 21. The honor was the first of the season for Legendre and the third of his career. Oklahoma gymnasts claimed all of the individual titles at the Rocky Mountain Open with the help of the Port Jefferson, N.Y., native winning event titles on floor (15.350), vault (15.900), parallel bars (14.950), and high bar (14.700). Legendre also claimed his second Rocky Mountain Open all-around title with an Decade of Dominance... The Oklahoma men s gymnastics team started the season with a victory at the Rocky Mountain Open and claiming the meet championship for the tenth consecutive year. The second-ranked Sooners scored a Saturday night in Colorado Springs, Colo., to win the collegiate portion of the competition, while Steven Legendre claimed his second Rock Mountain Open all-around title with an Oklahoma gymnasts claimed all of the individual titles at the Rocky Mountain Open with the help of Legendre winning event titles on floor (15.350), vault (15.900), parallel bars (14.950), high bar (14.700) and coming in tied for second with Chris Brooks on rings with a score of Chris Brooks, a senior co-captain came in second in the all-around while juniors Ian Jackson and Corey English claimed individual titles in rings (15.300) and pommel horse (14.900), respectively. Rocky Mountain Quick Fact... This is the second time that Legendre has won both the floor and all-around in the Rocky Mountain Open. Last year, Legendre won the floor title with a score of and the allaround with a Legendre is the this first gymnast in the last nine years to win four event titles and the all-around in the Rocky Mountain Open. The 09 Sooners joined the 01 Oklahoma squad as the only team to sweep all event titles since has the chance to win a fourth national championship in five years with the team. Legendre claimed two event titles (vault and still rings) against conference rival Nebraska on Sunday and upped his season total to seven. The U.S. Senior National team member also finished second in the all-around behind teammate Chris Brooks.

3 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS QUICK FACTS 2008 RESULTS GENERAL INFORMATION Location...Norman, Okla. Enrollment... 29,721 Founded President...David L. Boren Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics/AD...Joe Castiglione Nickname...Sooners Colors... Crimson & Cream Conference... Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Arena(s)...Howard McCasland Field House (2,300) Lloyd Noble Center (12,000) OU All-Time Record (.758) TEAM INFORMATION 2008 Overall Record (.966) High Score MPSF Finish... First NCAA Finish... First Letterwinners Returning/Lost...11/2 All-Americans Returning/Lost...5/2 COACHING STAFF Head Coach...Mark Williams Year...10th Season Alma Mater...Nebraska, 1980 Record at OU (.925) Career Record (.925) DATE OPPONENT RESULT Jan. 12 Rocky Mountain Open First ( ) Jan. 20 Nebraska & Air Force First ( ) Jan. 26 Michigan W ( ) Feb. 1 Nebraska W ( ) Feb. 7 Winter Cup* Individual results Feb. 9 Winter Cup Finals* Individual results Feb. 16 Iowa W ( ) Feb. 23 Pacific Coast Classic Second ( ) March 8 Ohio State Cancelled March 15 Minnesota W ( ) March 22 Penn State W ( ) April 5 MPSF Championship First ( ) April 17 NCAA Qualifier First ( ) April 18 NCAA Team Finals First ( ) NEWS AND NOTES RELEASE NO. 3 Assistant Coach (Alma Mater)...Rustam Sharipov (Kharkov State, 1997) Year...Fourth Season Assistant Coach (Alma Mater)... Daniel Furney (Oklahoma, 2004) Year...Fourth Season Men s Gymnastics Office Phone...(405) Men s Gymnastics Office Fax...(405) Men s Gymnastics Contact... Matt Wilson Office #...(405) Fax #...(405) Cell #...(405) mwilson75@ou.edu Web site... Mailing address West Brooks St., Suite 2525; Norman, OK April 19 NCAA Event Finals 11 All-Americans 1. OKLAHOMA 2. Michigan 3. Penn State 4. California 5. Minnesota 6. Stanford 7. Ohio State 8. Nebraska GYM INFO RANKINGS OKLAHOMA MEN S GYMNASTICS NEWS AND NOTES 9. Navy 10. Temple 11. Illinois-Chicago 12. Springfield 13. Iowa 14. Air Force 15. Arizona State Williams Names Captains... Seniors Jacob Messina and Chris Brooks were named co-captains for the 2009 season by head coach Mark Williams. Both have been apart of several of the Sooners national championship squads and have received national honors for their effort. Brooks was a two-time All-American last year on high bar and parallel bars while Messina Legendre Named to National Team... University of Oklahoma men s gymnastics sophomore Steven Legendre has been selected to the U.S. Senior National team as announced by USA Gymnastics in October. Legendre was successful in his first meet as a member of the USA Men s Gymnastics Senior National Team at the Toyota Cup in Toyota City, Japan, on Nov The weekend was highlighted by Legendre s third-place finish on the vault during the last day of competition, good for a bronze medal. Legendre averaged a on the vault after posting scores of and The Port Jefferson, N.Y., native also finished in the top six in the other events that he competed. Legendre finished fifth on the floor exercise and sixth on his high bar and parallel bars routines. In his last national competition, Legendre competed at the 2008 Visa Championships and placed second on floor and 13th in the all-around competition. The strong showing came shortly after he earned two individual NCAA titles (vault and floor) while pushing the Sooners to the program s eighth National Championship. The Port Jefferson, N.Y. native became just the fourth Sooner to record multiple NCAA titles in a season, while also earning All-American status on three events. SOONERSPORTS.COM

4 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 2008 SEASON REVIEW Abdullah-Simmons nine career All-America honors ranks third in OU history. JAN. 31, SEASON REVIEW In one of the most dramatic endings in NCAA Championship history, the second ranked Oklahoma men s gymnastics team toppled No. 1 Stanford on the Cardinal s home floor to claim the 2008 national title. It was the Sooners fifth championship in the last seven years and the eighth in program history, giving the gymnastics squad the most national titles of any OU athletics program. Senior Jonathan Horton reinforced his status as the most decorated gymnast in OU history, becoming the Sooners sixth Nissen-Emery Award winner and claiming an individual national title on rings while finishing second in the all-around. Horton earned All-America status on three events (AA, SR, PB) to bring his career total to 18, a program record. His six career individual championships are also tops in OU history. Proving that the future of the OU program is extremely bright, freshman Steven Legendre won individual national championships on floor exercise and vault, earning All-America honors on both events as well as on high bar. Legendre became just the fourth Sooner to earn multiple NCAA titles in a season and the first freshman to win national crowns on at least two events. In total, Oklahoma gymnasts earned 11 All-America honors in 2008, the second highest total in the nation. In addition to Horton and Legendre, juniors Russell Czeschin (FX), Chris Brooks (PB, HB) and Jason Laughton (PH) and sophomore Reed Pitts (FX) received national honors SEASON HIGHLIGHTS Following the NCAA Championships, OU head coach Mark Williams was named National Coach of the Year for the fifth time, while assistants Daniel Furney and Rustam Sharipov earned National Co-Assistant Coach of the Year honors for the second time in three seasons. The Sooners also claimed the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title in 2008, their ninth conference championship in 10 years and fourth consecutive. Williams was named the conference s Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his nine seasons as OU head coach, sharing the 2008 honor with Cal s Barry Weiner. Horton was the MPSF allaround champion for the third time. He also won the rings crown and earned his third MPSF Gymnast of the Year Award. Horton excelled on the international scene as a member of the U.S. Senior National Team. At the 2007 World Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, he finished fourth in the all-around and became just the fourth American men s gymnast to record a top-four all-around finish at the World Championships. Horton s performance helped the U.S. to a fourth-place team finish and an automatic berth in the 2008 Olympic Games. Horton went on to win a bronze medal in team competition and a silver medal in the individual high bar finals at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games INDIVIDUAL EVENT HIGHS Event Score Gymnast All-Around Jonathan Horton Floor Exercise Steven Legendre Pommel Horse Jonathan Horton Still Rings Jonathan Horton Vault Steven Legendre Parallel Bars Jonathan Horton High Bar Jonathan Horton 2008 TEAM EVENT HIGHS Event Score Last Time Floor Exercise Pommel Horse Still Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar Total WILLIAMS CONTINUED SUCCESS The Oklahoma men s gymnastics team has won five of the last seven NCAA team crowns, (2008), (2006), (2005), (2003), and (2002), all under current head coach Mark Williams. Since taking over the program in 2000, Williams teams have finished runner-up three times, (2007), (2004), (2001), and lower than second at the NCAA Championships only once, a fourth-place showing in his first season (2000). NISSEN-EMRY AWARD Senior Jonathan Horton reinforced his status as the most decorated gymnast in OU history, becoming the Sooners sixth Nissen-Emery Award winner. OU now has more Nissen-Emery award winners than any other university. Past winners include: Daniel Furney (2003), Todd Bishop (1999), Dan Fink (1998), Jarrod Hanks (1991) and Bart Conner (1981). MPSF ONCE AGAIN Oklahoma came from behind on the final rotation to win the program s fourth consecutive conference title. The Sooners conference crown is their ninth in 10 seasons competing in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The Sooners have won 16 individual conference crowns over the last five years. ALL-AMERICANS ALL-AROUND In total, Oklahoma gymnasts earned 11 All-America honors in 2008, the second highest total in the nation. In addition to Horton and StevenLegendre claiming six, juniors Russell Czeschin (FX), Chris Brooks (PB, HB) and Jason Laughton (PH) and sophomore Reed Pitts (FX) received national honors. The Sooners have earned double-digit totals in All-America honors in each of the last three years. SAYING GOODBYE Saying goodbye to Horton and Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons wasn t easy. During their four years in Norman, the pair combined for 24 All-America honors, six individual NCAA titles and were part of back-to-back national championship teams in 2005 and Horton and Abdullah-Simmons accounted for the last two of the last three NCAA all-around titles - Horton in 2006 and Abdullah-Simmons in No other team in NCAA men s gymnastics history had boasted two all-around champions on the same team at the same time.

5 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS SOONERS UNDER WILLIAMS Year Record Conference (Finish) Postseason (Finish) MPSF (First) NCAA (Fourth) MPSF (First) NCAA (Second) MPSF (First) NCAA (First) MPSF (First) NCAA (First) MPSF (Second) NCAA (Second) MPSF (First) NCAA (First) MPSF (First) NCAA (First) MPSF (First) NCAA (Second) MPSF (First) NCAA (First) TOTAL WINNING PERCENTAGE BY THE NUMBERS.925 The winning percentage since head coach Mark Willimas has been at the University of Oklahoma. Willimas has won an average of 24 matches each of his nine years at the university. 1Since Mark Willams has been at Oklahoma, the Sooners have finished either first or second in the last eight NCAA Championships. 2The number of Olympic gymnasts who have come from Oklahoma since Williams has been coaching at Oklahoma. 14 The number of individual national titles won under the direction of Williams. 29 The number of individual conference championships that have awarded under Williams. 92 The number of All-Americans that have been produced while Willimas has been at Oklahoma. 100 The number of wins that Williams collected by Williams reaxched the plateau quicker than any coach in NCAA history. HEAD COACH MARK WILLIAMS 10th Year at OU: Alma Mater: Nebraska, 1980 Five National Championships Eight Conference Championships Five-Time National Coach of the Year Eight-Time MPSF Coach of the Year Career Coaching Highlights 2008 U.S. Olympic Personal Coach 2008 NCAA National Champions 2008 MPSF Coach of the Year 2008 National Coach of the Year 2007 MPSF Coach of the Year 2006 U.S. World Championships Head Coach 2006 USA Gymnastics Coach of the Year 2006 NCAA National Champions 2006 National Coach of the Year 2006 MPSF Coach of the Year 2005 NCAA National Champions 2005 National Coach of the Year 2005 MPSF Coach of the Year 2004 U.S. Olympic Personal Coach 2003 NCAA National Champions 2003 National Coach of the Year 2003 MPSF Coach of the Year 2003 World Championship Personal Coach 2002 World Championship Personal Coach 2002 NCAA National Champions 2002 National Coach of the Year 2002 MPSF Coach of the Year 2001 MPSF Coach of the Year 2001 West Region NCAA Coach of the Year 2001 World Championship Personal Coach 2000 MPSF Coach of the Year 1999 Pan American Games Head Coach 1996 Assistant Olympic Coach 1995 Assistant World Championship Coach 1994 World Championship Personal Coach 1994 USA Gymnastics Coach of the Year 1994 NCAA Assistant Coach of the Year 11-time USA International Team Coach Coaching Accomplishments Athlete on U.S. Olympic Team Two athletes on World Championship Teams Athlete on Pan American Games Team Athlete on Pan American Championship Team Athlete on World University Games Team Nine athletes on USA Senior National Team Eight athletes on Junior National Team 92 NCAA All-America Athletes 14 NCAA National Champions Two USA Junior National All-Around Champions Gymnastics Activities NCAA Rules Committee Chair, 2005 NGJA Nationally Certified Judge, F.I.G. Certified Judge, USAG Men s Program Committee Member, U.S. Men s Elite Coaches Association Sec./Treas. & V.P., USAG Board of Directors Sr. Rep, Coached on seven NCAA National Championship Teams (1981, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008) SOONERSPORTS.COM HEAD COACH MARK WILLIAMS RELEASE NO. 3

6 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 2009 ROCKY MOUNTAIN OPEN RECAP JAN. 31, EVENT RECAPS The Oklahoma men s gymnastics team started the season with a victory at the Rocky Mountain Open claiming the meet championship for the tenth consecutive year. The second-ranked Sooners scored a Saturday night in Colorado Springs, Colo., to win the collegiate portion of the competition, while Legendre claimed his second Rock Mountain Open all-around title with an No. 10 Nebraska finished second with a total, while host Air Force placed third with a team total. Club teams from Arizona State University ( ) and the University of Washington ( ) placed fourth and fifth, respectively. A team comprised of athletes from the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs scored a but was ineligible for awards in the collegiate division. Oklahoma gymnasts claimed all of the individual titles at the Rocky Mountain Open with the help of Legendre winning event titles on floor (15.350), vault (15.900), parallel bars (14.950), high bar (14.700) and coming in tied for second with Chris Brooks on rings with a score of Senior co-captain Chris Brooks came in second in the all-around while juniors Ian Jackson and Corey English claimed individual titles in rings (15.300) and pommel horse (14.900), respectively. On Saturday, junior Ian Jackson suffered an injury to his Achillies tendon during the meet on the last pass of his floor routine. The Harrisburg, Pa, native competed in the all-around on and claimed the rings title and finished third in vault and parallel bars before he was injured. NO. 2 OKLAHOMA V. NO. 10 NEBRASKA RECAP The second-ranked Oklahoma men s gymnastics team claimed its second straight victory by winning all six events over No. 10 Nebraska Sunday at the Bob Devaney Center in Lincoln, Neb. The Sooners scored a to beat the Huskers ( ) in the second meeting of the season and did so in impressive fashion on Sunday despite a depleted roster. The Sooners were already without the services of Ian Jackson and Reed Pitts heading into this weekend and lost Troy Nitzky in warmups prior to Sunday s meet with an ankle injury. The freshman s status is undetermined for OU s next competition against Texas. Senior co-captain Chris Brooks (89.200) and sophomore Steven Legendre (87.850) led OU for the second consecutive week and finished one-two in the all-around competition, respectively. Oklahoma recorded a couple of season highs against the Huskers with sophomore Bobby Shortle scoring on floor, while Legendre scored a on the vault to match a 2009 high. Legendre claimed two event titles (vault and still rings) against conference rival Nebraska on Sunday and upped his season total to seven. As a team, OU improved on its scores from last week marking season high scores in vault (63.600), high bar (58.450) and parallel bars (59.300).

7 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS INDIVIDUAL EVENT TITLES 2009 TEAM EVENT TITLES STEVEN LEGENDRE (7) Floor Exercise (1): Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09 Vault (2): Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09, vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 Parallel Bars (1): Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09 High Bar (1): Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09 All-Around (1): Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09 Still Rings (1): vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 COREY ENGLISH (1) Pommel Horse (1): Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09 IAN JACKSON (1) Still Rings (1): Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09 BOBBY SHORTLE (1) Floor Exercise (1): vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 CHRIS BROOKS (3) Parallel Bars (1): vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 High Bar (1): vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 All-Around (1): vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 FLOOR (2) Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09, vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 POMMEL HORSE (2) Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09, vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 STILL RINGS (2) Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09, vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 VAULT (2) Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09, vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 PARALLEL BAR (2) Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09, vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 HIGH BAR (2) Rocky Mountain Open, , 1/10/09, vs. Nebraska, , 1/18/09 EVENT AND TEAM TITLES RELEASE NO. 3 SOONERSPORTS.COM

8 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JAN. 31, MEET BY MEET RESULTS at Rocky Mountain Open ( ) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA No. 10 Nebraska No. 13 Air Force Arizona State Washington at Nebraska w/ Air Force ( ) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA No. 10 Nebraska Texas ( ) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA... Texas Iowa ( ) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA... No. 9 Iowa... Nebraska ( ) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA... No. 10 Nebraska... Minnesota ( ) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA... No. 1 Stanford... No. 8 Minnesota... Ohio State ( ) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA... No. 3 Ohio State... Penn State ( ) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 3 OKLAHOMA... No. 5 Penn State... at MPSF Championship ( ) FX PH SR V PB HB Total No. 2 OKLAHOMA... No. 1 Stanford... No. 7 California... No. 10 Nebraska... No. 13 Air Force TEAM EVENT HIGHS 2009 INDIVIDUAL EVENT HIGHS Event Score Last Time Floor Exercise Pommel Horse Still Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar Total Event Score Gymnast All-Around Legendre Floor Exercise Legendre Pommel Horse English Still Rings Jackson Vault Legendre Parallel Bars Legendre High Bar Legendre

9 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS CHRIS BROOKS Senior 5-8 Hometown: Houston, Texas Club: Houston North Gymnastics High School: Cypress Creek Events: All-Around CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2008 Team Captain... Three-time All-American on high bar (2006, 07, 08) and All-American on parallel bars (2008)... Won four individual event titles in 2007, three on floor and one on vault. GYMNAST PAGES RELEASE NO. 3 CAREER HIGHS All-Around... * Floor Exercise Pommel Horse... * Still Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar * Has not competed in events with new scoring system. Highs on previous scoring system: all-around (49.600) and pommel horse (8.550) SOONERSPORTS.COM

10 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JAN. 18, 2009 GYMNAST PAGES GARRETT CARR RS Junior 5-11 Hometown: Mandeville, La. Club: Aces High School: Fountainbleau Events: PH, V, PB, HB CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Brother of former Oklahoma gymnast Brian Carr, who...was an All-American for the Sooners... Finished second on the vault (9.2) in first action as a Sooner during Air Force win, in One of two current Sooners hailing from Louisian (Corey English is the other)... Carr and English were both.coached by Alex Shostak at the club level. CAREER HIGHS Pommel Horse...* Vault Parallel Bars...* High Bar...* * Has not competed in events with new scoring system. Highs on previous scoring system: pommel horse (8.550), vault (9.300) and high bar (8.850)

11 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS RUSSELL CZESCHIN Senior 6-3 Hometown: Independence, Mo. Club: Great American Gymnastic Express High School: Fort Osage Events: FX, V CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Earned 2008 All-America honors on floor (15.375) for the second straight season...tied his career high (15.450) on floor in both the 2008 NCAA team qualifier and Team Finals... Earned first career All-America honor with a on floor at the 2007 NCAA event finals. GYMNAST PAGES RELEASE NO. 2 CAREER HIGHS Floor Exercise Vault SOONERSPORTS.COM

12 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JAN. 18, 2009 GYMNAST PAGES COREY ENGLISH Junior 5-7 Hometown: Covington, La. Club: MGA High School: St. Paul s Events: PH, PB CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recorded OU s third highest score on pommel horse (14.100) in 2008 NCAA team finals... Claimed first event title of his OU career with a on pommel horse at Iowa in One of two current Sooners hailing from Louisiana (Garrett Carr is the other). Carr and English were both coached by Alex Shostak at the club level. CAREER HIGHS Pommel Horse Parallel Bars

13 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS IAN JACKSON Junior 5-6 Hometown: Harrisburg, Pa. Club: ASAP High School: Central Dauphin Events: All-Around CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Scored a on rings in 2008 NCAAteam finals to.help OU clinch the national title... MPSF Gymnast of the Week for Feb. 19, Won the all-around (85.400) and vault (15.900) titles in home win against Nebraska in GYMNAST PAGES RELEASE NO. 2 CAREER HIGHS All-Around Floor Pommel Still Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar SOONERSPORTS.COM

14 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JAN. 18, 2009 GYMNAST PAGES JASON LAUGHTON Senior 5-6 Hometown: Northridge, Calif. Club: SCATS Gymnastics High School: Sunland Christian School Events: PH, SR, PB, HB CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Earned first career All-America honor in 2008 with a on pommel horse in the Event Finals... Runner-up on pommel horse with a career-high at 2008 MPSF Championship... Scored a career-high 9.35 on rings in the 2007 NCAA Championship team finals. CAREER HIGHS Pommel Horse Still Rings Parallel Bars High Bar

15 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS STEVEN LEGENDRE Sophomore 5-6 Hometown: Port Jefferson, N. Y. Club: World Olympic Gymnastics High School: Spring Creek Academy Events: All-Around CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Competed in first U.S. Senior National Team competition at the Toyota Cup in Toyota City, Japan... Won a bronze medal on vault... Was the first freshman in OU history to win two NCAA event titles in 2008, earning national crowns with career bests on floor (16.100) and vault (16.400)... Legendre is the fourth Sooner to win multiple titles in one season. Claimed MPSF floor exercise title with a GYMNAST PAGES RELEASE NO. 2 CAREER HIGHS All-Around Floor Exercise Pommel Horse Still Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar SOONERSPORTS.COM

16 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JAN. 18, 2009 GYMNAST PAGES KYLE MCNAMARA Senior 5-7 Hometown: Littleton, Colo. Club: 5280 Gymnastics High School: Heritage Events: All-Around CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Shattered his previous career high with a on high bar in 2008 NCAA Championship team finals... Set season highs on rings (14.850) and p-bars (15.100) at 2008 MPSF Championship... Took the high bar title against the Iowa Hawkeyes in CAREER HIGHS All-Around Floor Pommel Still Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar

17 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS JACOB MESSINA Senior 5-6 Hometown: Matthews, N. C. Club: G & J Speedway High School: East Mecklenburg Events: All-Around CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2008 Team Captain... Earned his second-highest scores of the 2008 season on pommel horse (14.150) and rings (15.300) in NCAA Championship team finals... Posted career best on p-bars and tied career high on rings (15.350) at 2008 MPSF Championship. GYMNAST PAGES RELEASE NO. 2 CAREER HIGHS All-Around... * Floor Exercise... * Pommel Horse Still Rings Vault... * Parallel Bars High Bar * Has not competed in events with new scoring system. Previous scoring system: all-around (52.875), floor exercise (9.525) and vault (9.275) SOONERSPORTS.COM

18 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JAN. 18, 2009 GYMNAST PAGES REED PITTS Senior 5-9 Hometown: Allen, Texas Club: Eagle s Wings Athletics High School: Allen Events: FX, V CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Regained All-America status on floor (15.275) at the 2008 NCAA Championships just one year after twice tearing his Achilles tendon... Recorded career-high on floor at MPSF Championship in Was named All-American on the floor exercise, after finishing fourth with a 9.412, and vault with a third-place in CAREER HIGHS Floor Exercise Vault

19 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS C. J. GRIMES RS Sophomore 5-5 Hometown: Ulysses, Kan. Club: Littlestar Gymnastics High School: Ulysses Events: SR GYMNAST PAGES RELEASE NO. 2 CAREER HIGHS Still Rings... * * Did not compete due to injury. SOONERSPORTS.COM

20 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JAN. 18, 2009 GYMNAST PAGES BOBBY SHORTLE Sophomore 5-2 Hometown: Brunswick, Ohio Club: Gym World High School: Brunswick Events: FX, V, HB CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recorded his second highest vault score of the season (15.900) in team finals at the 2008 NCAA Championships... Won the vault title (15.900) and was second on floor (15.400) against Nebraska and Air Force in Recorded nine top-five finishes in CAREER HIGHS Floor Exercise Vault High Bar

21 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS CHAD CRUMLEY Freshman 5-11 Hometown: Long Grove, Ill. Club: Buffalo Grove Gymnastics Center High School: Stevenson Events: PH, HB GYMNAST PAGES RELEASE NO. 2 SOONERSPORTS.COM

22 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JAN. 18, 2009 GYMNAST PAGES DAVID FINNING Freshman 5-4 Hometown: Claremore, Okla. Club: Cypress Academy High School: Cypress Falls Events: All-Around

23 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS BEN MAYER Freshman 5-10 Hometown: Houston, Texas Club: Cypress Academy High School: Home School Events: PH, PB GYMNAST PAGES RELEASE NO. 2 SOONERSPORTS.COM

24 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JAN. 18, 2009 GYMNAST PAGES TROY NITZKY Freshman 5-6 Hometown: Philadelphia, Pa. Club: Temple Boys Gymnastics High School: William Tennent Events: All-Around

25 EIGHT-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS PATRICK PISCITELLI Freshman 5-11 Hometown: Charlotte, N. C. Club: G & J Speedway High School: Charlotte Catholic Events: SR, PB, FX, V, HB GYMNAST PAGES RELEASE NO. 2 SOONERSPORTS.COM