Gymnastics: OU meets Nebraska, Air Force
Same teams, different setting. One week after sweeping Air Force and No. 10 Nebraska at the Rocky Mountain Open, the third-ranked Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team faces both teams again, this time at the Bob Devaney Center in Lincoln, Neb. The meet, scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 20 is slated for a 2 p.m. start.
“Even though the teams will be the same it will be a totally different environment,” head coach Mark Williams said. “Nebraska always brings their A game on their home floor.”
Williams’ Sooners will be looking to build on an impressive season-opening win in Colorado. Several gymnasts who saw limited action at the Rocky Mountain Open are expected to make a bigger impact in week two. Among them is senior co-captain Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, the defending NCAA all-around champion who competed on only two events in last week’s meet.
OU will once again be without the services of superstar Jonathan Horton, who missed the opener while recovering from a busy summer of international competition. The senior from Houston, Texas, will be training with the U.S. Senior National Team in preparation for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials.
In Horton’s absence, coach Williams has started developing important depth on the roster. Several Sooners filled the void nicely at the Rocky Mountain Open. Freshman Steven Legendre was the event’s all-around and floor exercise champion, while junior Kyle McNamara claimed wins on vault and parallel bars and Abdullah-Simmons and junior Chris Brooks placed first on rings and high bar, respectively.
“I’d like to continue to work on maintaining consistency and composure,” Williams said. “I’d like to see our pommel horse team step up and do a little bit better job. We may add a little bit more to our routines as we were a little conservative in our first meet.”
This weekend’s meet also has added significance in terms of the team’s preparation for the postseason. Nebraska will host the 2008 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship at the Devaney Center on April 5.
The Sooners will face the Huskers one more time before the conference championship when Nebraska visits Norman on Feb. 1 for a double dual with the OU men’s and women’s teams.
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