No. 1 Sooners Set National Season High
March 6, 2012
MPSF Men's Gymnastics Weekly Release - 3/6/12
#1 OKLAHOMA accumulated a team total of 357.050, the highest of any NCAA program this season, and comfortably surpassing No. 4 Stanford's 351.400 in last Saturday's dual in Norman. The Sooners won team titles in five events and Jake Dalton claimed four individual titles (floor-16.050, vault-15.350, parallel bars-15.550, and high bar-15.000), in addition to winning the all-around with a season-high 90.500. Dalton also posted a career-high on rings (15.550) to place second. Dylan Akers finished third all-around (87.450), backed by a third-place high bar (14.750) and runner-up horse (14.950). The Sooners host another Saturday dual (Mar. 10), taking on No. 8 Michigan.
#11 AIR FORCE swept a pair of home duals over No. 14 Illinois-Chicago, scoring 338.900 on Friday and 337.400 on Sunday. The Friday tally was a season-best for the Falcons, backed by four event wins. Included were Mac Ritchie's career-high bar (14.500), sixth-best all-time at the Academy, and Devin Menefee's title on rings (15.000). Menefee went on to display a pair of top routines in the second meet, as he scored a 14.600 to repeat the rings title, along with tying for the top spot on vault with a career-best 14.700. Air Force heads to club program Arizona State Friday (Mar. 9).
#4 STANFORD scored a 351.400 in the dual at top-ranked Oklahoma, as individual Cardinal titles belonged to John Martin on horse (15.250) and James Fosco on rings (15.600). Cale Robinson was second on vault (15.100). Eddie Penev took the all-around silver (87.900), behind a second-place p-bars (14.950) and floor (15.900). Stanford hits up the Midwest this week, visiting No. 5 Ohio State Friday (Mar. 9) and No. 14 Illinois-Chicago Sunday (Mar. 11).
#7 CALIFORNIA is off until Mar. 24, narrowly defeating No. 4 Stanford (344.900-343.600) last time out on Feb. 18 in Palo Alto. Also competing in the meet was a team of Japanese all-stars. Cal claimed four team titles on the night. Dennis Mannhart won parallel bars (15.200) and Donothan Bailey was second all-around (87.200) and floor (15.100). Matthew Del Junco was third on horse (14.800).
JAKE DALTON MPSF GYMNAST OF THE WEEK
Oklahoma junior Jake Dalton (Reno, NV) led the Sooners to a 2012 NCAA team-high score (357.05) in the dual win over No. 4 Stanford. He claimed the all-around on a season-high (90.500), following titles on floor (16.050), vault (season-high 15.350), parallel bars (season-high 15.550), and high bar (15.000). He added a career-high on rings (15.550) to finish second in that event.
Also Nominated: John Martin (STAN); Devin Menefee (AFA)