Sooners First Nationally to Post Third 444

3/18/2014 12:00:00 AM

March 18, 2014

# 1 OKLAHOMA Freshman Colin Van Wicklen scored 15.000 or higher on all three of his events last Saturday at No. 4 Ohio State. The Sooners accumulated 444.300, behind the Buckeyes and ahead of Temple. Van Wicklen crushed his career-high on high bar with a 15.200 routine, good for third overall. His 15.300 on vault tied a career-high, and finished second in the meet. Van Wicklen, who also posted a 15.000 on floor, helped the Sooners become the only team in the country with three scores of at least 444.000. Oklahoma hosts the MPSF Championship Meet Saturday, March 29 at 4 pm (CT). The Sooners have won a record 12 MPSF titles, all in the last 15 years, and are going for their third straight.

# 10 AIR FORCE senior Mac Ritchie broke his own Academy record on the high bar during a winning performance at the five-team meet in Nebraska on Saturday. He scored a career-best 15.350 to finish first among 25 gymnasts from #5 Minnesota, #6 Illinois, #7 Iowa and #12 Nebraska, a personal improvement of 0.250. Ritchie also competed on the parallel bars, scoring 14.250. The Falcons travel to Annapolis, MD, before the MPSF Championships, competing in the USAG Championships (Mar. 21-22).

# 9 CALIFORNIA scored 428.550 to easily get past Washington (380.400) at home in its regular season finale last Saturday. Donothan Bailey finished with an 87.950 all-around in his final meet at Haas Pavilion. He scored a 15.000 on floor, leading to the highest team total in school history in that event (74.850). He added a winning pommel horse (15.000), high bar (15.300), and parallel bars (14.300). The Bears have won three MPSF titles (2004, 1998, 1996).

# 3 STANFORD Akash Modi recorded four top-two finishes to lead the Cardinal post a season-best team score of 446.450 against Ohio State and California on Senior Day March 8 in Palo Alto. The team total score ranks second in the country this year. Modi finished first on parallel bars (15.650) and tied for second on pommel horse (15.350), vault (15.350) and high bar (15.100). His scores on pommel horse, vault and high bar are collegiate personal-bests. Dennis Zaremski recorded a pair of top finishes, scoring 15.75 on rings and 15.45 on p-bars, while Sean Senters won vault (15.550) in his final home meet. Stanford owns won four MPSF Championships (2011, 2009, 1995, 1993).