WEST POINT, N.Y. – The University of Oklahoma Sooners won their third-straight NCAA team title tonight at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships. Competition is being held at Christl Arena at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. In the all-around, Akash Modi of Stanford University grabbed the top spot.
Oklahoma posted a 431.950 to win the 11th title in program history – one shy of the all-time record held by Pennsylvania State University. Ohio State University posted a 423.700 for second, followed by the University of Illinois at 422.100. Stanford University (421.500), the University of Minnesota (414.200) and the University of Nebraska (412.900) rounded out the standings.
In the all-around, 2016 Olympic team alternate Modi posted an 87.900, edging out 2017 AT&T American Cup champion Yul Moldauer of Oklahoma, who earned an 87.600. Oklahoma’s Allan Bower, who represented Team USA at the Stuttgart World Cup, was third at 87.300.
The Sooners started slowly on the floor exercise and pommel horse with totals of 70.950 and 69.850, respectively, below their totals from yesterday’s national qualifier. Then, in the third rotation, OU came alive on the still rings, sticking all five dismounts. Moldauer had the team’s highest score on the event a 14.950 after sticking his tucked double-double. The Sooners’ posted a massive 74.000.
Oklahoma didn’t let up on rotation four, hitting a 73.100 on the vault. Bower stuck a Kasamatsu one-and-a-half for a 14.950. Colin Van Wicklen and Moldauer added a 14.850s. On the parallel bars, Bower and Moldauer once again led the way with scores 15.200 and 15.150, giving the Sooners a 74.100 on the event – the highest team total on any event. The Sooners closed out the title on the high bar with a 69.950 total.
Ohio State posted event totals of 69.650, floor exercise; 71.300, pommel horse; 70.300, still rings; 71.950, vault; 70.650, parallel bars; and 69.850, horizontal bar. Illinois scored 70.900, floor exercise; 70.000, pommel horse; 70.500, still rings; 72.550, vault; 69.250, parallel bars; and 68.900, horizontal bar.
Individual event titles were also awarded tonight with Moldauer taking the title on the floor (14.900) and still rings (14.950). Stephen Nedoroscik of Penn State won the pommel horse crown, earning a 14.900. The University of Michigan’s Anthony McCallum scored a 15.100 to take the top spot on the vault. Stanford collected the final two titles with Modi earning the parallel bars title (15.300) and Robert Neff taking the high bar crown (14.850).