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    Two Oklahoma Gymnasts Take Home Conference Accolades

    Zach Nunez and Kelton Christiansen landed weekly honors from the MPSF after another impressive performance by the Sooners last week.

    By OU Media Relations

    Oklahoma men’s gymnastics senior Zach Nunez was named the MPSF Gymnast of the Week and sophomore Kelton Christiansen was named the MPSF Specialist of the Week after leading the Sooners to a win at Simpson on Saturday, the conference office announced Tuesday.

    Nunez won the parallel bars title and scored 14-plus on his two other events, registering a combined 42.300 on his three events to pace Oklahoma on Saturday. The Cypress, TX, product set a season high with his 13.850 parallel bars routine to claim the event title. He also notched a 14.450 on his first vault of the season and posted a 14.000 on pommel horse, placing second on both events.

    Christiansen won the high bar event title and scored a combined 27.600 on his two events for the Sooners. The Arvada, CO, product supplied his second straight 14-plus routine on high bar by scoring 14.200 and was the only gymnast to score a 14 or above on the event Saturday. Christiansen also led off the Sooners on pommel horse, notching a 13.400, which was his second-highest pommels score of the season. He ranks second nationally on high bar with his 14.300 average.

    This is the third career MPSF Gymnast of the Week honor for Nunez (won the award twice last season) and the first for Christiansen. 

    Oklahoma gymnasts have now won 11 MPSF weekly awards this season. Redshirt sophomore Fuzzy Benas was named MPSF Gymnast of the Week on Jan. 23 and Feb. 13, sophomore Ignacio Yockers was named Specialist of the Week on Jan. 23, Feb. 6 and Feb. 13, junior Emre Dodanli was named Specialist of the Week on Jan. 16 and Jan. 30, and freshman Colin Flores was named Freshman of the Week on Jan. 23 and Feb. 6.

    The Sooners take a break from NCAA team competition this weekend for USA Gymnastics Winter Cup, which will be held Feb. 23-25 in Louisville, Ky. Benas, Flores, Yockers, Jack Freeman, and OU alumnus Yul Moldauer are set to compete at Winter Cup. Oklahoma returns to NCAA action March 2 at Michigan.

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