The top-ranked Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team is the No. 1 national seed at the 2026 NCAA Championships. The Sooners, who won their second straight MPSF Championship and 21st overall this season, enter the NCAA Championships as the top seed for the second consecutive year.

Coming in as the No.1 seed, what will it take to bring home the title to OU?

We need to have a good night on Saturday. We need to be consistent, control our landings. We want to build on that 100% hit performance we had at conference. If we compete like that again in Champaign, I think we have a real shot at it.

I believe this is the best team we’ve had since 2019, and these guys have put in the work to get here. Now, it’s all about the performance on the night. And that’s what we’ve been working towards all season—being our best when it matters most.

I think it’s going to be an exciting competition. The top three or four teams all have a real shot at that top spot.

What are you most proud of (so far) this season? Who has really stepped up into a leadership role?

Going into the National Championships undefeated, as the Conference champs, is an impressive thing, but I’m most proud of how this group has grown together. How they bonded early on and have acted as one. This has been a very harmonious team. They work hard, but they also have fun in the gym. 

Only 12 athletes can take the floor in finals, but every single guy on this team has contributed to its success. They have each other’s backs and, as a coach, there’s nothing you want to see more.

Creating that culture are our captains, Brigham Frentheway and Kelton Christiansen. They’ve done a great job bringing this team together. Both started out as walk-ons. They weren’t highly recruited, but they understand this team, what we need to be good, and what it means to be a Sooner. Fuzzy Benas is a guy who leads by example, who continues to conquer adversity every single day in the gym and brings the energy in competition. Ignacio Yockers is the hardest worker you’ll ever see, and an exemplary student. I think all four balance each other very well.

Is there a key event you need to hit or one you’re specifically targeting to capitalize on?

I think it’s pommel horse. It’s been a strong event for us all season. We’ve got a lot of talent in Ignacio Yockers and Colby Aranada, who are doing two of the hardest sets in the NCAA, and guys who have made major steps up this year, like Mac Seyler, who had his third ACL repair less than a year ago, and just refused to give up on making this team. He worked, and worked, and worked some more, and it shows on this event, maybe more than any other. Tyler Flores has stepped up and been very consistent all season long. 

I think we just need to have our average day on horse, and that will set us up nicely for the rest of the competition.

Beyond winning the championship, what do you most hope your senior class gains from this competition?

These guys understand that the process and the journey isn’t defined by this one night. What this group has done as Sooners is extraordinary, and I know they’ve created bonds they’ll have for the rest of their lives. That, as much as anything we do in competition, are the memories I want them to cherish. It’s been a pleasure and an honor coaching this group, and I know every guy on this team wants to send them out on a high note, so we’re going to go out and try to make some Sooner magic.