Gymnastics: One more time, Horton honored

For the third time this season, Oklahoma’s Jonathan Horton has been named Gymnast of the Week by the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The senior from Houston, Texas, was also honored by the conference on Feb. 11 and Feb. 25.

This week’s award comes on the heels of Horton’s brilliant Senior Night performance on March 15, as the Sooners posted the NCAA’s highest score of the season (364.600) in defeating No. 8 Minnesota at the Howard McCasland Field House in Norman.

Horton posted a season-high all-around score (92.450) to run away with his second all-around title of the year, while claiming individual event crowns on rings (16.050), parallel bars (15.650) and high bar (15.300). His scores on the floor exercise (15.700), rings and p-bars marked personal bests.

The team co-captain also finished second on floor and third on vault (16.150) as Oklahoma set program records on both events against the Golden Gophers.

Oklahoma gymnasts have now earned Gymnast of the Week honors five times in 10 weeks in 2008. In addition to Horton’s three honors, freshman Steven Legendre earned conference recognition on Jan. 15 and Jan. 28 after all-around wins at the Rocky Mountain Open and against Nebraska and Air Force.

Last season, four different OU gymnasts accounted for a total of six MPSF weekly honors.

2008 MPSF Gymnasts of the WeekJan. 15 – Steven Legendre, Oklahoma
Jan. 21 – Kyson Bunthuwong, Cal
Jan. 28 – Steven Legendre, Oklahoma
Feb. 4 – Greg Stine, Air Force
Feb. 11 – Jonathan Horton, Oklahoma
Feb. 18 – Kyle Bunthuwong, Cal
Feb. 25 – Jonathan Horton, Oklahoma
March 3 – Ryan Lieberman, Stanford
March 10 – Tim McNeill, Cal
March 17 – Jonathan Horton, Oklahoma