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March 21, 2006

BERKELEY - WHAT'S AHEAD:
The fifth-ranked California men's gymnastics team travels to the Air Force Academy in Colorado on Saturday for the 2006 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men's gymnastics championships. The Bears will be competing against No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Stanford, No. 11 Nebraska and No. 17 Air Force. Competition is slated for 7:00 p.m. MT in the Cadet West Gym.

END OF THE SEASON:
With the end of the season fast approaching, Cal has only one meet left on its schedule, the MPSF Championships, before heading to the NCAA Championships, which take place April 6-8 in Norman, Okla.

LAST YEAR'S COMPETITION:
Last year, the Bears came in second place at the 2005 MPSF team championships. Cal, which posted a score of 219.725, finished behind No. 2 Oklahoma (225.650). No. 8 Stanford (217.925) finished third, while No. 9 Nebraska (215.275) was fourth and Air Force (197.235) came in fifth.

CAL IN THE RANKINGS:
The Bears moved up in the rankings this week from No. 6 to No. 5, as they end the regular season with an 11-7 record. Cal has been ranked among the top 10 teams in the country since the season began in January.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS:

OKLAHOMA:
No. 1 ranked Oklahoma enters the competition undefeated at 17-0 on the season. The Sooners are led by sophomore Jonathan Horton, the nation's top all-around gymnast and MPSF gymnast of the week for March 13. Oklahoma ended its regular season campaign with wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 9 Nebraska (217.8-216.9-201.1). Cal is 13-15 all-time against Oklahoma. In their last meeting, at the Pacific Coast Classic (2/25/06), the Sooners defeated the Bears, 217.300-212.650.

STANFORD:
The No. 2 Cardinal ended its regular season with a 13-3 record, and placed second out of three teams in a tri-meet last weekend, defeating No. 9 Nebraska, but falling to No. 1 Oklahoma. Sophomore David Sender placed first on the floor exercise (9.35) and the vault (9.5), and finished second in the all-around (53.95). The Bears are 118-42-2 all-time against the Cardinal and have dropped four meets to Stanford this season.

NEBRASKA:
The 11th-ranked Huskers (7-8) swept the top three spots in all six events last Sunday in their final regular season meet, defeating Air Force with a season-high score (212.15-184.775). Senior Derric Wood, the MPSF Gymnast of the Week for March 20, placed first in three events, including the pommel horse (9.05), setting a career-mark on the high bar (9.45), and tying junior Jason Wassung on the parallel bars for a new season-high (8.95). Cal is 11-2 all-time against the Huskers. In their last meeting (4-7-05), Cal defeated Nebraska, 221.450-214.350.

AIR FORCE:
The 17th-ranked Falcons (1-19) placed second to No. 11 Nebraska last Sunday to end the regular season (212.15-184.775). Cal owns a dominating 22-0 all-time record over Air Force. The last time these two teams met (3-25-05), Cal downed The Falcons, 219.725-197.235.

STAND OUT SOPHOMORE:
Sophomore Tim McNeill recorded above a 9.000 on five out of six events for the Bears during Cal's competition against Penn State on March 11. McNeill won the pommel horse with a season best (9.55), took second on vault (9.3) and placed third on the still rings (9.5). The native of Falls Church, VA, recorded a 9.175 on the floor exercise. That marked the first time he had ever competed on the floor exercise as a Bear.

BEARS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS:
Cal boasts the fifth-highest team score in the nation currently, with an average of 212.033. The Bears are tied for third in the rankings on the pommel horse (34.100), and fourth on the still rings (36.383) and are ranked fifth on the high bar (36.133). McNeill holds the nation's top pommel horse average (9.267), while sophomore Tyler Block ranks seventh on the still rings (9.483).

CAL SETS SEASON-HIGH TEAM SCORE:
Cal posted its highest team score of the season (219.100) on March 11 against Penn State (216.575), to conclude the regular season. The Bears placed first on four out of six events. Block posted a top finish with a career high on the rings (9.725). Freshman Kyson Bunthuwong came in first place on the parallel bars with a career high (9.525) and was the runner-up on the high bar (9.45) behind teammate, sophomore Colin Christ (9.500). McNeill took top honors on the pommel horse with a season best (9.55).

NEXT UP:
Cal has a break in its schedule before traveling to the NCAA Championships, which will be held in Norman, Okla., April 6-8.