April 25, 2014

M. Tennis: Sooners Advance at Big 12 Championships

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The No. 3 Oklahoma men’s tennis team notched a 4-2 victory over TCU Friday, April 25, at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center in the first round of the Big 12 Championships.

“I thought TCU played a really good match," OU head coach John Roddick said. "You can see by the score line it was highly competitive. My hat goes off to their effort. Our guys did a good job at the end pulling it out, which we’ve done a lot of times this year. I am proud of the effort but I would like to see them do a few things differently moving forward.”

Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione Is Racking Up Bonuses

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University of Oklahoma Athletic Director Joe Castiglione received $30,000 in bonuses tied to the postseason success of the women’s gymnastics team, a program that lost more than $1.5 million last year.

The Sooners won the Big 12 title in March, their sixth in seven years, and shared the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship last weekend. The program was one of four women’s gymnastics teams whose expenses outpaced revenue by more than $1.5 million in the year ended June 30, according to data schools submit to the U.S. Department of Education.

April 24, 2014

OU Volleyball Announces 2014 Schedule

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University of Oklahoma head volleyball coach Santiago Restrepo has released his team’s 2014 schedule, which features 12 home matches at McCasland Field House. The Sooners’ schedule gets underway with a three-match tournament at the University of Florida on August 29 and 30.

Oklahoma hits the road for a pair of early-season tournament in Florida and Texas before hosting its annual NIKE Invitational, September 10-13. The Sooners then travel to North Carolina for three non-conference matches at Atlantic Coast Conference schools before entering Big 12 Conference play.

Softball: Kelsey Stevens Nearly Throws No-Hitter in Win Over UNT

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Photo by Ty Russell
Sophomore Kelsey Stevens was just three outs away from her first no-hitter as a Sooner, but a one-hitter was still a fine consolation prize as No. 17/12 Oklahoma shut out North Texas, 3-0, on Wednesday night.

Stevens allowed just two baserunners during the entire contest, the first of which was a walk to Jordan Terry to lead off the second inning. From there, Stevens retired the next 15 batters she faced until Spencer Ferrell singled to left field on the first pitch of the seventh inning.

Former Sooner Ryan Broyles Practices For First Time Since Injury

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Former Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles practiced for the first time since rupturing his Achilles tendon while fielding a punt Oct. 27 against Dallas.

Broyles was cleared to rejoin the team for voluntary conditioning the past two weeks, but did not have a helmet for Day 1 of minicamp. He was back in action Wednesday, including shagging a few passes during the brief media availability.

W Tennis: Whitney Ritchie Named Big 12 Player of the Week

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Photo Credit: SoonerSports.com
For the third time in her career and second time this season, senior Whitney Ritchie was named the Big 12 Women’s Tennis Player of the Week, announced by the conference office Tuesday.

After falling to OSU’s Viktoriya Lushkova in a non-conference Bedlam matchup back in March, Ritchie came back with a vengeance to defeat Lushkova in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1 on Saturday, April 19. This was Ritchie’s fifth win over a ranked opponent this season. It was also the only time all season that Ritchie gave up only two games in an entire match.

April 23, 2014

Former Sooner Adrian Peterson to Endow OU Football Scholarship

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"Six-time Pro Bowl Selection Adrian Peterson is proud to announce that he is hosting the 1st Annual Yards and Cards, featuring a VIP Meet & Greet and Welcome Reception on Friday, July 11, followed by a Youth Football Camp at the University of Oklahoma and a Celebrity Poker Tournament, hosted by Riverwind Casino on Saturday, July 12.

"All proceeds will act as a platform for the All Day Foundation's mission of raising awareness and funds for programs that inspire hope and build a better future for at-risk children, with a special focus on girls' empowerment. The event's initiative will help begin the construction of a new student housing facility and also establish a football scholarship endowment in Peterson's name at the University of Oklahoma."

W Tennis: Seven Sooners Earn Big 12 Academic Honors

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Photo Courtesy: SoonerSports.com
Seven members of the University of Oklahoma women’s tennis team were named to the 2014 Academic All-Big 12 teams, announced the conference Tuesday, April 22.

Seniors Mia Lancaster, Whitney Ritchie and Whitney Wofford, junior Abbi Melrose and sophomore Emma Devine earned first team honors.

Baseball: UTA Defeats Oklahoma, 6-5

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The University of Oklahoma baseball team scored two runs in the eighth and two in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough as it fell to Texas-Arlington, 6-5, at L. Dale Mitchell Park on Tuesday night. The Sooners dropped to 25-17 overall, while the Mavericks improved to 18-23.

“We had our chances early, then we went five innings without a hit,” reflected head coach Pete Hughes. “We always try to rally late and it’s always a little too little. We have to figure out how to play better in the middle innings and we’ve got to get our bullpen back to feeling better. That was the story of the game. We gave up 13 hits, we had eight. They turned more double plays than us. We left the same amount of men on base. It was a wish and prayer to get a hit there by Hunter Haley. We got beat long before the ninth inning and that last at-bat.”

Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops Conference Call

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Head Coach Bob Stoops
Big 12 Conference Call
April 22, 2014

On if it is helpful to have a QB like Baker Mayfield that has already played in the Big 12 to run the scout team:
“Definitely. Anytime you have a guy that’s a good player going against your scout team it’s always a positive. Baker (Mayfield) with his experience will obviously do a great job.”

On if he has seen QB Trevor Knight make progress since the Sugar Bowl:
“Yeah, definitely. I think a couple of things definitely. The confidence comes from playing so well in that last game and it will probably ease him up even more with Blake Bell moving to tight end, just being a leader and what not with Blake going to tight end. He has adapted to it in a really positive way. I think those two things together have allowed him to really shuttle into the position.”

April 22, 2014

M. Tennis: OU Grabs Share of Big 12 Regular Season Title

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No. 2 Oklahoma captured a share of its third straight Big 12 regular season title with a 6-1 victory over Oklahoma State Sunday afternoon in Stillwater, Okla.

“I thought the guys played a really good match today, especially considering a share of the Big 12 regular season title was on the line,” head coach John Roddick said. “I thought we played well at [positions] five and six, as we have all year. It’s really a special feeling for us to win a Big 12 title three years in a row.”

Tennis: Sooners Receive Big 12 Honors

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Three Sooners earned All- Big 12 academic awards while six were named position champions, the conference announced Tuesday.

For the second consecutive year, junior Dane Webb landed first team spot. Webb, an administrative leadership major, has maintained at least 3.20 GPA, all while helping the Sooners win their third straight Big 12 title.

WGYM: Sooners Crowned National Champions

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Simply Magic.

The Oklahoma Sooners hit the best score in NCAA Championships history, and needed every thousandth-of-a-point to bring home the program's first national championship.

OU and Florida were named co-national champions with scores of 198.175. It was the first time there have been co-winners at the NCAA Division I Women's Gymnastics Championships.

Sam Bradford 'Way Ahead of Schedule' in Recovery

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Former Oklahoma and current St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, coach Jeff Fisher says he really, truly is ahead of schedule.

“You’re not gonna hear a head coach say he has a player on his team that’s not ahead of schedule coming off an ACL. Everybody says they’re all ahead of schedule. But he is realistically way ahead of schedule. He’s working hard,” Fisher said of Bradford, via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

April 19, 2014

April 18, 2014

M. Gym: Seven Earn MPSF All-Academic Award

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The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation announced seven members of the Oklahoma men's gymnastics team have been named MPSF All-Academic Scholar-Athletes.

Honorees must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, be at least a sophomore academically, completed one full academic year at the institution prior to the season and competed in fifty percent or of the season's competitions.

Golf: Four Sooners Named Academic All-Big 12

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Four members of the 16th-ranked University of Oklahoma men’s golf team were among 30 student-athletes named to the 2014 Academic All-Big 12 Men’s Golf Team, the league office announced Wednesday.

Junior Michael Gellerman (communication), junior Charlie Saxon (communication) and sophomore Beau Titsworth (finance) earned first-team honors with a 3.20 or better GPA, while senior Michael Schoolcraft (economics) received second-team recognition with a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA. A total of 23 student-athletes from the conference’s 10 universities made the first team, while seven claimed second-team spots.

April 17, 2014

No. 1 Offensive Lineman Prospect Decommits From Sooners

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He may have been the first commitment of Oklahoma's class of 2015 but with his decision made so early there was something always weighing on the mind of Rivals100 offensive guard Josh Wariboko.

The desire to play with his brother, 2016 Oklahoma City Casady defensive back teammate Max Wariboko.

Rowing: OU's Varsity 8 Takes Big 12 Boat of the Week

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Oklahoma's varsity eight has been named the Big 12 Boat of the Week for competition from April 7-15.

The varsity eight defeated Big 12 foe Kansas and Sacramento State last Sunday at the Lake Natoma Invitational, finishing in 6:45.0 to take first place. As a team, OU finished seventh in an extremely competitive field behind six ranked opponents from the top-20 and ahead of the Jayhawks and Hornets.

April 16, 2014

Sooners Are Ready to Compete for NCAA Championships

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IN THE GYM: NOTES AND NUMBERS FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

 1. BRING ON BIRMINGHAM
The Oklahoma Sooners are ready to arrive: the No. 2-seeded OU women’s gymnastics team is set to compete in the program’s 14th NCAA Championships appearance on April 18-20 in Birmingham, Ala. OU will compete in Semifinal I (afternoon session) on Friday, April 18 at 1 p.m. CT alongside No. 3 LSU, No. 6 Georgia, No. 7 Michigan, No. 10 Stanford and No. 11 Illinois. A top-three finish in Semifinal I will advance the Sooners to the program’s fourth Super Six since 2010 while giving the squad a shot at an NCAA team championship.

Baseball: Sooners Defeat Cowboys In 18 Innings

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The game-winning rally finally came in the top of the 18th, 10 minutes past midnight, when sophomore second baseman Kolbey Carpenter (Waco, Texas) ripped a double to left that scored the go-ahead run in a 12-9 win for the University of Oklahoma baseball team over No. 13 Oklahoma State. The game, which started Tuesday evening and ran into Wednesday morning, lasted five hours and 52 minutes. The Sooners improved to 24-14, while the Cowboys dropped to 26-11.

April 15, 2014

Report: OU Basketball Will Play Home-and-Home Series Against Creighton

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Tom Shatel of Omaha World-Herald reports.... Looks like University of Oklahoma is coming back to the state of Nebraska — to play Creighton. CU Athletic Director Bruce Rasmussen told me that OU and CU have signed a contract to play a home-and-home in men's basketball, beginning next season when Lon Kruger's Sooners come to the CenturyLink Center (Creighton will play at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman the following season). Chalk it up to the benefit of having Rasmussen on the NCAA Division I Basketball Committee, where he and OU A.D. Joe Castiglione obviously had some free time to talk. (Ohama.com)

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Cherokee Youth Participate in N7 Event With Oklahoma Quarterback Trevor Knight

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Cherokee youth take a photo with University of Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight at the Sooners for N7 event Wednesday.
Photo Courtesy: Cherokee Nation
NORMAN, Okla. —More than 20 Cherokee students traveled to the University of Oklahoma on Wednesday for the inaugural Sooners for N7 event.

The Sooners for N7 was started by student athletes as a way to recognize and give back to the Native American population in Oklahoma, while also promoting health and wellness.

April 14, 2014

M. Gymnastics: Sooners Take National Runner-Up

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The Oklahoma men's gymnastics team capped another outstanding season, finishing national runner-up with a score of 441.650 at the NCAA Final in the Crisler Center on Friday.

Michigan placed first with 444.950. Following the Sooners were Stanford at 436.300, Illinois with 435.350, Ohio State with 433.500 and Penn State with 429.800.

April 13, 2014

M. Gymnastics: Robin, Squires Win National Titles

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Photo Courtesy: SoonerSports.com
Alec Robin won not one, but two national titles and Michael Squires defended his title on still rings as Oklahoma took home three national titles and nine total All-America honors at the NCAA Individual Event Finals on Saturday.

Robin’s national titles were the first two of his career. A three-time All-American last season, the junior added two more with first-place finishes on floor and vault. The junior is the sixth Sooner to win two or more titles in the same season.

April 12, 2014

April 11, 2014

Gymnastics: OU Advances to NCAA Final

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Top-seeded Oklahoma took care of business at the NCAA Qualifier on Thursday, finishing first in its session with a score of 440.000 to advance to the NCAA Finals.

Second place went to Stanford (433.550) followed by Illinois (432.850), Iowa (425.950), Cal (425.700) and William & Mary (415.350).

April 10, 2014

April 9, 2014

Former Sooner Ryan Broyles Cleared for Offseason Workouts

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Former Sooner Ryan Broyles ruptured his Achilles tendon while fielding a punt in an Oct. 27 win against the Dallas Cowboys, ending his season.
Former Sooner Ryan Broyles ruptured his Achilles tendon while fielding a punt in an Oct. 27 win against the Dallas Cowboys, ending his season.

Five months later, he was cleared by doctors to rejoin the Detroit Lions for the start of voluntary conditioning this week. And that's huge news for him.

The receiver has missed 16 games through his first two seasons in the league, and the Lions, who once thought Broyles would be a complement to Calvin Johnson, could be looking to revamp their starting lineup. (MLive.com)

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Softball: Kelsey Stevens Named Big 12 Player of the Week

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Photo Courtesy: SoonerSports.com
Sophomore Kelsey Stevens has picked up her second Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honor of the season, the conference announced Tuesday.

The Albuquerque, N.M., native started and won all four of Oklahoma’s games last week, throwing three shutouts in the process. She gave up just two runs in 21.0 innings for a 0.67 ERA with 21 strikeouts and seven walks.

Golf: Sooners Win Cowboy Classic

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With a three-round 831 (-9) at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic, the 16th-ranked Oklahoma men's golf team secured its third victory of the season, while Michael Gellerman grabbed his first career win. The two-day, 54-hole tournament was played at the 7,133-yard, par-70 North Course at the Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Softball: Sooners Sweep Wichita State

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Photo Courtesy: Ty Russell/SoonerSports.com
Four RBI from senior Javen Henson helped No. 19/13 Oklahoma (30-8) to a 9-1, five-inning win over Wichita State (22-17) Tuesday night to complete a doubleheader sweep.

The Sooners have won 12 in a row, the team’s longest since ending the 2013 season on a 13-game win streak that culminated with the program’s second national championship. In addition, OU has now won 30 straight games over WSU, its longest active streak against another team.

April 8, 2014

OU Students Invited to Practice on April 10

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Head coach Bob Stoops invited University of Oklahoma students to participate in OU Football Student Day by attending the team portion of practice at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium from 5 to 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, April 10. The first 500 students will receive a free hot dog and drink. While supplies last, all remaining hot dogs and drinks will be available for 50 cents.

Golf: OU in First After Two Rounds in Arizona

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With a 560 (E), the 16th-ranked Oklahoma men's golf team holds the lead after two rounds at the two-day, 54-hole Wyoming Cowboy Classic. The 21-team tournament is being played at the 7,133-yard, par-70 North Course at the Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The Sooners have a one-stroke advantage over No. 44 BYU and Colorado, who both finished the day with a 561 (+1). Utah is in fourth with a 2-over 562, while Gonzaga completes the top five with a 565 (+5).

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