SRES109APR15

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending April 15, 2005

Senate Resolution 109 commending the University of Oklahoma Sooners men's gymnastics team for winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Mens' Gymnastics Championship.

BRIEF

Under NCAA Coach of the Year Mark Williams, the Division I Championship is OU's sixth overall national title and their third in the past 4 years.

Sponsor: Senator James M. Inhofe (R-OK)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent. (April 14, 2005)

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

MORE INFORMATION

COMMENTS BY THE BILL SPONSOR AND THE RESOLUTION.

Mr. INHOFE. “Madam President, I rise today to recognize the University of Oklahoma Sooners men's gymnastics team for winning the 2005 NCAA Division I men's gymnastics championship on April 8, 2005 at West Point, NY. This historic achievement is an enormous source of pride for the university that they represent as well as for the people of my entire State.

“This championship achieved by the Sooners, under the outstanding leadership of NCAA Coach of the Year Mark Williams, is OU's sixth overall national title and their third in the past 4 years. It was undoubtedly an accomplishment that they earned and grittily sweated out.

“The Sooners' dramatic victory over second-place Ohio State came down to the wire with the competition narrowly being determined by the final rotation on the vault. Freshman Jonathan Horton delivered a heroic performance, which secured OU's winning score of 225.675 over the Buckeyes' 225.450.

“The tremendous success of the 2005 Sooners gives support to the Sports Illustrated cover's designation of Oklahoma as ``America's Gymnastics Hotbed'' that notably included the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy, Nadia Comaneci, Shannon Miller, and the world's largest gymnastics magazine, International Gymnast.

“In addition to the national championship, the Sooners boasted six team members who attained a total of 13 All-America honors for OU at the individual event finals. The 13 honors of 2005 added to an already substantial collection of 141 honors garnered by the university over the 39 years of the men's gymnastics program's existence. Moreover, senior David Henderson's 2005 NCAA title on the still rings, gave OU its 18th all-time individual national champion, capping off a brilliant 4 years for this extraordinary young man.

“The Sooners' victory is a product of the heart, determination, and teamwork of these exceptional student athletes, and I extend my heart-felt congratulations to the entire team for a job truly well done and well deserved.

S. Res. 109

Whereas on April 8, 2005, the University of Oklahoma Sooners won their sixth National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Men's Gymnastics Championship, at West Point, New York;

Whereas the 2005 NCAA Championship is the Sooners' third championship in the past 4 years;

Whereas the championship title crowned a remarkable season for the Sooners in which the team achieved an impressive record of 21 wins and only 2 losses;

Whereas the Sooners clinched a spectacular, nail-biting victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes, which was made possible by a heroic final performance on the vault by freshman Jonathan Horton;

Whereas the Sooners' winning score of 225.675 set a school record and dramatically surpassed second-place Ohio State's score of 225.450;

Whereas 6 members of the University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics team, including Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, Josh Gore, David Henderson, Jamie Henderson, Jonathan Horton, and Jacob Messina, also garnered a school-record 13 All-America honors in the individual event finals;

Whereas senior David Henderson's 2005 NCAA title on the still rings gave the University of Oklahoma its 18th all-time individual national champion and capped off an exceptional 4 years;

Whereas Head Coach Mark Williams was named the 2005 NCAA Coach of the Year, making it the third time in his distinguished career that Head Coach Williams has received that honor;

Whereas the tremendous success of the 2005 Sooners adds to the outstanding legacy of men's gymnastics at the University of Oklahoma and is a reflection of the heart and dedication of the entire school, from the president to the athletic directors, coaches, athletes, managers, and staff members;

Whereas the teamwork, grit, and sportsmanship demonstrated by the University of Oklahoma Sooners men's gymnastics team is a proud tribute to the university and the communities from which the team members hail: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) congratulates the University of Oklahoma Sooners for their sixth National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Men's Gymnastics Championship;

(2) recognizes all who have contributed their hard work and support to making the 2005 season a historic success; and

(3) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy of this resolution to University of Oklahoma President David L. Boren and Head Coach Mark Williams for appropriate display.

The resolution (S. Res. 110) was agreed to.

The preamble was agreed to.

The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

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