Michigan
Oklahoma
Top-Ranked Oklahoma Edges Michigan in First Home Loss Since 2019
1/24/2026 5:42:00 PM | Men's Gymnastics
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen Arena)
Scores: #1 Oklahoma 321.850, #5 Michigan 320.650
Records: U-M (5-1), OU (5-0)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 7 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), Noon CT
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan men's gymnastics team dropped a 321.850-320.650 thriller to No. 1 Oklahoma on Saturday (Jan. 24) at Cliff Keen Arena. The loss marks U-M first at home since 2019.
After a shaky floor rotation, U-M pulled ahead by just 0.100 points with a pair of scores above 14.000 on pommel horse. OU retook the lead after the third rotation and remained ahead until big leadoff high bar routines gave Michigan the edge. Carson Eshleman posted a 13.800 to put the Maize and Blue in front by 0.900 points, but a pair of falls from Fred Richard were enough for the Sooners to retake the lead and seal the win.
Aaronson Mansberger scored his second straight score above 14.000 on pommel horse (14.600) to earn his third straight event title, while Akshay Puri posted a season-high 14.000 to take his third straight still rings title. Charlie Larson took his first title of the season with a 14.300 to tie his career high. Eshleman, Richard and Pierce Wolfgang all made their season debuts, while Adam Lakomy made his collegiate debut.
How it Happened
Rotation 1
Jake Islam suffered a pair of falls on floor exercise for a score of 10.600 before Solen Chiodi's stick and score of 13.800 put the Wolverines in a better position. Lakomy followed with a solid score of 13.500 in his floor debut while Larson anchored the rotation with a season-high and third-place 13.900, but OU had the lead after the first rotation.
Michigan trails Oklahoma by 1.800 points, 53.600-51.800.
Rotation 2
Junior Kyle Walchuk put up a solid pommel horse score of 13.100 and Landen Blixt followed up with a 13.600 to open the rotation. In his season debut, Richard posted a 14.100 before Mansberger closed out the rotation with a crucial 14.600. The strong rotation and an OU fall on floor allowed Michigan to take a narrow lead.
Michigan leads Oklahoma 107.200-107.100.
Rotation 3
Senior Robert Noll scored a season-high still rings score of 13.300, coming just .050 shy of his career high, before Islam built the momentum with a career-high 13.000. Puri's season-high 14.000 and Richard's 13.400 were not enough to overcome four Oklahoma vault scores over 13.900, allowing the Sooners to retake the lead.
Oklahoma leads Michigan, 163.200-160.900.
Rotation 4
Larson posted a stick and tied his career high of 14.300 as the leadoff on vault before Noll followed with a season-high 13.700. Lakomy posted a strong 13.650 in his vault debut, while Chiodi anchored the rotation with a 13.100. The Wolverines closed the gap, but the Sooners still maintained the lead despite a 12.900 from Mac Seyler on the still rings.
Michigan trails Oklahoma by 0.900 points, 216.550-215.650.
Rotation 5
Chiodi tied his career high parallel bars score with 13.400 and Richard posted a strong 13.550, but low scores from Walchuk and Wolfgang could not overcome a pair of OU high bar scores above 14.000 and the Sooners maintained the lead heading into the final rotation.
Oklahoma leads Michigan 268.900-267.200.
Rotation 6
Noll set the tone for the Wolverines in the final rotation, ending with a stick and season-high performance of 13.550 on the high bar. Blixt contributed a stick and career-high of 14.100 before Eshleman's 13.800 in his season debut gave the Wolverines their first lead since the second rotation. Despite a nearly one-point lead heading into the final routine, two falls from Richard helped the Sooners clinch the victory.
Oklahoma defeats Michigan 321.850-320.650.
Up Next
The Wolverines will get a break before hitting the road for their conference opener at Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 7, at noon CT. The meet will be streamed live on B1G+.
Players Mentioned
