It’s not commonplace for most programs that finishing third in the nation is considered a disappointing season, but the OU men’s gymnastics team has become accustomed to winning national championships.

After its bid for the program’s ninth national title fell short in 2010, the team looks determined to finish on top once again this season after a dominating win at Saturday’s Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Co.

The men’s gymnastics program has finished no lower than fourth place in the country since coach Mark Williams took over in 2000. The team also has won the Big 12 Conference title all but two years since Williams came to OU. Going into this season ranked No. 3 in the country and without a title since 2008, the team’s goals are as high as ever.

Oklahoma returns two individual national champions from last year’s squad. Senior Steven Legendre claimed the title on floor at last year’s championships, and sophomore Alex Naddour won the title on pommel. The two brought OU’s all-time individual titles to 32, ranking the Sooners fourth in the nation.

In addition to the two national champions, Oklahoma also returns two other All-Americans from last year’s team. Sophomore Jacob Dalton garnered All-American honors in the all-around, floor and vault last season as a freshman, and sophomore Jeremy Adams took home the honor on the pommel horse.

The Sooners are loaded with returning talent, and they looked deserving of their No. 3 ranking Saturday when they won the Rocky Mountain Open for the 12th straight time. OU scored a 346.5 to top No. 9 Nebraska, No. 13 Air Force and Arizona State in the meet. Oklahoma won five of the six team event titles, while Legendre and Dalton picked up where they left off last year.

Legendre’s 16.4 on vault and Dalton’s 15.1 on parallel bars were both Rocky Mountain Open all-time records. Thanks to Dalton’s titles on floor and parallel bars and Legendre’s first place finish on vault, OU continued its streak of claiming at least half of the Rocky Mountain Open event titles since 2002.

In addition to the talent the Sooners have on this year’s squad, they also have a great deal of leadership. The Sooners return five seniors, including Legendre and former All-American Bobby Shortle. Anthony Naddour, Ian Jackson and C.J. Grimes also have contributed a great deal to the team in their time here, including helping the team win the 2008 national title.

Up next, Oklahoma has back-to-back home meets against Ohio State and Minnesota before traveling to Las Vegas to compete in the Winter Cup. After that, the Sooners get the chance to prove they deserve a No. 1 ranking when they face No. 9 Nebraska, No. 1 Stanford and No. 5 California.

Once the team gets past this grueling stretch, it faces a trip to Michigan and one final home meet against Penn State and Illinois before the NCAA Qualifier in Columbus, Ohio.