NCAA Men’s Gymnastics : Fox Gets Fourth Vaulting Title for New Mexico

Chad Fox of New Mexico overcame a leg injury in an earlier event to become the first man to win four consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Assn. gymnastics event titles when he took the vaulting title Saturday.

Fox’s teammate, Paul O’Neill, also captured his third consecutive rings championship, only the sixth person to win three event titles in a row.

“It feels fantastic,” said Fox, who had an ankle injury from the floor exercise. “When I was a freshman I wanted to be the first to win four on the floor and four on the vault and be the first gymnast to win eight (NCAA titles). The floor didn’t go so well, but at least I won the vault.”

The 9.95s by O’Neill and Houston Baptist’s Alfonzo Rodriguez to tie for first on the rings were the highest mark of the three-day meet to that point. One of the four judges gave O’Neill a perfect 10 on his event.

In the final event of the evening, Rodriguez’s teammate, Miguel Rubio also recorded a 9.95 to win his second consecutive high bar title. Rubio also received one 10 from the judges.

Before Fox, the last to win three in a row was Nebraska’s former gold-medal Olympian Jim Hartung, also on the rings, in 1980, ’81 and ’82. Hartung also holds the record with seven NCAA individual titles.

“That puts me up there with Jim Hartung,” O’Neill said. “To be compared with anyone that good is a nice feeling. With guys like Miguel and Alfonso I knew it would take a hell of a rings set to win.”

Rubio followed O’Neill with a 9.9 and Rodriguez followed with a 9.95.

Earlier in the meet, Fox failed in his bid for a second floor exercise title when he scored 9.3 to finish well back of winner Jody Newman of Arizona State at 9.85. Fox won his floor event championship in 1987 and was second a year ago.

Penn State’s Mark Sohn shared the pommel horse title for a second consecutive year, this time with UCLA’s Chris Waller, both with 9.85s. Sohn and Houston Baptist’s Rodriguez shared the pommel horse title in 1988.

“I knew if I hit my routines I would be happy with any place I got,” Sohn said. “First is great.”

Rodriguez came back on the parallel bars to score a 9.8 to gain that title outright.

Nebraska’s Patrick Kirksey held on to his optional lead through Saturday afternoon’s compulsories to win the all-around title.

Kirksey scored 112.60 points to 111.65 for runner-up Mike Racanelli of Ohio State and third-place David St. Pierre of UCLA ended with 111.50.

Kirksey led Racanelli and St. Pierre by two-tenths and 35-hundredths of a point, respectively, after Thursday night’s optional round.

“I’m excited,” Kirksey said. The Husker junior said Rodriguez informed him earlier in the week the Houston Baptist stars wouldn’t be competing in the all-around compulsories because of injuries. They elected instead to concentrate on individual titles.

“I’m glad he didn’t compete because he probably would have beaten me,” Kirksey said of Rodriguez. “But as a friend, I feel sorry that he didn’t compete.”

Kirksey scored a 9.5 on the floor exercise, 9.15 on the rings and pommel horse, 9.6 on the vault, 9.05 on the parallel bars and 8.65 on the high bar to complete his compulsory round Saturday. He had a 1.2-point lead over Racanelli heading into their final event--the high bar.

Kirksey fell in his high bar routine in Friday night’s team final, in which Nebraska finished second to Illinois. He had a break in the routine again Saturday but Racanelli, the nation’s second-ranked all-arounder, was unable to take advantage when he scored an 8.9.

“I really wanted to do well for the team,” Kirksey said. “It’s a good momentum builder (for next year) and it really excites me because I know there are a lot of guys who will be graduating. What I’m looking for next year is the team. I think we’re going to have a great team next year.”