Mark Williams/Men's Gymnastics Head Coach | University of Oklahoma
Mark Williams/Men's Gymnastics Head Coach | University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma men's gymnastics head coach Mark Williams announced Thursday that former OU All-American and national champion gymnast Genki Suzuki has joined his staff as volunteer coach.
Suzuki won team national titles with the Sooners in 2016, '17 and '18 and was a senior co-captain on the 2019 runner-up squad. He was a member of the U.S. Senior Men's National Team at the 2018 Senior Pan American Championship and 2019 Pan American Games.
"We're really excited to have Genki come in as a volunteer coach," Williams said. "He was a part of three national championship teams and had been working to make the Olympic team, and I think he's going to bring a wealth of knowledge to these guys, helping with meets and working with the guys during practice."
As a senior at Oklahoma in 2019, Suzuki earned All-America status in the all-around and on parallel bars and high bar while leading OU to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships. He scored an 83.198 in the all-around in the team finals at NCAAs, including leading the team on parallel bars (14.166) and high bar (13.933).
Suzuki finished the 2018 season ranked first nationally in high bar an NQA of 14.400, and placed ninth in the all-around at the NCAA Championships. In 2017, he earned All-America honors and placed third in high bar with a 14.500 at the NCAA Championships. As a freshman in 2016, he posted a 14.800 on pommel horse at NCAA team finals to help propel Oklahoma to the national title.
Internationally, Suzuki won gold on the pommel horse and won a team silver medal at the 2018 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, and placed fourth in the all-around at the 2019 Senior Pan Am Championships. He won high bar at the 2021 Winter Cup and was a bronze medalist in high bar at the 2021 U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
Suzuki secured his spot on the 2019 U.S. Men's Senior National Team at the Winter Cup, finishing fourth in the all-around with an 82.300. He later competed internationally for Team USA in Canada at the Calgary Cup in March, claiming silver on high bar and bronze on floor exercise.
A product of North Wales, Pa., Suzuki earned his bachelor's degree in health and exercise science in 2019.
The Sooners open the 2023 season Saturday at the Rocky Mountain Open in Colorado Springs, Colo., against Stanford, Nebraska, Michigan and Air Force Arizona State. The meet is set to begin at 7 p.m. CT.
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