Photo by: Gary DeVore, Cadet Wing Media
Air Force to Welcome Nation's Elite for Rocky Mountain Open
1/16/2025 4:11:00 PM | Men's Gymnastics
The 10th-ranked Air Force men's gymnastics team opens the home portion of its 2025 campaign this weekend, when it hosts its annual Rocky Mountain Open at Cadet West Gym on Saturday, Jan. 18. The prestigious meet, in its 45th year at the Academy, will feature several of the nation's top gymnastics programs and serve as a Winter Cup qualifier.
MEET INFORMATION
The 45th Rocky Mountain Open will include Air Force, Arizona State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Simpson and Stanford, as well as select individuals and gymnasts from the Rocky Mountain Mavericks. Action is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. (MT) inside Cadet West Gym – with doors scheduled to open one hour prior. The meet will be streamed live on the Falcons' YouTube page and live results are scheduled to be provided at GoAirForceFalcons.com (direct links are available on the team's schedule page).
BASE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
The U.S. Air Force Academy has temporarily adjusted the process to access the installation, which will affect the Rocky Mountain Open. While the installation remains open for events, if you do not have a DoD ID card, you will need to obtain a pass to enter the base. Spectators must request a base pass - INFORMATION AND LINKS FOR THIS WEEKEND'S ACCESS WILL BE POSTED TO GOAIRFORCEFALCONS.COM ONCE AVAILABLE. Once you register, you will receive a message on your phone about approval. Each adult requesting a base pass must present a valid driver's license to scan at the gate. Spectators under the age of 18 with an approved adult are allowed to access the base for athletic events.
LET'S MEET THE FIELD
Three of the seven RMO teams are ranked nationally after opening the season last weekend. Oklahoma, who hosted the Falcons on Sunday, currently leads the NCAA with a 318.200 total, while Air Force is ranked 10th with a 299-flat and Simpson, who traveled to Michigan on Saturday for a tri-meet with the Wolverines and Greenville, is ranked 11th with an opening score of 287.400. Stanford, winners of the last five NCAA team titles, opened their campaign on Monday with a 318.450-404.950 victory over California, while Nebraska will kick off its 2025 schedule at the RMO. Arizona State, a member of the club division, leads the GymACT rankings with the 296.500 it scored in a dual meet win over Washington on Saturday, while the Rocky Mountain Mavericks, another GymACT program, will be making its season debut at the RMO.
ROUND AND ROUND WE GO
Air Force will begin on the floor exercise and rotate through Olympic order. Simpson and members of the Rocky Mountain Mavericks will start on the pommel horse, Oklahoma will begin on still rings, Stanford will start on vault, Nebraska will open on the parallel bars, and Arizona State will start on the high bar with the individual competitors.
HISTORY 101
The Rocky Mountain Open, which has been hosted by the Air Force Academy since 1980, dates back more than 70 years – as teams throughout Colorado and Nebraska shared hosting duties during the initial years. Oklahoma has won all but two of the RMO team titles since 2000 (2018 Nebraska, 2023 Stanford).
DID YOU KNOW?
Air Force assistant coaches Sergey Resnick and Mike Reid accounted for five-straight RMO titles on the pommel horse during their collegiate days at Oklahoma. Resnick won the event titles in 2013, 2014 and 2016, while Reid claimed the honor in 2012 and 2015. Resnick, who earned a podium finish in that event in 2015 (third), also picked up a titles in the parallel bars during the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
NEW RULES FOR 2025
The NCAA Men's Gymnastics Rules Committee announced that, beginning in 2025, meets will feature a "four-up, four-count" scoring system – lowering each event's lineup depth from five to four, while a maximum of 12 gymnasts will be eligible to compete each week (down from 15). The code of points has also changed for the 2025 season, as the requirements have shifted from 10 skills to eight per routine – an update that will lower the start values and final scores.
AIR FORCE IN THE RANKINGS
Headlined by a No. 3 ranking on the pommel horse from Patrick Hoopes, three Falcons are ranked among the NCAA Top 10 after the opening weekend of competition. Hoopes (14.350) is one of two Falcons listed in the top 10 on that event, as Jack Matlock is ranked eighth following a performance of 13.400. Erich Upton, listed fourth in the floor exercise with a score of 76.350, holds a trio of top-10 marks, as he is also tied for eighth on the vault (13.900) and ninth on the still rings (13.150).
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE FALCONS
Air Force returns to action – and the Academy – on Saturday, Feb. 8, when they host California at 2:00 p.m. (MT).
MEET INFORMATION
The 45th Rocky Mountain Open will include Air Force, Arizona State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Simpson and Stanford, as well as select individuals and gymnasts from the Rocky Mountain Mavericks. Action is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. (MT) inside Cadet West Gym – with doors scheduled to open one hour prior. The meet will be streamed live on the Falcons' YouTube page and live results are scheduled to be provided at GoAirForceFalcons.com (direct links are available on the team's schedule page).
BASE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
The U.S. Air Force Academy has temporarily adjusted the process to access the installation, which will affect the Rocky Mountain Open. While the installation remains open for events, if you do not have a DoD ID card, you will need to obtain a pass to enter the base. Spectators must request a base pass - INFORMATION AND LINKS FOR THIS WEEKEND'S ACCESS WILL BE POSTED TO GOAIRFORCEFALCONS.COM ONCE AVAILABLE. Once you register, you will receive a message on your phone about approval. Each adult requesting a base pass must present a valid driver's license to scan at the gate. Spectators under the age of 18 with an approved adult are allowed to access the base for athletic events.
LET'S MEET THE FIELD
Three of the seven RMO teams are ranked nationally after opening the season last weekend. Oklahoma, who hosted the Falcons on Sunday, currently leads the NCAA with a 318.200 total, while Air Force is ranked 10th with a 299-flat and Simpson, who traveled to Michigan on Saturday for a tri-meet with the Wolverines and Greenville, is ranked 11th with an opening score of 287.400. Stanford, winners of the last five NCAA team titles, opened their campaign on Monday with a 318.450-404.950 victory over California, while Nebraska will kick off its 2025 schedule at the RMO. Arizona State, a member of the club division, leads the GymACT rankings with the 296.500 it scored in a dual meet win over Washington on Saturday, while the Rocky Mountain Mavericks, another GymACT program, will be making its season debut at the RMO.
ROUND AND ROUND WE GO
Air Force will begin on the floor exercise and rotate through Olympic order. Simpson and members of the Rocky Mountain Mavericks will start on the pommel horse, Oklahoma will begin on still rings, Stanford will start on vault, Nebraska will open on the parallel bars, and Arizona State will start on the high bar with the individual competitors.
HISTORY 101
The Rocky Mountain Open, which has been hosted by the Air Force Academy since 1980, dates back more than 70 years – as teams throughout Colorado and Nebraska shared hosting duties during the initial years. Oklahoma has won all but two of the RMO team titles since 2000 (2018 Nebraska, 2023 Stanford).
DID YOU KNOW?
Air Force assistant coaches Sergey Resnick and Mike Reid accounted for five-straight RMO titles on the pommel horse during their collegiate days at Oklahoma. Resnick won the event titles in 2013, 2014 and 2016, while Reid claimed the honor in 2012 and 2015. Resnick, who earned a podium finish in that event in 2015 (third), also picked up a titles in the parallel bars during the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
NEW RULES FOR 2025
The NCAA Men's Gymnastics Rules Committee announced that, beginning in 2025, meets will feature a "four-up, four-count" scoring system – lowering each event's lineup depth from five to four, while a maximum of 12 gymnasts will be eligible to compete each week (down from 15). The code of points has also changed for the 2025 season, as the requirements have shifted from 10 skills to eight per routine – an update that will lower the start values and final scores.
AIR FORCE IN THE RANKINGS
Headlined by a No. 3 ranking on the pommel horse from Patrick Hoopes, three Falcons are ranked among the NCAA Top 10 after the opening weekend of competition. Hoopes (14.350) is one of two Falcons listed in the top 10 on that event, as Jack Matlock is ranked eighth following a performance of 13.400. Erich Upton, listed fourth in the floor exercise with a score of 76.350, holds a trio of top-10 marks, as he is also tied for eighth on the vault (13.900) and ninth on the still rings (13.150).
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE FALCONS
Air Force returns to action – and the Academy – on Saturday, Feb. 8, when they host California at 2:00 p.m. (MT).
Players Mentioned
PH, PB
/ Men's Gymnastics
PH
/ Men's Gymnastics
FX, PH, SR, V, PB, HB
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