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November 17, 2011

	Kanji Oyama  Hometown  Huntington Beach, Calif.  Club  SCATS Gymnastics  Gymnastics Accomplishments  2011 Visa Championships, 11th place (AA)  2011 Visa Championships, seventh place (FX, SR, V)  2011 Junior Olympic Championships, 10th place (AA)  2011 Region 1 Championships, third place (AA)  2011 California State Championships, sixth place (AA)  2010 Visa Championships, 16th place (AA)  2010 Junior Olympic Championships, 15th place (AA)  2009 Pacific Coast Classic, third place (AA)  2009 Pacific Coast Classic, second place (PH) Video Highlights

NORMAN, Okla.– University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics head coach Mark Williams announced the signing of Kanji Oyama (Kahn-gee Oh-yah-mah) to a National Letter of Intent on Thursday.

“We’re happy to be signing Kanji Oyama out of the Los Angeles area,” said Williams. “Kanji should be a great addition to the program. He was a qualifier to the Visa Championships this past year and has done well as a junior gymnast. We’re excited to see him compete at the next level where he can help us in many different areas. He’s a fairly strong all-around gymnast. We look forward to great things happening when he joins our program next season.”

Oyama will enter OU with numerous accolades. The Huntington Beach, Calif., native finished in 11th place on all-around and seventh place on floor, rings and vault in the junior division of the 2011 Visa Championships and 16th on all-around at the 2010 Visa Championships.

The future Sooner claimed 10th and 15th on all-around at the 2011 and 2010 Junior Olympic National Championships, respectively. Oyama finished in sixth place on all-around at the California State Championships and third on all-around at the 2011 Region 1 Championships.

In 2009, Oyama took third on all-around and second on pommel horse at the Pacific Coast Classic. He has been a member of the Region 1 Team since 2007.

Oyama, the only gymnast Williams will sign this year, was drawn to OU by the program’s history and tradition.

“The reason I chose Oklahoma is because I believe this will be the best road for me to take to reach my goals,” said Oyama. “Oklahoma also has a great history of top level gymnasts that have graduated from there and I want to become a part of that tradition.”

Oyama is coached by Grigor Chalikyan at SCATS Gymnastics in Huntington Beach.