Sooners win fifth national gymnastics title
FORT WORTH, Texas — A comeback for the ages.
In fourth place after the first rotation, the Oklahoma women’s gymnastics team was lights-out in the final three rotations to claim the program’s fifth national championship.
The Sooners posted a 198.200 to claim the 2022 national title over Florida (198.0875), Utah (197.7500) and Auburn (197.3500).
Saturday marked the Sooners’ ninth straight and 11th overall trip to the team finals. In each of their 11 appearances in the finals, the Sooners have finished within the top three. This is Oklahoma’s fifth national title in the last eight years.
“Wow. I don’t know if you guys have seen anything like that before, I personally have not,” head coach K.J. Kindler said. “What fight and heart they had to fight back after floor. They didn’t count themselves out and they pushed every single event after that. Obviously with Florida on the floor, that was a tough rotation when Ragan [Smith] went, the place went crazy. Trinity [Thomas] had just finished her floor routine and I didn’t see it but I’m sure it was great.”
The Sooners had an uncharacteristic start with a 49.1875 on floor to sit in fourth after the first rotation. Bell Johnson started things off with strong tumbling for a 9.85. In her final meet as a Sooner, Carly Woodard added a 9.85 of her own in the No. 2 spot.
Danae Fletcher shined with her opening pass and strong leaps for a 9.875. Danielle Sievers’ fun choreography and incredible middle pass had the Sooners crowd on their feet as she earned a 9.875 in the No. 4 spot.
A pair of out-of-bounds deductions at the end of the lineup resulted in the Sooners counting a 9.7375 in the rotation.
OU posted a school NCAA Championship vault record with a 49.6625 to make up a lot of ground in the second rotation.
The Sooners sat in third, trailing Utah by .125 and Florida by just .025. Allie Stern started things off with a big Yurchenko 1.5 for a 9.90.
Katherine LeVasseur came up with a huge stuck 1.5 in the No. 2 spot for an incredible 9.975.
Jordan Bowers responded from a tough floor routine with a strong 1.5 for a 9.9375.
Sievers added a 9.850 in the No. 4 spot.
Olivia Trautman, coined the postseason secret weapon, stuck her 1.5 gorgeously for a 9.9625. Anchoring was Fletcher with a nice 1.5 for a 9.8875.
In the third rotation, the Sooners posted yet another school NCAA record with a 49.725 on the uneven bars. Sievers opened with a stuck dismount for a career-high 9.975.
Following with a stuck double layout was LeVasseur with a 9.9375. Trautman showed off an incredible last handstand and a gorgeous dismount for a 9.900.
In the No. 4 spot, Ragan Smith added a 9.825. Bowers kept the momentum and big scores flowing with a 9.95 in the No. 5 spot as she nailed her dismount.
Audrey Davis came up with a big routine to anchor the Sooners, sticking the dismount for a 9.9625.
A 49.6250 in the final rotation secured the title for Oklahoma on beam. Jenna Dunn opened the final rotation with a strong routine for a 9.850.
Trautman followed that up with a 9.90 as she nailed her round off 1.5 dismount. LeVasseur was steady as always in the No. 3 spot, earning a 9.90 of her own.
Davis stuck her dismount to keep the momentum going for a 9.9375 in the No. 4 spot.
In her final routine in the Crimson and Cream, Woodard kept the Sooners in the lead with a 9.9250.
After a perfect 10 went up for Florida as she mounted the beam, Smith did what she does best and anchored with a 9.9625 to clinch the championship for the Sooners.
The national title is the culmination of an incredible season in which OU posted a 31-2 record, secured its ninth Big 12 title in 10 years and won an NCAA regional title for the 12th straight year.