Title: Oklahoma Sooners Take Home "Meet of the Year" in NCAA Gymnastics
The Oklahoma Sooners Women's Gymnastics squad dominated the Sprouts Collegiate Quad, outperforming three top-10 opponents and reclaiming their title as the top dog in NCAA Women's Gymnastics. In a meet many considered the regular season's highlight, the Sooners defeated defending National Champion LSU Tigers by a substantial margin of 0.300, followed by number six Cal Golden Bears and the number four Utah Red Rocks.
The Sooners posted a season-high 197.950, besting the Tigers' 197.650. Star gymnast Jordan Bowers returned to her winning ways, grabbing the all-around title in a tightly contested race against Philippines Olympian Aleah Finnegan (LSU), superstar freshman Kailin Chio (LSU), and Bowers' teammate, three-time National Champion Faith Torrez (OU).
LSU's Kailin Chio claimed the vault title with a 9.95, while Philippines Olympian Aleah Finnegan shone on floor with a 9.975. National Bars Champion Audrey Davis (OU) shared the bars win with Utah's Olympic silver medalist, Grace McCallum. Defending National Champion Faith Torrez (OU) on beam cemented her title with an exceptional performance.
Though the final results showed a comfortable win for Oklahoma, the competition was tight throughout, with just tenths separating the top three teams before the final rotation. The Sooners commenced with a strong beam performance, amassing a team total of 49.525, with Torrez leading the way with a massive acrobatic series and a season-high 9.975.
LSU took to their signature event – vault – in response. The Tigers impressed with six 10.0 start value vaults and a stuck Yurchenko 1.5 from freshman phenom Kailin Chio, leading them to just 0.075 behind the Sooners after one rotation.
Cal Bears overcame a fall from Mya Wiley, securing hits from the rest of the lineup, while Utah excelled on floor with a strong 9.90 from top recruit Avery Neff.
In rotation two, the Sooners headed to floor, notching two second-place 9.95s and maintaining their lead. LSU capitalized on their bars performance with three 9.9+ scores, capping an excellent routine with SEC Bars Champion Ashley Cowan's all-important 9.95. Utah's vault was their Achilles' heel, counting a 9.725 due to a sub-9.8 score from the rest of the lineup. Cal took to the beam next, maintaining a solid lead over the Red Rocks.
The Sooners stumbled in rotation three, falling slightly on vault and giving LSU a chance to make up ground. LSU's beam was marred by tentative routines, and Utah saw uncharacteristically low scores on beam. Cal's excellent floor routine helped close the deficit.
The Sooners regained their momentum in rotation four by holding their own during the bars event, chalking up an outstanding 49.700. LSU and Utah continued to push for a commanding finish, with LSU on floor and Utah on beam. The final standings were:
- Oklahoma Sooners: 197.950
- LSU Tigers: 197.650
- Cal Bears: 197.275
- Utah Red Rocks: 196.800
With an unforgettable final effort on bars, the Oklahoma Sooners cemented their dominance in women's college gymnastics, while LSU showcased their potential to challenge for the top title with the return of a healthy Haleigh Bryant and KJ Johnson. Cal and Utah, despite occasional struggles, often prove themselves to be among the top teams, marking 2025 as an exceptional outing.
- Aleah Finnegan and Kailin Chio from LSU, along with Jordan Bowers and Faith Torrez from Oklahoma Sooners, showcased their skills in the highly competitive NCAA Gymnastics scene.
- Haleigh Bryant's return to LSU Gymnastics was highly anticipated, adding another strong contender to the mix in the NCAA Gymnastics results.
- Olivia Dunne, a notable figure in college gymnastics, watched as the Sooners dominated the Sprouts Collegiate Quad, securing their title in NCAA Women's Gymnastics.
- The LSU Tigers, despite a competitive performance, fell short to the Sooners in the NCAA Gymnastics meet, finishing third behind Utah in the Sprouts Collegiate Quad standings.
- The Oklahoma Sooners Women's Gymnastics team, leading the way in college gymnastics, proved their dominance in the Sprouts Collegiate Quad, a quadrennial event often considered a significant stage in the NCAA Gymnastics season.
