OU Posts Program-Best NCAA Finish

SALT LAKE CITY -- Oklahoma narrowly missed qualifying for the program's first Super Six at the 2007 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah, Thursday afternoon. The 10th-ranked Sooners finished with a team total of 196.250 to finish in fourth place in the first qualifying session at the University of Utah's Jon M. Huntsman Center. OU came up just 0.375 points short of third place Nebraska for the final spot in Friday night's team finals (the Super Six).

The Sooners finished eighth in the final standings following Thursday night's second session, marking the program's best finish at the NCAA Championships. Oklahoma finished just 0.025 points behind seventh-place LSU, the last team left out of the Super Six.

OU's previous high finish at the NCAA finals was ninth in 1989.

Senior Brittney Koncak-Schumann and junior Kiara Redmond earned first team All-America honors on vault, tying for third place with matching 9.9s. Redmond, from Los Angeles, Calif., was also a first team All-American on the floor exercise (9.9) and in the all-around (39.425). The pair each earned second team distinction on the floor and in the all-around in 2006.

Koncak, Redmond Finish in Style | Year in Review

"I think I've improved a lot since last year," Redmond said. "I felt like I had a good performance tonight and I'm excited about competing in the event finals."

Redmond's three honors in 2007 are the most for a Sooner gymnast in a single season since Olympian Kelly Garrison earned All-America distinction in all five events at the 1988 NCAA Championships.

"I know this (earning first team All-America honors) has been a goal of her's her entire career," OU head coach K.J. Kindler said of Koncak-Schumann. "I'm ecstatic for her that she accomplished it because she has definitely earned it."

"Both [Redmond and Koncak-Schumann] are dynamic performers. They anchor us on almost every event and they have been just excellent, clutch athletes all season," Kindler said.

After sitting out the first rotation with a bye, Oklahoma began the competition on the uneven bars. Lori Winn led the Sooners with a 9.825, matching her score from the NCAA Central Regional. Koncak-Schumann and Redmond contributed a pair of 9.8s, while Caitlin Hinkis scored a 9.725. 2006 bars All-American Stephanie LoPiccolo added a 9.65 to give OU a team event score of 48.800.

On the balance beam, OU scored a 48.925. Sophomore Ashley Jackson led the way, tying her second-highest score of the season with a 9.825. Redmond matched Jackson with a 9.825 of her own, while Koncak-Schumann and freshman Hollie Vise contributed a pair of 9.8s. Sophomore Haley DeProspero (9.675) was the Sooners' final counting score on the apparatus.

"At regionals we had some problems on bars and beam," Kindler said. "I think maybe we had some jitters at the start because we didn't want to make a mistake."

Despite the early setbacks, Oklahoma turned in outstanding performances on its final two events.

After another bye rotation, the Sooners headed to the vault where the team ranked eighth nationally going into the NCAA Championships. Redmond, OU's highest-ranked gymnast on the event, scored a 9.9 to lead the team. Koncak-Schumann posted a 9.85 and Jackson added a 9.825. DeProspero and senior Lori Winn each earned a 9.8 to give Oklahoma a team total of 49.175, its second-highest score of the season.

Oklahoma finished on vault, recording a score of 49.350 that matched the team's season best. Freshman Jackie Flanery led off the event for the Sooners with a career-high 9.85. Winn followed with a career-best of her own, scoring a 9.875. DeProspero added a 9.825 before Koncak-Schumann and Redmond finished up with matching 9.9s.

Georgia (197.700), Florida (197.400) and Nebraska (196.625) advanced to the Super Six from the first qualifying session. Utah, Stanford and UCLA qualified from session two.

Final Team Standings (both sessions)
1. Georgia (197.700)
2. Florida (197.400)
3. Utah (197.325)
4. Stanford (197.200)
5. Nebraska (196.625)
6. UCLA (196.475)
7. LSU (196.275)
8. Oklahoma (196.250)
9. Alabama (196.125)
10. Denver (195.575)
T11. Michigan (195.100)
T11. Oregon State (195.100)

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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