Sooner Trio Earns Big 12 Awards

NORMAN, Okla. -- Three members of the No. 2 Oklahoma women's gymnastics team earned weekly honors from the Big 12 following an outstanding weekend with two Sooner victories on March 7 and 9. Taylor Spears was named Gymnast of the Week, Kara Lovan earned Newcomer of the Week honors and Charity Jones split Event Specialist of the Week accolades with Beth Deal of West Virginia.

Spears' Gymnast of the Week accolade marks the ninth of her career and her 13th overall. Lovan has now been named Newcomer of the Week twice, while Jones' award marks the first weekly honor of her career.

Senior Taylor Spears had the finest weekend yet of her senior season in Oklahoma's victories against Arizona State (March 7) and at TWU (March 9). Spears tied her career-highs on bars (9.95) and beam (9.975) in her final performance in the Lloyd Noble Center last Friday night, then followed up by setting a new career-high on bars (9.975) at TWU on Sunday. Spears won two event titles in OU's meets, earning top honors on beam against ASU and bars at TWU, while posting four efforts of 9.9 or better in six total performances.

True freshman and Oklahoman Charity Jones has bounced back from a preseason injury to become a multi-event contributor for Oklahoma. Jones had her most solid weekend yet against ASU and at TWU, posting a career-high on vault while contributing a key bars score for Oklahoma at TWU. After competing solely on vault against ASU (9.85), Jones stepped up on both vault and bars at TWU. She earned a 9.875 on bars to aid Oklahoma to a 49.525 on its first event of the meet. She followed up on vault with a career-high 9.875 in the No. 2 spot, boosting Oklahoma to a season-high 49.625 on the event.

Kara Lovan had an outstanding weekend for Oklahoma, hitting or tying for career-highs on every event she competed. Perhaps nowhere were Lovan's contributions more impressive than on beam: the freshman was a new addition to the lineup against No. 21 ASU and had never competed in the scored lineup for OU on beam. Lovan shone, posting a 9.9 to contribute to OU's 49.475 effort overall and finish second behind Spears (9.975). She followed up with a 9.9 on floor to tie for third and aid the Sooners to a 49.575 on the event. Lovan was equally impressive at TWU, earning a career-high 9.925 on vault alongside efforts of 9.875 on beam and floor.

Oklahoma is set for its regular season finale this Friday, March 14 against No. 16 Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark. The meet is a 7 p.m. contest at Barnhill Arena.