Sooners Travel to WVU for First Road Meet

No. 1 Oklahoma at West Virginia
Jan. 21 | 6 p.m. CT | Morgantown, W. Va. | WVU Coliseum

MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
	Oklahoma	WVU
2017 Record	2-0-0	1-1-0
2017 Ranking	No. 1	No. 28
2017 Scoring Average	197.888	194.138
2017 Team High	198.025	194.400

NOTES AND NUMBERS FOR MEET THREE

HIT THE ROAD
After starting the season with two straight home contests, the No. 1 Oklahoma women's gymnastics team hits the road for its first away meet of 2017. The Sooners take on Big 12 opponent West Virginia at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday in Morgantown, W. Va.

BACK ON TOP
Following the first two weeks of competition, OU jumped back to the No. 1 spot in the national standings with an average score of 197.888. The Sooners opened the season with a big 197.750, the best-ever opening score in program history, before becoming the first team to top 198 (198.025) in a win over UCLA. Additionally, the Sooners are ranked in the top three nationally on every event, including three-first place rankings. The Sooners check in at No. 1 on bars (49.525 average), beam (49.413) and floor (49.513) and are third on vault (49.438).

IT TAKES TWO
The top two all-around competitors in the nation wear Crimson and Cream, as freshman Maggie Nichols and senior Chayse Capps check in at first and second, respectively, in this week's standings. Nichols averaged a 39.737 and scored a nation-best 39.750 against UCLA, while Capps' average is a 39.638 after posting a 39.700 on Sunday, the second-best total of her career.

DEPTH DISPLAYED
Oklahoma has showcased the depth it has on its roster, with 13 Sooners appearing in at least one lineup or performing an exhibition routine. Freshman Maggie Nichols and senior Chayse Capps have competed all-around in both of OU's meets, while senior Charity Jones (VT, BB, FX) and sophomore Brenna Dowell (VT, UB, FX) appeared on three events. Senior McKenzie Wofford (UB), juniors Natalie Brown (BB, FX), Stefani Catour (UB, BB) and AJ Jackson (VT, FX) and sophomores Nicole Lehrmann (UB, BB) and Alex Marks (VT) have competed on their respective events in both meets. Wofford also exhibitioned on beam against Alabama, while Lehrmann (VT), junior Samantha Craus (UB), senior Kara Lovan (BB) and senior Nicole Turner (FX) all exhibitioned in the UCLA meet.

ROAD WARRIORS
In its first road meet of 2017, Oklahoma will look to pick up right where it left off a season ago. The Sooners finished 2016 with a scoring average of 197.576 and a record of 31-1 in true road or neutral site meets away from Lloyd Noble Center. OU's has posted the highest road average in the nation in each of the last three seasons.

SWAGGIE MAGGIE
Oklahoma freshman Maggie Nichols made her debut on the collegiate gymnastics scene known, dazzling in her first meet by scoring an impressive 39.725 in all-around competition. According to records from RoadtoNationals.com dating back to 1998, Nichols' all-around score is the highest mark by a freshman in her debut. Against UCLA, Nichols upped her performance, tallying a 39.750, the best in the nation so far this season. It is tied as the seventh-best score ever by a freshman, according to RoadtoNationals.com.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
Seven different Sooners are ranked in the top 25 nationally on at least one event. Freshman Maggie Nichols and senior Chayse Capps come in first and second in the all-around standings, with averages of 39.737 and 39.638, respectively. Nichols and Capps are also tied for seventh on vault (9.912), while Nichols is currently tied for first on both bars and floor with averages of 9.95 and shares second on beam (9.925). Capps is also tied for eighth on bars (9.9), sits fifth on beam (9.913) and holds part of seventh on floor (9.912). Sophomore Brenna Dowell is tied for ninth on vault (9.9) and 24th on bars (9.862), and junior AJ Jackson shares 17th on vault (9.887) and ninth on floor (9.9). Junior Stefani Catour is ranked on both of her events, sharing eighth on bars (9.9) and 21st on beam (9.863). On bars, sophomore Nicole Lehrmann is currently seventh with a 9.912 average, while senior Charity Jones comes in tied for 15th on floor (9.887).

A GLANCE AT WEST VIRGINIA
The Mountaineers enter Saturday's meet with a 1-1 record, opening 2017 with a win over Maryland before falling at Pittsburgh. WVU's matchup with Oklahoma will be its first meet at home this season.

Rankings (as of Jan. 16)
Team
Overall: 28th (194.138 average)
Vault: T-19th (48.888)
Bars: 49th (48.125)
Beam: 24th (48.550)
Floor: 35th (48.575)

Top Individuals
All-Around: N/A
Vault: Kirah Koshinski (16th, 9.888)
Bars: Tiara Wright (T-115th, 9.775)
Beam: Jordan Gillette (T-7th, 9.9)
Floor: Kirah Koshinski (T-26th, 9.863)

OU VS. WEST VIRGINIA HISTORY
In the all-time series between Oklahoma and West Virginia, the Sooners hold a 12-1 advantage over the Mountaineers. The teams met twice a season ago, with the Sooners securing a 197.900-195.250 regular-season win inside Lloyd Noble Center and later topping WVU, 198.050-195.925, in the Big 12 Championship.

QUICK HITS

• For the second consecutive week, the Sooners swept the Big 12 weekly awards, with senior Chayse Capps (Big 12 Gymnast of the Week), junior AJ Jackson (Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week) and freshman Maggie Nichols (Big 12 Newcomer of the Week) all picking up accolades. The conference honor was the 13th of Capps' career, tying the Big 12 record. OU also swept the first week, with junior Stefani Catour recognized alongside Capps and Nichols.

• OU started 2017 ranked No. 1 in the NACGC/W Preseason Coaches' Poll for the second straight season. It marks the seventh straight year the Sooners have been ranked in the top five nationally to begin the season.

• Oklahoma returns eight previous NCAA All-Americans who own 21 total accolades: Natalie Brown (BB), Chayse Capps (VT, UB, BB, FX, AA), Brenna Dowell (UB, FX), Nicole Lehrmann (UB, BB), Kara Lovan (FX), AJ Jackson (VT, UB, FX), Charity Jones (VT, BB) and McKenzie Wofford (UB).

UP NEXT

The Sooners will face a Big 12 foe on the road for a second straight weekend, taking on Iowa State at 6:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Jan. 27, in Ames, Iowa. The Oklahoma wrestling team will compete at the same time as the meet is part of Iowa State's Beauty and the Beast event.