Completed Event: Women's Gymnastics versus Rutgers on April 3, 2026 , Win , 197.875, to, 196.300
Final
Women's Gymnastics
197.875
vs Rutgers
196.300
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooners Set for Big 12 Title Defense
March 23, 2018 | Women's Gymnastics
Big 12 Championship
March 24 | 4 p.m. CT | Ames, Iowa | Hilton Coliseum
March 24 | 4 p.m. CT | Ames, Iowa | Hilton Coliseum
TwitterNOTES AND NUMBERS FOR MEET 12
POSTSEASON TIME
On Saturday, the No. 1 Oklahoma women's gymnastics team will compete at the Big 12 Championships, scheduled for 4 p.m. inside Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. The meet, which will pit the Sooners against No. 13 Denver, No. 25 West Virginia and Iowa State, will air through FloGymnastics (subscription required).
| MATCHUPS AT A GLANCE | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | Denver | Iowa State |
West Virginia |
|
| 2018 Record | 13-1-0 | 16-4-1 | 18-6-0 | 13-10-0 |
| 2018 Ranking | No. 1 | No. 13 | No. 26 | No. 25 |
| 2018 RQS | 198.120 | 196.675 | 196.045 | 196.070 |
| 2018 Scoring Average | 197.857 | 196.443 | 195.761 | 195.632 |
| 2018 Team High | 198.375 | 197.300 | 196.775 | 196.700 |
STAIRWAY TO SEVEN
This weekend, the Sooners will pursue an unprecedented seventh consecutive Big 12 Championship title. The Sooners are the only program in Big 12 Conference history to reach a streak of six-straight titles, after earning the crown in 2017. Previously, Nebraska (1997-99, 2001-03) and Oklahoma (2008-10, 2012-14) had posted streaks of three straight titles. OU holds 15 conference titles (five Big Eight, nine Big 12) in its program history and nine Big 12 titles under 12th-year head coach K.J. Kindler.
NOT A 197 IN SIGHT
When it comes to gymnastics rankings, regional qualifying scores (RQS) reign supreme. This season, the Sooners set an NCAA and program record with a whopping RQS of 198.120 after their regular season finale. OU is the first school to factor in six counting scores of 198 or higher in NCAA history. This marks the second consecutive season that OU has entered the postseason with an RQS of 198 or higher.
QUEENS OF THE HILL
The Sooners ended the regular season the way they started it – ranked No. 1 in the country. After a bye week to open the season saw the Sooners not ranked, OU regained the top spot the following week and never relinquished its hold on No. 1. This is the seventh straight season the Sooners have finished within the top two of the regular season national rankings based on regional qualifying score. In 2018, the Sooners set a program and NCAA record 198.120 RQS and will have one final chance at the Big 12 Championship to boost that total and remain in the No. 1 spot.
CONFERENCE ACCOLADES
Four Sooners secured a league-high nine spots on the All-Big 12 Gymnastics Team this week. Juniors Brenna Dowell (VT, FX) and Nicole Lehrmann (UB), sophomore Maggie Nichols (VT, UB, BB, FX, AA) and freshman Anastasia Webb (FX) all earned awards. This season marks the 11th straight year that the Sooners have led the conference in All-Big 12 selections and is the ninth consecutive season that the Sooners have earned at least nine all-conference selections.
INDIVIDUAL CHAMPS
Four current Sooners have won individual Big 12 titles, including Natalie Brown (BB, 2016 & 2017), Brenna Dowell (FX, 2015; UB 2017), AJ Jackson (VT, 2015 & 2016; FX, 2017) and Maggie Nichols (VT, 2017; UB, 2017).
ROAD WARRIORS
The Sooners have proven themselves to be successful away from Norman, posting the highest road average in the nation in each of the last four seasons. The Sooners are averaging a nation-leading 197.708 average in their six competitions away from home. Three of OU's six counting scores for RQS have come in away meets.
#SWAGGIEMAGGIE
Sophomore Maggie Nichols is having yet another phenomenal season with no sign of a sophomore slump. Nichols has posted six perfect 10s this season, just one shy of her total from 2017. She has recorded three on beam, two on vault and one on floor to put her just a perfect 10 on bars away from completing a second “gym slam.” She has 13 career perfect scores, an OU program record. Nichols will enter the postseason as the first gymnast in history with an all-around RQS of 39.8 or better. The sophomore currently boasts a 39.830 RQS, a mark that is higher than the highest score of all other all-around competitors.
TO 198 AND BEYOND
Twice this season, the Sooners posted three consecutive marks of 198 or higher. With seven total the Sooners set a program record for marks of 198 or higher in the regular season, surpassing the five set in 2017. OU first tallied three straight from Jan. 26-Feb. 11 and then again from Feb. 23-March 9. The Sooners are one of just two teams to put up more than one mark of 198 or higher this season and only five schools have posted a 198 in 2018 (Florida, LSU, UCLA, Utah). In its last twelve meets (dating back to the 2017 Super Six), Oklahoma has reached the 198 threshold eight times.
A GLANCE AT DENVER
Rankings (as of March 19)
Team Overall: 13th (196.675 RQS)
Vault: 11th (49.185)
Bars: Maddie Karr (T-13th, 9.910)
Beam: 15th (49.175
Floor: 13th (49.295)
Top Individuals
All-Around: Maddie Karr (6th, 3.605)
Vault: Maddie Karr (T-7th, 9.915)
Bars: Bria Northrop (T-123rd, 9.825)
Beam: Maddie Karr, Kaitlyn Schou (T-10th, 9.915)
Floor: Maddie Karr (T-15th, 9.915)
A GLANCE AT IOWA STATE
Rankings (as of March 19)
Team
Overall: 26th (196.045 RQS)
Vault: 28th (49.025)
Bars: 29th (49.075)
Beam: T-28th (49.010)
Floor: 31st (49.130)
Top Individuals
All-Around: Haylee Young (T-27th, 39.365)
Vault: Meaghan Sievers (T-28th, 9.880)
Bars: Hilary Green (T-65th, 9.865)
Beam: Haylee Young (T-48th, 9.875)
Floor: Haylee Young (T-64th, 9.880)
A GLANCE AT WEST VIRGINIA
Rankings (as of March 19)
Team
Overall: 25th (196.070 RQS)
Vault: 13th (49.185)
Bars: 38th (48.870)
Beam: T-28th (49.010)
Floor: 27th (49.180)
Top Individuals
All-Around: Zaakira Muhammad (86th, 38.840)
Vault: Kirah Koshinksi (T-9th, 9.910)
Bars: Zaakira Muhammad (151st, 9.820)
Beam: Carly Galpin (T-133rd, 9.820)
Floor: Jordan Gillette (T-145th, 9.835)
SERIES HISTORIES
- OU vs. Denver: OU leads 37-8; Last meeting: OU won 198.100-196.525 (March 9, 2018)
- OU vs. Iowa State: OU leads 57-19; Last meeting: OU won 197.525-194.975
- OU vs. West Virginia: OU leads 15-1; Last meeting: OU won 198.025-195.750
QUICK HITS
- Eleven of OU's scores this season are currently in the top 10 in program history including two team totals, three vaults scores, two bars scores and four beam scores. Of the four beam scores, one is the top mark in program history.
- Senior Natalie Brown and sophomore Maggie Nichols were honored in the final week of Big 12 Conference Awards. Brown was named the Big 12 Event Specialist of the week for the first time this season, while Nichols earned her seventh Gymnast of the Week honor.
- Four current Sooners have recorded at least one 10.0 in their careers, including juniors Nicole Lehrmann (UB, 2017) and Brenna Dowell (UB, 2017; VT 2018), sophomore Maggie Nichols (VT, UB, BB, FX), and freshman Anastasia Webb (BB, 2018).
- Oklahoma returns six previous NCAA All-Americans who own 16 total accolades: Natalie Brown (BB), Stefani Catour (UB, BB), Brenna Dowell (UB, FX), AJ Jackson (VT, UB, FX), Nicole Lehrmann (UB, BB), Maggie Nichols (VT, UB, FX).
- OU was ranked No. 1 in the NACGC/W Preseason Coaches' Poll for the third straight season, receiving 33 of 50 first-place votes. It marked the eighth straight year the Sooners had been ranked in the top five nationally to begin the season.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma will receive its regional assignment next Monday, March 26. NCAA Regional competition is set for Saturday, April 7, at six campus sites around the country (Alabama, Minnesota, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Penn State, Utah). The top two placing teams from each regional will advance to the 2017 NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo., on April 20 and 21.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
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