OU Ready to Defend Big 12 Title in Norman

Big 12 Championship
March 23 | 1 p.m. CT | Norman, Okla. | Lloyd Noble Center

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NOTES AND NUMBERS FOR MEET THIRTEEN

POSTSEASON TIME
On Saturday, the No. 1 Oklahoma women's gymnastics team will compete at the Big 12 Championship, scheduled for 1 p.m. inside Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla. The meet, which will pit the Sooners against No. 5 Denver, No. 22 Iowa State and West Virginia will air live on ESPNU. John Roethlisberger and Alicia Sacramone Quinn will be on the call.

MATCHUPS AT A GLANCE
	Oklahoma	Denver	Iowa State	West Virginia
2019 Record	17-0-0	18-2-0	9-8-0	19-9-0
2019 Ranking	No. 1	No. 5	No. 22	No. 27
2019 RQS	198.115	197.540	196.070	195.840
2019 Scoring Average	197.827	197.168	195.441	195.463
2019 Team High	198.325	197.775	196.700	196.425

CHASE FOR EIGHT
This weekend, the Sooners will pursue an unprecedented eighth consecutive Big 12 Championship title. The Sooners are the only program in Big 12 Conference history to reach a streak of seven straight titles after earning the crown in 2018. Previously, Nebraska (1997-99, 2001-03) and Oklahoma (2008-10) had posted streaks of three straight titles. OU holds 16 conference titles (five Big Eight, 10 Big 12) in its program history and 10 Big 12 titles under 13th-year head coach K.J. Kindler.

QUEENS OF THE HILL
After starting the season at No. 2, the Sooners wasted no time taking back the top spot in the rankings, claiming the No. 1 ranking after the first weekend. OU did not relinquish its No. 1 ranking all season, marking the eighth straight year the Sooners have finished within the top two of the regular season national rankings based on national qualifying score. The Sooners will have one final chance to boost their current NQS of 198.115, potentially breaking their own record NQS of 198.120 set in 2018.

CONFERENCE ACCOLADES
Five Sooners secured a league-high eight spots on the All-Big 12 Gymnastics team this week. Seniors Brenna Dowell (AA, VT, FX) and Nicole Lehrmann (UB), junior Maggie Nichols (UB, BB), sophomore Anastasia Webb (BB) and freshman Olivia Trautman (FX) all earned awards. This season marks the 12^th straight year that the Sooners have led the conference in All-Big 12 selections. Dowell finishes her career with nine total selections, earning four consecutive vault honors, three honors on floor and one on vault and the all-around. Lehrmann brought her career total to four, having earned honors on bars every year as a Sooner. Nichols' pair of honors brought her career total to 12, and Webb earned her second career honor and first on beam.

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPS
Four current Sooners have won individual Big 12 titles, including Brenna Dowell (FX, 2015, 2018; UB 2017), Nicole Lehrmann (UB, 2018), Maggie Nichols (VT, 2017; UB, 2017; AA, FX, 2018) and Anastasia Webb (FX, 2018).

KINDLER VS. THE BIG 12
In 13 seasons, OU head coach K.J. Kindler is 71-3 against current and former members of the Big 12 (not including regionals and NCAA Championships). Against current members of the league (Denver, Iowa State, West Virginia), Kindler is undefeated in the regular season with a 35-0 record. At the Big 12 Championship, Kindler is undefeated against current members going 12-0 against Iowa State, 6-0 against West Virginia and 3-0 against Denver.

AAI FINALIST
Brenna Dowell has been named one of six finalists for the prestigious AAI Award, recognizing the most outstanding senior female gymnast in the country. The honor is voted on by NCAA women's gymnastics head coaches and sponsored by American Athletic, Inc. (AAI).

The AAI Award is considered one of the highest honors given in the sport of women's gymnastics. Dowell is Oklahoma's eighth consecutive finalist for the award, joining Megan Ferguson (2012), Brie Olson (2013), Taylor Spears (2014), Erica Brewer (2015), Haley Scaman (2016), Chayse Capps (2017) and AJ Jackson (2018).

Dowell is joined by five additional finalists including Alicia Boren (Florida), Sarah Finnegan (LSU), Olivia Karas (Michigan), Katelyn Ohashi (UCLA) and Toni-Ann Williams (Cal).

TOP TOTALS
Of the nation's top totals this season, the Sooners hold two of the top three scores, three in the top five and five in the top 10. OU is the only team to hit the 198 mark in five meets, holding the top spot with a 198.325 (Feb. 1), the No. 3 spot with a 198.275 (March 15), the No. 4 spot with a 198.200 (March 9), the No. 7 spot with a 198.075 (Feb. 15) and the No. 8 spot 198.050 (Jan. 5). UCLA has three scores in the top 10, while LSU has two and Florida has one.

NQS BREAKDOWN
After posting the highest score of the weekend, Oklahoma finished the regular season atop the standings with a national qualifying score (NQS) of 198.115.

OU posted a 198.275 against No. 11 Alabama to come within just .005 of their record-breaking NQS set in 2018 (198.120). The Sooners held onto their No. 1 ranking for the 63rd time since the start of the 2015 season.

Oklahoma is the only program to ever record three consecutive seasons with an NQS of 198 or better. With just the Big 12 Championship remaining, the Sooners will once again carry an NQS of 198 into the postseason. Additionally, Oklahoma ranks in the top two on all four events, including the top spot on vault (49.545), bars (49.570) and beam (49.555). The Sooners moved up to No. 2 on floor with a 49.570.

INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Below is a breakdown of the Sooners' individual scores on each event this season, including totals of at least 9.85, 9.9 and 9.95.
VAULT At least 9.85 (59) | 9.9 (30) | 9.95 (10)
BARS At least 9.85 (61) | 9.9 (42) | 9.95 (13)
BEAM At least 9.85 (55) | 9.9 (32) | 9.95 (11)
FLOOR At least 9.85 (54) | 9.9 (36) | 9.95 (15)

NATIONAL RANKINGS
Eight Sooners hold 19 individual top-25 rankings, which are also determined by NQS. Senior Brenna Dowell and sophomore Anastasia Webb are both ranked in the top 10 in the all-around with Dowell coming in at No. 7 (39.610) and Webb at No. 9 (39.585). Dowell also ranks sixth on floor (9.945), seventh on vault (9.920), 12th on bars (9.920) and 16th on beam (9.9). Webb comes in at No. 8 on beam (9.925) and No. 17 on vault (9.895). Senior Nicole Lehrmann is ranked on three events, coming in third on bars (9.950), 15th on vault (9.90) and 16th on beam (9.90).

Juniors Jade Degouveia and Maggie Nichols and freshman Oliva Trautman are each ranked on a pair of events. Degouveia is ranked ninth on vault with an NQS of 9.915 and 14h on floor (9.925). Nichols is No. 1 on beam with an NQS of 9.975 and second on bars with a 9.960. Trautman is No. 3 on floor (9.960) and No. 10 on vault (9.910). Sophomore Karrie Thomas ranks 21st on bars (9.905) and sophomore Carly Woodard comes in at No. 10 on beam (9.915).

DEPTH DISPLAYED
OU has showcased the depth it has on its roster with 14 Sooners appearing in at least one lineup or performing an exhibition routine. Seniors Brenna Dowell (AA), Nicole Lehrmann (VT, UB, BB) and Alex Marks (UB), juniors Jade Degouveia (VT, FX), Maggie Nichols (AA) and Bre Showers (AA), sophomores Jordan Draper (FX), Evy Schoepfer (BB, VT), Karrie Thomas (UB, BB), Carly Woodard (BB) and Anastasia Webb (AA) and freshmen Emma LaPinta (FX), Allie Stern (VT, FX) and Olivia Trautman (AA) have all competed. Senior Ashley Hiller (BB) has performed in exhibition.

A GLANCE AT OKLAHOMA
Rankings (as of March 18)
Team
Overall: 1^st (198.115 NQS)
Vault: 1^st (49.545)
Bars: 1st (49.570)
Beam: 1st (49.555)
Floor: 2^nd (49.570)

Top Individuals
All-Around: Brenna Dowell (39.610, 7^th)
Vault: Brenna Dowell (9.920, T-7^th)
Bars: Maggie Nichols (9.960, 2^nd)
Beam: Maggie Nichols (9.975, 1^st)
Floor: Olivia Trautman (9.960, 3rd)

A GLANCE AT DENVER
Rankings (as of March 11)
Team
Overall: 5^th (197.540)
Vault: 7^th (49.280)
Bars: 5^th (49.415)
Beam: 3^rd (49.445)
Floor: 6^th (49.415)

Top Individuals
All-Around: Maddie Karr (39.650, 4^th)
Vault: Maddie Karr (9.930, 5^th)
Bars: Maddie Karr (9.935, 8^th)
Beam: Alexis Vasquez (9.935, 5^th)
Floor: Lynnzee Brown (9.960, T-3^rd)

A GLANCE AT IOWA STATE
Rankings (as of March 18)
Team
Overall: 22^nd (196.070)
Vault: 18^th (49.090)
Bars: 23^rd (49.080)
Beam: 30^th (48.915)
Floor: 36^th (49.055)

Top Individuals
All-Around: Meaghan Sievers (39.345, 24^th)
Vault: Meaghan Sievers (9.880, 28^th)
Bars: Meaghan Sievers (9.875, 45^th)
Beam: Grace Woolfolk (9.865, 46^th)
Floor: Meaghan Sievers (9.885, T-52^nd)

A GLANCE AT WEST VIRGINIA
Rankings (as of March 18)
Team
Overall: 27^th (195.840)
Vault: 20^th (49.025)
Bars: 33^rd (48.940)
Beam: 37^th (48.830)
Floor: 13^th (49.280)

Top Individuals
All-Around: Abby Kaufman (39.055, 63^rd)
Vault: Kirah Koshinski (9.925. 6^th)
Bars: Jaquie Tun (9.840, 93^rd)
Beam: Rachel Hornung (9.800, 163^rd)
Floor: Kirah Koshinski (9.915, 23^rd)

FAN INFO

ENTRANCES
The east entrances of Lloyd Noble Center will be open for general public and student access beginning at 11:30 a.m., 90 minutes prior to the start of the meet. ADA entrance will be at the lower south level.

#ARRIVESOONER
Fans are encouraged to #ArriveSooner to avoid delays into the gates with new enhanced screenings. OU Athletics has introduced a clear bag policy and walk-through metal detectors at all home events this season. More information on the policy and procedures can be found here.

QUICK HITS

Twelve of OU's scores this season are currently in the top 10 in program history including three team totals, three vault and bar totals, two floor totals and one beam total. OU set a program record on both bars and floor this season with a 49.725 and 49.825, respectively.
Senior Brenna Dowell, sophomore Carly Woodard and freshman Olivia Trautman were honored in the final week of Big 12 Conference Awards. Dowell was named the Big 12 Gymnast of the Week for the fourth time this season, Woodard earned Event Specialist of the Week for the third time and Trautman garnered her seventh Newcomer of the Week accolade.
Five current Sooners have recorded at least one 10.0 in their careers, including seniors Nicole Lehrmann (UB, 2017, 2018) and Brenna Dowell (UB, 2017; VT 2018, 2019), junior Maggie Nichols (VT, UB, BB, FX), sophomore Anastasia Webb (BB, 2018) and freshman Olivia Trautman (FX, 2019).

UP NEXT

Oklahoma will receive its regional assignment next Monday, March 25. NCAA Regional competition is set for April 4-6 at campus sites around the country (Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oregon State). The top two placing teams from each regional will advance to the 2019 NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas on April 19 and 20.