OU Vaults to Season’s Highest Score

Saturday, February 29

Lloyd Noble Center

11:15 AM

University of Oklahoma

198.450

197.000

Denver

Photo by: Joshua R. Gateley

February 29, 2020 | Women's Gymnastics

Final Results Photo Gallery

By: Lindsey Morrison

¹ Oklahoma

198.450

6 Denver

197.000

Stats / Photos

Team Scores
	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor
OU	49.700	49.500	49.675	49.575
DU	49.325	49.100	49.300	49.275

High Scores
Event	Gymnast	Score
Vault	Olivia Trautman (OU), Maddie Karr (DU)	10.0
Bars	Maggie Nichols (OU), Maddie Karr (DU)	9.95
Beam	Maggie Nichols (OU)	9.975
Floor	Four gymnasts	9.925
AA	Maggie Nichols (OU)	39.825

OU Team Highs
Event	Gymnast	Score
Vault	Trautman	10.0
Bars	Nichols	9.95
Beam	Nichols	9.975
Floor	Degouveia, Nichols, Webb	9.925
AA	Nichols	39.825

NORMAN – The No. 1 Oklahoma women's gymnastics team posted another incredible score as they defeated No. 6 Denver, 198.450-197.000, Saturday afternoon inside Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners improved to 15-0 on the year and 4-0 in Big 12 action.

The Sooners now boast four scores of 198 or better this season, including the top two scores in the nation this season with a 198.450 and 198.400.

"Great score for us, but we're going to look at each performance and still try to get better," head coach K.J. Kindler said. "We know there's tenths in here that we can get back. This was the first time we put up three really strong all-arounders and super excited about them getting out there."

Six gymnasts earned at least a share of every event title. Senior Maggie Nichols made her debut back in the all-around for the first time since Jan. 20, earning a 39.825 which ranks second this season in the NCAA behind her 39.900 from Jan. 20. Nichols took home the all-around title and shared bars with Denver's Maddie Karr. Nichols was one of four gymnasts to earn a share of floor with a 9.925 and took beam outright with a near-perfect 9.975.

Sophomore Olivia Trautman earned the event title on vault with her second perfect score. Trautman has now earned three career perfect tens (two on vault, one on floor) and earned a perfect score on vault in back-to-back meets. Trautman shared the event title with Karr who was also perfect on the event.

Sophomore Anastasia Webb and senior Jade Degouveia shared the floor title with Nichols and Karr with matching 9.925s.

OU had three gymnasts competing in the all-around for the first time this season. Nichols, Webb finished in first, third and fourth, respectively. Webb notched a mark of 39.650 for the fourth time this season while Smith earned a 39.550.

For the second time this season and third time in program history, the Sooners posted a mark of 49.700 or better on vault with a 49.700 flat. Smith led off with a career-best 9.850 on her Yurchenko full, with sophomore Allie Stern earning a 9.875 on her Yurchenko 1.5.

Senior Jade Degouveia earned a 9.95 in the No. 3 spot as she posted a huge 1.5. Webb followed with a 9.9, setting up Trautman for the 10.0 on her stuck landing. Nichols anchored with a near-perfect 9.975 to propel the Sooners to a huge opening score.

"Olivia Trautman getting a 10 again, two weeks in a row, back-to-back, that's a pretty rare thing to happen," Kindler said. "Maggie stepped back in the lineup which was huge for us."

OU notched a 49.500 on bars, marking the seventh time this season the team posted a 49.500 or better on the event. Webb and fellow junior Karrie Thomas posted matching 9.875s, followed by a pair of 9.9s from Degouveia and Smith. Nichols anchored with a stuck double layout for a 9.95 to lead the team.

"We had good routines on the bar but missed five out of six landings," Kindler said. "Bars was definitely not our best execution wise and I know we can be better there. We had one stuck landing at the end with Maggie. We just had little hops here and there."

The Sooners posted a season-best 49.675 on beam, tied for the sixth-best score in program history. Trautman led off with a 9.850. Freshman Jenna Dunn nailed her triple series and finally got the stick on her gainer full dismount and was rewarded with a career high 9.925. Junior Carly Woodard kept the sticks coming as she earned a 9.925 in the No. 3 spot. Smith was poised and elegant as always, sticking the landing for a 9.900.

"Beam was very good," Kindler said. "We went from sticking only two landings to sticking five today. That's a three-tenth difference in your score and it did show up. We were pretty darn awesome. Super excited about Jenna Dunn sticking the first dismount out of nine. This was the first she stuck and a career high for her because when you stick the dismount you get that extra tenth and that's hugely important."

Webb was gorgeous as usual, earning a season-best 9.950 as she kept the stuck landings coming for the Sooners. Nichols, debuting a new routine, was nearly-perfect for the second time on the night as she earned a 9.975 in the anchor spot.

On floor the Sooners used a 49.575 to close out the day on a high note. Junior Jordan Draper led off with a season-best 9.90. Degouveia followed with a season best of her own and a 9.925 as she nailed her tumbling passes and leaps. Sophomore Emma LaPinta kept things going with a 9.875 in the No. 3 spot.

Back in the all-around, Nichols earned a 9.925 in the No. 4 spot. Webb tallied 9.925 of her own in the No. 5 spot as Smith finished out the meet with a 9.900.

"Maggie was not slated to go on floor, but she warmed up well and Tom (Haley) decided to insert her in the fourth spot," Kindler said. "I thought floor was really well done. I was personally proud of our performances today. The dance was much better, more expressive. That's something we worked on this week. I thought it was a really big bang to end a really great night."

The Sooners are back at Lloyd Noble Center Friday, March 6, to take on No. 7 Michigan at 7:15 p.m. CT. The three members of the senior class – Degouveia, Nichols and Bre Showers – will be honored in a post-meet ceremony.