OU Set for Top-Five Battle with Denver

³Oklahoma

5 Denver

Sunday, Jan. 30 / 3:45 p.m. CT / Norman, Okla. / Lloyd Noble Center

ESPN / Live Stats / Meet Notes / Tickets

NORMAN – The No. 3 Oklahoma women's gymnastics team is back in action Sunday afternoon when the Sooners host No. 5 Denver inside Lloyd Noble Center. The meet is slated for a 3:45 p.m. CT start on EPSN. Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson Clarke will be on the call along with Sam Peszek.

NOTES AND NUMBERS FOR MEET FOUR

HOME SWEET HOME
OU is to 122-4 inside Lloyd Noble Center since the arrival of head coach K.J. Kindler in 2007. The Sooners have posted 61 consecutive victories dating back to 2014 and the 2022 senior class has never lost a home meet in their career.

BACK ON TRACK
The Sooners dominated Saturday night with a season-high 197.900 inside the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. The Sooners took down Utah State (196.35), Stanford (195.725) and Arizona (193.775) in a quad-meet.

Freshman Jordan Bowers won four event titles on the night taking home the all-around with a career-high 39.600, vault with a career-high 9.975, bars with a 9.900 and floor with a career-high 9.925. Sharing the bars title with Bowers was Danae Fletcher and Audrey Davis with matching 9.9s. Ragan Smith took home beam with a near-perfect 9.975 and shared floor with a 9.925. Utah State's Brie Clark also shared the floor title with a 9.925.

BOWERS, SIEVERS HONORED BY BIG 12
For the second time this season freshman Jordan Bowers and senior Carly Woodard were named the Big 12 Newcomer and Event Specialist of the Week, respectively, the conference announced Tuesday. Woodard was named the Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week for the sixth time in her career, while Bowers earned her third consecutive award after being named the Gymnast of the Week after week two. The duo were instrumental in leading the Sooners to a season-high 197.900, the third highest score in the nation this season.

Bowers had her best meet of the season, earning a career-high 39.600 in the all-around to take home the all-around title at the Arizona quad meet. Bowers took home three more event titles with a 9.975 on vault, a 9.9 on bars and a 9.925 on floor. The Lincoln, Neb., native set or tied her career high on all three events, while adding a 9.8 on beam. Bowers' four individual titles were the most won by a Sooner in a single meet this season.

Woodard picked up her second event specialist of the week award this season after a strong performance on Saturday. The senior rebounded from a fall in week two on beam to earn a 9.925 on the event and lead the Sooners to a nation-leading 49.575 on the event. Woodard also contributed on floor, notching a 9.875 to lead OU to a 49.425 on the event.

KINDLER VS. THE BIG 12
In 16 seasons, Kindler is 84-5 against current and former members of the Big 12 (not including regionals and NCAA Championships). Against current members of league (Denver, Iowa State, West Virginia), Kindler is undefeated in the regular season with a 44-0 record. At the Big 12 Championships, she is undefeated against Iowa State (14-0) and West Virginia (8-0) and 4-1 against Denver.

IN THE POLLS
After posting the highest away score in the nation Saturday night with a 197.900, the Oklahoma gymnastics team was back to No. 3 in this week's rankings. The Sooners boast a 197.317 average to hold the No. 3 spot. Michigan leads the way with a 197.850 average, followed by Utah with a 197.425. Florida dropped to No. 4 (197.217) and Denver moved into the fifth spot with a 197.067. On the events, the Sooners are No. 2 on bars (49.442), No. 3 on vault (49.375), No. 6 on floor (49.358) and No. 12 on beam (49.142).

NATIONAL RANKINGS
Seven Sooners hold 10 individual spots, including three in the top 10. Jordan Bowers leads the way with three individual rankings coming in at No. 10 on bars (9.90 average), No. 16 in the all-around (39.400) and No. 17 on floor (9.917). Audrey Davis is ranked on a pair of events with a top-five ranking on bars. Davis is tied for fifth on the uneven bars with a 9.925 average and 22nd in the all-around with a 39.350 mark. Katherine LeVasseur continues to hold the No. 1 spot on vault with a 9.967 average. Allie Stern is also ranked on the event at No. 21 (9.875). Danae Fletcher made her first appearance in the rankings, coming in at No. 10 on bars (9.9). Karrie Thomas is tied for 22nd on bars with a 9.887 average. Jenna Dunn rounds out the ranked athletes with a 9.892 average on beam, good for 22nd in the nation.

QUICK HITS

OU was ranked No. 3 in the WCGA preseason coaches poll, the seventh-straight season the Sooners have been ranked in the top three to begin the year.
10 of OU's regular season opponents are ranked in the poll, including three squads in the top 5 and five in the top 10 and seven in the top 25.
Oklahoma's roster this season features 14 returning gymnasts from the 2021 squad including four who combined for nine All-America honors in seniors Olivia Trautman and Allie Stern, junior Ragan Smith and sophomore Audrey Davis.
The Sooners will be featured on ESPN networks five times during the regular season: vs. Alabama (Jan. 9), at Utah (Jan. 14), vs. Denver (Jan. 30), vs. Michgan (March 4), at Big 12 Championship (March 19).

SCOUTING DENVER

Denver enters the meet with a 3-0 record after defeating West Virginia with the second-highest away score in program history (197.600) on Friday. The Pioneers posted a season-best 49.550 on beam, just .025 of the Sooners' nation leading mark on the event. Lynnzee Brown returned for a fifth year for the Pioneers and has posted a 9.975 on floor in two of her last three meets. Brown was also named the Big 12 Gymnast of the Week on Jan. 25.

TICKETS

Season tickets for the 2022 season are currently available for purchase. Tickets are available for $40 for general admission and $60 for reserved seating, which will reserve a seat location for the entire season. Youth (6-18) and senior (55+) season tickets will be $30. Discounted tickets are available for $5 for groups of 10 or more. Group tickets must be purchased at least 24 hours prior to the event. Fans can order online through SoonerSports.com or over the phone at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free at 800-456-GoOU.

MEET DAY POLICIES

Appropriate cloth or surgical-style masks that cover the nose and mouth are highly encouraged. OU will continue its clear-bag policy this season. The approved clear plastic tote size is a maximum of 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag. Even those bags are subject to search.

Arena doors will open to the public one (1) hour prior to tip off. The general public can utilize the north and east entrances. Full details on OU's game day policies at Lloyd Noble Center can be found here.

UP NEXT

The Sooners will continue on their three-meet homestand when they welcome TWU to the LNC on Friday, Feb. 4. The meet is slated for a 6:45 p.m. CT start.