No. 1 Oklahoma Set for NCAA Norman Regional Final Saturday

NORMAN – The road to the NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, are already underway as the first and second rounds are complete at the NCAA Norman Regional in Lloyd Noble Center. Oklahoma is one of four NCAA Regional host sites this season, meaning the Sooners have a home-floor advantage during the regional competition this week. This is the fifth time for the OU to host a regional (also in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2022).

The Norman Regional field started with nine teams, including seven in the top 25 nationally. Saturday's final round will feature No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 Kentucky and No. 16 Ohio State, with the top two teams advancing to the NCAA Semifinals on April 13 at 2 or 8 p.m. CT. The Crimson Tide and Wildcats qualified for the regional final with respective scores of 197.375 and 197.475 Thursday afternoon, while OU registered a 197.925 Thursday night and the Buckeyes a 197.350.

The NCAA postseason event will stream live on ESPN+ with Alex Pearlman (play-by-play) and 2008 Olympic team silver-medalist Samantha Peszek (analyst) on the call. Live stats will also be available through OU's StatBroadcast page for fans to follow the action. Tickets for Saturday's regional final are available at SoonerSports.com/tickets for as little as $5.

HOME SWEET HOME

Oklahoma is 134-4 inside Lloyd Noble Center since the arrival of head coach K.J. Kindler in 2007 and has posted 72 consecutive home victories dating back to 2014.

OU has won all six home meets in 2023, including competitions against the second- and third-place finishers at the 2022 NCAA Championships, Florida (March 3) and Utah (Jan. 22), respectively. The wins over the powerhouse programs were showcased on ESPN2 and ESPN, respectively. OU also picked up a pair of home Big 12 victories against Kindler's alma mater Iowa State on Feb. 3 and West Virginia on Feb. 24, and over the Pac-12's Arizona State on March 12. The Sooners also earned three victories Thursday evening against No. 16 Ohio State, No. 17 Arkansas and NC State during the second round at the NCAA Norman Regional.

ALL-AMERICAN SOONERS

Six Sooners combined to secure 10 regular season All-America honors from the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA), the organization announced last Thursday. Senior Ragan Smith, juniors Audrey Davis and Katherine LeVasseur, sophomores Jordan Bowers and Danielle Sievers, and freshman Faith Torrez all received recognition from the association.

Bowers led OU with five regular season honors, earning a spot on the teams for all four events (first-team on beam and floor, second-team on vault and bars) and in the all-around (first-team). She joined OU legend Maggie Nichols (2017 and '18) as the only Sooners in program history to garner five All-America honors during a regular season.

LeVasseur and Sievers joined Bowers as All-Americans on vault with first-team honors. The 2023 Big 12 Event Specialist of the Year, LeVasseur, earned her second straight regular season All-America honor on vault and third overall, while Sievers earned her first regular season All-America recognition.

For the third consecutive season, Davis earned first-team honors on bars, marking her fourth regular season All-America honor overall. Smith, the No. 5-ranked gymnast on beam and first in the Big 12, picked up regular season first-team honors on beam for the second consecutive year. Torrez, the 2023 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, earned her first All-America honor with first-team recognition on floor.

POSTSEASON FORMAT

The format to the NCAA Championships is in its fourth season and the road to Fort Worth starts with four eight-team regionals in place of six six-team regionals. Taking place over four days, nine teams will travel to regional sites, with seven automatically advancing to day two. Two teams at each site will compete in the "play-in" on the first day. For the second consecutive season, teams will have a rest day in between the second round and the finals.

On the second day, eight teams will compete in two sessions of four, and the top two in each of those sessions will advance to the final round. On the final day, four teams will compete in one session, and the top two teams will advance to the finals site.

The format reduces the number of teams at the NCAA Championships from 12 to eight. Four teams will compete in each semifinal, with the top two in each semifinal advancing to the final night, replacing the Super Six with Four on the Floor. The 2023 NCAA Championships will be held at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, April 13-15.

THE NATION'S BEST

Oklahoma finished at No. 1 in the last national rankings before the NCAA postseason with a National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 198.355, holding the top spot for all 11 weeks in 2023, including the past five weeks since rankings were determined by NQS this season. OU holds the highest NQS in NCAA women's college gymnastics history with a 198.355.

OU, Michigan and Florida all hold NQS' of 198-plus heading into NCAA Regionals this week. The Gators moved back to the No. 2 spot with a 198.110, while the Wolverines stay in the top three with a 198.080. A pair of Pac-12 opponents round out the top five, No. 4 UCLA (197.950) and No. 5 Utah (197.910).

For the eighth consecutive week, OU is ranked in the top three on each of the four events, including the No. 1 spots on vault (49.555) and bars (49.650) for the fifth straight week. The Sooners remain second on beam with a 49.630 and third on floor nationally with a 49.595 (tied with Michigan and No. 6 LSU). Over conference championship weekend, OU earned the second-best score in the nation this season on beam with a program-best 49.800 on March 18.

IN THE POLLS

Six Sooners earned a total of 14 individual top-25 rankings with at least one gymnast ranked in the top 10 on all four events and in the all-around, including three Sooners in the top five on two events (vault and beam) and in the all-around. For the fifth consecutive week, four out of six gymnasts that competed on bars over the weekend are ranked in the top-25 in NQS.

Sophomore Jordan Bowers ranks in the top 10 on three events and in the all-around, including fifth in the all-around (39.685 NQS), tied for seventh on beam (9.950), eighth on floor (9.950) and 10th on bars (9.945). She is also tied for 11th on vault with a 9.920 NQS. The Lincoln, Neb., native has earned 20 individual titles this season and now ranks 10th in program history with 40 career titles.

Junior Audrey Davis is ranked in the all-around nationally for the second consecutive week at No. 19 (tied) with a 39.545 NQS. The Oakland, Fla., native is also tied for sixth nationally on bars (9.960 NQS) and No. 23 on beam (9.925). Davis is ranked fifth in program history with 18 career bars titles.

Four other Sooners also boast top-10 rankings this week, including two ranked in the top-five on their respective events. Junior Katherine LeVasseur, the 2023 Big 12 Event Specialist of the Year, remains No. 4 on vault for the fourth consecutive week with a 9.945 NQS. Senior Ragan Smith moved up seven spots into the top five (No. 5; 9.960) and is tied for fifth in career perfect scores (four) and career beam titles (15). The Lewisville, Texas, native is also tied for No. 21 on bars nationally with teammate Danielle Sievers (9.925).

Sievers also moved up seven spots on vault to No. 8 with a 9.925 NQS. The Gary, S.D., native matched a career-best 9.950 on vault to earn her her first event title this season on March 18. Freshman Faith Torrez shares eighth overall on floor with a 9.950 NQS and tied as the top freshman nationally with California's eMjae Frazier. Torrez, the 2023 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, held the top spot on the event as a freshman for the past five weeks.

LEADING THE WAY

Six Sooners combined to capture a conference-leading 11 spots on the 2023 All-Big 12 Gymnastics Team on March 15. This season marks the 15th straight year OU has led the league in All-Big 12 selections and the 14th consecutive season it has produced at least eight honorees on the All-Big 12 team. The Sooners occupied at least the top two spots on all four events, including a sweep on vault.

Sophomore Jordan Bowers led all honorees with five selections. Bowers joined Kasie Tamayo and Maggie Nichols as the only Sooners to achieve this feat. The Lincoln, Neb., native earned her second career All-Big 12 honor on vault, bars and floor, and first on beam and in the all-around. Bowers ranks first in the Big 12 in the all-around and on beam, and second on vault, bars and floor.

Senior Ragan Smith is now up to seven career honors with a nod on beam (her third) and bars (her second) in 2023. Juniors Audrey Davis and Katherine LeVasseur, sophomore Danielle Sievers and freshman Faith Torrez each picked up honors as well. Davis earned her third consecutive accolade on bars, while LeVasseur picked up her fourth career honor with her second nod on vault. Sievers and Torrez each earned their first career recognition on vault and floor, respectively. The trio of Davis, LeVasseur and Torrez leads the conference on their respective events.

FILL THE STANDS, SOONER NATION

All five of Oklahoma's home meets ranks in the top 10 for program attendance, including the second-highest attended meet in school history during its win against then-No. 2 Florida with 9,541 fans on March 3. It was the most attended meet since UCLA came to town on March 3, 2019.

The Sooners also posted the best attended season opener in program history against No. 5 Utah on Jan. 22, 2023 with 7,013 fans. In conference play, the Sooners are No. 5 (vs. Iowa State on Feb. 3) and 6 (vs. West Virginia on Feb. 24) in program attendance, including the best home conference opener in school history vs. the Cyclones. OU rounded out its regular season home slate with a victory against Arizona State in front of the No. 7 crowd in program history.

PURE PERFECT10N

Oklahoma has registered eight perfect 10s this season by four different gymnasts on all four events, including three with multiple perfect 10s this season — Ragan Smith, Jordan Bowers and Katherine LeVasseur. Smith's 10s came on beam in the conference opener at then-No. 9 Denver on Jan. 29 and in each of the last two meets. She earned her second and third perfect scores at the 2023 Big 12 Championship on March 18 and during the second round of the NCAA Norman Regional Thursday night. Smith's five career perfect 10s (all on beam) are tied for second most in program history with teammate Olivia Trautman, Haley Scaman and 2021 NCAA vault champion Anastasia Webb.

LeVasseur and Bowers are both ranked sixth in program history for career perfect 10s with three each (tied with NCAA champions Brenna Dowell and Nicole Lehrmann). Bowers earned her first perfect 10 on floor (Feb. 24) and bars (March 30) this season. She earned OU's first perfect score on bars since Webb on April 2, 2021 (NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional second round) and on floor since Trautman on Feb. 15, 2019 (Perfect 10 Challenge). LeVasseur's two 10.0s this season came against West Virginia on Feb. 24 and vs. No. 14 Arizona State on March 12.

Following Bowers and LeVasseur on Feb. 24, Trautman was perfect on vault as OU won against No. 2 Florida on March 3. The 10.0 was Trautman's first since the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional final on April 3, 2021 and fourth on vault.

TO 198 AND BEYOND

Oklahoma has totaled 61 scores of 198 or better in program history, including 53 scores since 2016. Of those 53, only 21 have been earned at home with the other 32 coming at road or neutral sites. Seventeen of those scores have come in regional or nationals competition, including a 198.475 mark at the 2019 NCAA Athens Regional Final. The Sooners surpassed their own nation's-best score this season with a program-record 198.575 against West Virginia on Feb. 24. Last season, OU matched an NCAA record with 10 scores of 198 or better in a single season, which the Sooners first accomplished in 2018. They have done it seven times this year.

The Sooners currently hold the top spot with five consecutive NQS's above the 198-mark and seven straight 198-plus averages this season. Before the Florida meet on March 3, OU earned five consecutive scores of 198 or higher and currently hold seven total. Eleven teams have hit 198-plus this season, including nine teams in the top 10. Five of OU's opponents have posted multiple scores of 198 or higher, including No. 2 Michigan with five, No. 3 Florida earning four, and No. 4 UCLA, No. 5 Utah, No. 6 LSU with two each.

CLOUD 9.9

Through 12 weeks of the season, the Sooners have posted 178 scores of 9.900 or higher. With 310 routines competed, that means 57.4 percent of the routines have scored at least a 9.900 this season. OU has put up double-digit marks of 9.9 or higher in 12 of 13 meets this season, including a season-high 17 vs. West Virginia on Feb. 24.

KINDLER VS. THE SEC AND BIG TEN

Southeastern Conference (SEC): The Sooners have proven to be a force when it comes to battling their foes in the Southeastern Conference. OU head coach K.J. Kindler is 68-9 against the SEC, including 40-1 since Jan. 26, 2018. Soon, this season's SEC opponents will be yearly competition as Oklahoma is set to join that league on July 1, 2024. The Sooners went 5-0 against the SEC during the 2023 regular season with victories at home against Florida (March 3) and on the road over Auburn (Jan. 7 in Las Vegas), LSU (Jan. 16), Alabama and Arkansas (Feb. 11 in Fort Worth, Texas). OU picked up its second win against the Razorbacks during the second round of the NCAA Norman Regional on Thursday. The Sooners will face No. 8 Alabama on Saturday for the second time this season, and No. 9 Kentucky for the first time of the year.
Big Ten: In 17 seasons at OU, Kindler is 64-6 against current members of the Big Ten Conference. Three of the six losses were to Nebraska before the Huskers entered the Big Ten and were still a Big 12 foe, with one of the losses in postseason competition. OU has only lost to a Big Ten team in the regular season three times under Kindler (twice to Nebraska and once to Michigan this season). Facing the Wolverines twice during the 2023 regular season, the Sooners have a split record, earning a victory over the Maize and Blue on Jan. 7 at the Super 16 in Las Vegas, but falling short to the Wolverines on their Senior Night (March 6). OU won against No. 16 Ohio State during the second round of the NCAA Norman Regional on Thursday and will face the Buckeyes again on Saturday in the regional final.

A LEAGUE OF HER OWN

Oklahoma head coach K.J. Kindler is in a league of her own in 2023 as the only coach in NCAA history to take two different programs to the NCAA Finals. In 2006, Kindler's Iowa State team advanced to the Super Six. Kindler has guided 11 OU teams to the NCAA Finals in her 17 years in Norman. Kindler and Michigan head coach Bev Plocki are the only two active coaches to win an NCAA team title.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION: NCAA REGIONAL FINALS

The Sooners will compete Saturday at 4:45 p.m. CT in the regional final for a chance to advance to the NCAA Championships semifinals in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 13. They will face a pair of SEC opponents, No. 8 Alabama and No. 9 Kentucky, and a rematch with No. 16 Ohio State.

No. 8 Alabama (7-5, 4-4 SEC): The Crimson Tide were edged out by No. 9 Kentucky, 197.475-197.375, to finish second during the afternoon session of the second round at the NCAA Norman Regional. Alabama has won an NCAA-record 32 Regional team titles and made 38 NCAA Championship appearances in its program history.
No. 9 Kentucky (10-3, 5-2 SEC): The Wildcats nipped the No. 8 Crimson Tide, 197.475-197.375, in the second round afternoon session of the NCAA Norman Regional. In program history, Kentucky has advanced to the regional finals six times including 2023. Kentucky advanced to its only NCAA Championship appearance in 2018.
No. 16 Ohio State (23-9, 6-3 Big Ten): In dramatic fashion, the Buckeyes earned a team score of 197.350 to finish second in Thursday night's NCAA Normal Regional Second Round, and advance to the regional final, just 0.075 ahead of third-place Arkansas. The team score is its best score on the road this season and highest NCAA regional score in program history. Ohio State advances to the NCAA regional final for the second time in the last three seasons, with its last Sweet 16 appearance in 2021.

MEET DAY POLICIES

OU Athletics' clear bag policy will be in effect and walk-through metal detectors will be utilized. 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 meet start. The general public can utilize the north and east entrances. No pass or payment is required for any parking at the LNC. Full details on OU's meet day policies at Lloyd Noble Center can be found here.

LOOKING AHEAD TO FORT WORTH

The top two placing teams from each regional will advance to the 2023 NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, from April 13-15. The Norman regional winners will be paired up with the winners of the NCAA Los Angeles Regional, which includes a trio of Pac-12 teams — No. 4 UCLA, No. 5 Utah and Washington — and No. 14 Missouri of the SEC. The regional finals field features four gymnasts who were a part of the 2020 U.S. Olympic team — Olympic team silver medalists Jordan Chiles (UCLA) and Grace McCallum (Utah), and U.S. Olympic alternates Kara Eaker (Utah) and Emma Malabuyo (UCLA).

For the third consecutive season, ESPN continues to raise the bar in its collegiate gymnastics coverage across its family of ESPN Networks, with the semifinals airing on Thursday, April 13 at 2 and 8 p.m. CT, and the championship final live on Saturday, April 15 at 3 p.m. CT on ABC.

FOLLOW THE OKLAHOMA SOONERS

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