No. 1 Sooners Home to Host West Virginia

NORMAN – The No. 1 Oklahoma women's gymnastics team is back inside Lloyd Noble Center Friday night for a conference matchup with West Virginia. The meet is set for a 6:45 p.m. CT start on ESPN+. Chad McKee and former Sooner great Natalie Walker (Brown) will be on the call.

West Virginia will be the third Big 12 opponent the Sooners have faced in 2024. OU is currently 3-0 against Big 12 teams, defeating Denver twice and BYU.

PROMOS & GIVEAWAYS

Maggie Nichols Book Signing: OU proudly welcomes back eight-time national champion and 2020 AAI Award Winner Maggie Nichols for a book signing from 5:15 – 6:30 p.m. inside Lloyd Noble Center. Nichols' official memoir "Unstoppable!" is an inspirational tell-all about the abuse she suffered under the U.S. National Team and how she redefined herself in the face of adversity. Her tell-all offers an intimate look into the world of elite gymnastics, the sexual abuse scandal that shattered lives and dreams, and how Nichols risked everything in the name of justice. She now tells this story in her words: a story of hope, trauma, reclamation, and above all, triumph. To obtain an autograph, fans must have a copy of the book. A limited number of books will be available for purchase at the LNC on Feb. 23 and fans are welcome to bring their own copy. Books will retail for $19.99 if purchased on-site. One additional item to be signed is permitted with a copy of the book. All additional items must follow the guidelines for prohibited items outlined here. The signing is open to the general public with purchase of a ticket to the meet. There will be no personal photo opportunities with Nichols during the signing.

Giveaways: Crimson poms for all fans.

THE MORE YOU KNOW

HOME SWEET OKLA(HOME)A
Oklahoma is 141-4 inside Lloyd Noble Center since the arrival of head coach K.J. Kindler in 2007 and has posted 79 consecutive home victories across 51 meets dating back to 2014. The 2024 senior class is currently undefeated at home in their careers.

OU will compete at home five times during the regular season and will also host the Big 12 Championships. After tonight, the Sooners will host 2021 NCAA Champion Michigan (March 1, ESPN2) and future SEC foe Alabama (March 17, ESPN2). The Big 12 Championship will be on ESPNU on March 23.

KINDLER VS. THE BIG 12
In 18 seasons, head coach K.J. Kindler is 101-5 against current and former members of the Big 12 conference (not including regionals and NCAA Championships). Against current members of the league (BYU, Denver, Iowa State and West Virginia), Kindler is undefeated in the regular season with a 52-0 record. At the Big 12 Championship, she is 16-0 against Iowa State, 10-0 against West Virginia and 6-1 against Denver.

TO 198 AND BEYOND
Oklahoma has totaled 67 scores of 198 or better in program history, including 59 scores since 2016. Of those 67 scores, only 25 have been earned at home, with 42 coming at road or neutral site competitions. Twenty of those scores have come in regional or national competitions, including a 198.3875 at the 2023 NCAA Championship which tied for the highest NCAA Finals score in history. In 2023, the Sooners earned a new program-best with a 198.575 against West Virginia on Feb. 24, 2023. Also in 2023, the Sooners recorded an NCAA record 10 scores of 198-plus, which they accomplished in 2018 and 2022. This season, the Sooners are one of just six schools to reach the 198 mark and one of just two (LSU) to achieve the feat more than once. OU is the only school to have all its 198 scores be 198.300 or higher.

CLOUD 9.9
In seven meets, the Sooners have posted 94 scores of 9.9 or higher – an average of 13.4 per meet and 56% of all routines. In the opening meet of the season, the Sooners tallied 11 marks of 9.9-plus and counted only scores of 9.9 or better on bars. In week two, the Sooners posted 12 scores of 9.9-plus and in week three counted 14. Of that 14, five came on beam meaning OU only counted scores of 9.9 or better on the event. OU posted a season high with 15 in week five.

The Sooners lead the nation with 94 scores of 9.9 or higher, followed by LSU with 81 and Cal with 67. Only the Sooners have tallied double-digit marks of 9.9 or better in every meet this season.

TOP TOTALS
Of the nation's top scores this season, the Sooners hold four of the top five spots and are the only team with more than two scores in the top five. The Sooners hold the No. 2 spot with a 198.450, No. 3 spot with a 198.375, No. 4 with a 198.325 and No. 5 with a 198.300. LSU is the only other school with more than one score in the top 10 as the Tigers hold the No. 1 spot (198.475), No. 5 spot (198.300) and No. 7 spot (198.125). OU is one of two schools (LSU) to hit the 198 mark more than once in 2024, but is the only school with all marks over 198.300.

ALL-AROUND EXCELLENCE
When the Sooners took to the floor on Jan. 5, four athletes found themselves competing in the all-around: Jordan Bowers, Audrey Davis, Katherine LeVasseur and Faith Torrez. Bowers, Davis and Torrez all have all-around experience competing all four events and LeVasseur made her collegiate floor debut.

This season, all four athletes have posted a 39.650 or better at least once and Bowers and LeVasseur have each posted a mark of 39.700 or higher. Currently, all four are ranked in the top 15 in the all-around with Bowers at No. 5, Torrez at No. 10, LeVasseur at No. 12 and Davis at No. 14. No other school has more than two athletes ranked in the top 25 in the all-around.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The Mountaineers are coming off a season-high 195.250 Sunday afternoon. In a tri-meet with conference opponents Iowa State and Denver, West Virginia posted a season-high on vault and floor with a 49.025 and 49.250, respectively. Kiana Lewis earned a share of the vault title with a 9.875. Abbie Pierson notched a 38.925 in the all-around.

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

The Sooners have back-to-back home meets for the first time this season. OU will welcome Michigan to the LNC on Friday, March 1. The meet is set for a 6:15 p.m. start time and will air on ESPN2.

MEET DAY POLICIES

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Tickets for the 2024 Big 12 Gymnastics Championship hosted by the University of Oklahoma are on sale now. Competition is set for Saturday, March 23, at 5:45 p.m. CT inside Lloyd Noble Center. Tickets can be purchased online here or by calling the athletics ticket office at (405) 325-2424.

Season ticket holders can login to their account at soonersports.com/myaccount and then click "Season Ticket Renewal" to purchase the same seats as their season tickets. For fans wanting to purchase additional seats or remove seats, please call the ticket office at (405)325-2424 or email outickets@ou.edu to make any changes.

Reserved seats are $20 each. General admission tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for youth (6-18) and seniors (55+). OU students can get in free with their OU ID.

FOLLOW THE OKLAHOMA SOONERS

For updates, follow @OU_WGymnastics on Twitter and Instagram, or like Oklahoma Women's Gymnastics on Facebook.