Solid Sooners Advance to Regional Final in Kentucky

Friday, April 3

Lexington, Ky.

6 PM

University of Oklahoma

197.875

196.175

Kentucky

Solid Sooners Advance to Regional Final in Kentucky

April 03, 2026 | Women's Gymnastics

Final Scores - NCAA Lexington Regional Second Round Press Conference Highlights

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The No. 1 Oklahoma women's gymnastics team advanced to the final round of the NCAA Lexington Regional after posting a 197.875 against Ohio State (196.650), Rutgers (196.300) and No. 16 Kentucky (196.175) in Friday's night session inside Historic Memorial Coliseum.

Regional champions were announced at the conclusion of the meet, with Lily Pederson and Ella Murphy sharing the bars title with matching 9.95s.

The Sooners, who improved to 26-1-1 on the season, will be joined in the regional final by Ohio State, as well as Missouri and Arkansas, the top two performers in Friday's afternoon session. Sunday's meet is set for a 4 p.m. CT start and will be streamed on ESPN+. The top two teams from the final will advance to the NCAA Championships to be held April 16 and 18 in Fort Worth, Texas.

OU started the meet on vault, earning a 49.450 to take an early lead. Sophomore Elizabeth Blessey led off with a stuck handspring pike-half to notch a 9.925 and earn the Sooners' highest score of the rotation. Juniors Keira Wells and Hannah Scheible and freshman Mackenzie Estep followed with matching scores of 9.875. Sophomore Elle Mueller added a 9.85, while Addison Fatta anchored with a 9.90.

The Sooners earned their highest score of the night with a 49.525 on bars and increased their lead to by .500 over second-place Rutgers. Pederson and Murphy registered career-high-tying 9.95s in the rotation's first two routines and were followed by matching scores of 9.85 from Fatta and Estep. Scheible added a 9.90, while senior Faith Torrez scored a 9.875 in the anchor spot.

Oklahoma kept the lead through the third rotation, scoring a 49.425 on beam. Fatta and Wells set the tone with beautiful routines in the first two spots to earn matching 9.875s. Murphy's elegant performance in the No. 3 position earned a 9.925, marking her ninth score of 9.90-plus on the event this season. Pederson stuck her dismount to add a 9.90, while Mueller followed with a 9.85. Uncharacteristically, Torrez came off on her series, resulting in a 9.100.

Ahead by 0.700 over second-place Ohio State entering the final rotation, the Sooners sealed the victory with a 49.475 on floor. Murphy earned a 9.90 with her 'Sinners'-inspired routine to get the event started. Fatta followed with a 9.750 before Pederson responded with a 9.90. Wells brought the energy with her hip-hop-remix routine, notching a 9.875 and Mueller and Estep closed the meet with strong 9.90s.