© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
OU Gymnastics: Oklahoma's Bid for Three Straight NCAA Titles Falls Flat
The Sooners have had a dominant season, but in the NCAA semifinals started slow, endured numerous falls and couldn't catch up.
There will be no three-peat.
After one of the most dominating regular season runs in the history of college gymnastics, Oklahoma’s magical season came to a sudden halt on Thursday.
The No. 1-ranked Sooners struggled early, couldn’t catch up and finished behind No. 4 Florida and No. 5 Utah at the NCAA Championship semifinals in Fort Worth. The Utes outpaced the Gators 197.9375-197.8750 as both teams advance to Saturday's finals.
It was the first time since 2012 that K.J. Kindler’s squad didn’t quality for the championship final round, and it ended the team’s hopes of winning a third straight NCAA crown.
Oklahoma did crown three individual national champions as Audrey Davis shared the title in both bars and beam and Faith Torrez shared the beam title.
“We’ll live to flip another day, I’m sure of it,” Kindler said. “I hope that they walk out proud with their chins up, loving every moment of their experience here.”
That may not be possible, given the expectations this team created in posting a 36-2 meet record this season.
OU had scored 198 or better in 25 consecutive matches, and 28 times in all. But Thursday they scored a season-low — by far — 196.6625.
OU struggled from the beginning, with two falls and one low score after another trickling in on vault behind freshman Kiera Wells’ 9.90.
The Sooners rallied immediately on bars as Danielle Sievers scored a 9.90, Kat LeVasseur hit a 9.95, Ragan Smith a 9.90, Audrey Davis a 9.9625 and Jordan Bowers a 9.950. The team’s 49.6625 was a school record at an NCAA semifinal meet.
But the rally fizzled on beam after Davis’ 9.9625 as two more gymnasts fell.
On floor, the Sooners were too far back to make a run despite strong scores from LeVasseur (9.90), Torrez (9.950) and Bowers (9.950).
“The Sooners are human,” Kindler said. “We have lived in the luxury of success for over a decade. We have certainly worked for it, but on any given day, anything can happen. This is a testament to that.
“I give them all the credit for gutting it out through the whole end of it. It was tough. We talked about finishing on our own terms on floor, and I think they did that. These kinds of things can only build you up.”
