Oklahoma shocked by Denver
MORGANTOWN, WV – After placing second the previous four years, Denver captured the 2021 Big 12 Gymnastics Championship title in its fifth season as an affiliate member.
The No. 9-ranked Pioneers tallied a final score of 197.350 at WVU Coliseum, edging out Oklahoma and shocking the perennial champion Sooners.
Denver senior Lynnzee Brown scored three event titles, including a perfect score on the uneven bars, and OU finished just behind with a 197.125, ending OU’s streak of eight straight Big 12 Championships.
Iowa State finished third (197.050) and host West Virginia placed fourth (195.725).
Anastasia Webb
OU Athletics
Brown’s 10 was just the sixth recorded in Big 12 Championship history and the third on bars. She also topped the podium in the all-around with a Championship record of 39.725. Brown tied with Iowa State’s Addy De Jesus for the floor exercise title (9.950). OU’s Anastasia Webb won the vault (9.925) and tied with teammate Ragan Smith for the top spot on balance beam (9.950). Gymnasts in the top three places on each event were named to the All-Big 12 Championship Team (listed below).
During the awards ceremony, season honors were announced for Big 12 Gymnast, Event Specialist, Newcomer and Coach of the Year. The awards were voted on prior to the Championship.
Brown and Webb shared Gymnast of the Year honors. Each claimed 26 event wins, including seven in the all-around during the regular season. Based on National Qualifying Scores (NQS), Brown was named All-Big 12 in the all-around, bars and floor. Webb was also All-Big 12 in the all-around as well as vault and beam.
Sooner senior Karrie Thomas was named the Event Specialist of the Year. She posted four regular season apparatus wins with three on beam and one on bars. Thomas posted season high scores of 9.95 on both and garnered All-Big 12 honors on beam.
De Jesus was voted Newcomer of the Year. She posted 17 event wins with six in the all-around. The junior transfer recorded a 10 on vault against Denver and had season high scores of 9.925 on beam, bars and floor. She was All-Big 12 in the vault.
K.J. Kindler was named Coach of the Year for the 13th time in her career and eighth occasion while at Oklahoma. She guided the Sooners to an undefeated regular season mark and the nation’s top ranking.
Big 12 Championship Team Standings
- Denver – 197.350
- Oklahoma – 197.125
- Iowa State – 197.050
- West Virginia – 195.725
All-Big 12 Championship Team
(top three places, including ties, in each event)
- All-Around: Lynnzee Brown (Denver), 39.725; Addy De Jesus (Iowa State), 39.600; Anastasia Webb (Oklahoma), 39.575
- Vault: Anastasia Webb (Oklahoma), 9.925; Lynnzee Brown (Denver), Emily Glynn (Denver), Sophia Steinmeyer (Iowa State), Katherine LeVasseur (Oklahoma), 9.900
- Uneven Bars: Lynnzee Brown (Denver), 10.000; Audrey Davis (Oklahoma), 9.950; Addy De Jesus (Iowa State), Anastasia Webb (Oklahoma), Jessica Hutchinson (Denver), Rosie Casali (Denver), Ragan Smith (Oklahoma), Katherine LeVasseur (Oklahoma), 9.900
- Balance Beam: Anastasia Webb (Oklahoma), Ragan Smith (Oklahoma), 9.950; Addy De Jesus (Iowa State), Karrie Thomas (Oklahoma), Isabel Mabanta (Denver), 9.900
- Floor Exercise: Lynnzee Brown (Denver), Addy De Jesus (Iowa State), 9.950; Maddie Diab (Iowa State), 9.925
2021 Big 12 Gymnastics of the Year Awards
- Co-Gymnasts of the Year: Lynnzee Brown (Denver) & Anastasia Webb (Oklahoma)
- Event Specialist of the Year: Karrie Thomas (Oklahoma)
- Newcomer of the Year: Addy De Jesus (Iowa State)
- Coach of the Year: K.J. Kindler (Oklahoma)