OU Gymnastics: Oklahoma Advances to Ann Arbor Regional Final

The Sooners posted another big score to clinch a spot in Saturday's final thanks to three regional medals by Jordan Bowers.

John E. Hoover | Apr 4, 2024

Oklahoma's Danielle Sievers / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

By OU Media Relations

ANN ARBOR, MI – Posting an NCAA record 11th score of 198-plus, the No. 1 Oklahoma women’s gymnastics team advanced to the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional Final with a 198.050 victory over Ohio State (196.975), Illinois (196.750) and NC State (195.950).

The Sooners will be joined in the finals by second-place finisher Ohio State and Alabama and Penn State who advanced from Thursday’s first session. Saturday’s meet is set for a 4 p.m. CT start on ESPN+. The top two teams from Saturday’s final will advance to the NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas set for April 18-20.

Regional champions were announced at the conclusion of the meet. Jordan Bowers won three titles, taking home bars with a 9.975, floor with a 9.95 and the all-around with a 39.675. Katherine LeVasseur earned a share of the vault title with a 9.95 and Ragan Smith won the beam title with her second-straight perfect 10.

The Sooners earned a 49.425 on vault to lead the field after the first rotation. Faith Torrez got the meet started with a big 1.5 for a 9.85, followed by a 9.875 from Keira Wells. In the No. 3 spot, Bowers added a 9.85 of her own. LeVasseur stuck her Yurchenko 1.5 cold for a 9.95 in the No. 4 spot and Hannah Scheible added a 9.9 on her handspring pike half.

On the uneven bars, the Sooners used a 49.525 to extend their lead at the halfway point. Danielle Sievers led off the second rotation with a 9.850, followed by a stuck dismount for a 9.9 from LeVasseur. In the No. 3 spot, Torrez showed off a stuck double layout for a 9.875 and Smith notched a 9.800 in the No. 4 spot. Audrey Davis showed why she’s the top bar worker in the nation with a gorgeous piked Jaegar and stuck dismount for a 9.925. Anchoring was Bowers with a stunning routine and a stuck full twisting double tuck for a near-perfect 9.975.

OU notched a 49.575 on the beam to hold a comfortable lead with one rotation left. Davis led off the third rotation with a stuck dismount for a 9.85, followed by another stick and a 9.8 from Ava Siegfeldt. Bowers was elegant and graceful, nailing her dismount for a 9.9 in the No. 3 spot. Torrez added a 9.925 in the No. 4 spot, sticking her gainer full dismount. LeVasseur’s flexibility was on display as she tallied a 9.9 in the No. 5 spot. Anchoring was Smith with her sixth perfect mark of the year on a flawless routine.

The Sooners closed out the meet with a 49.525 on floor. Davis started the final rotation with a 9.875, followed by a 9.85 from Bell Johnson. Smith opened with a stuck double tuck for a 9.875 in the No. 3 spot. LeVasseur closed out her strong night with her third-straight mark of 9.9 in the meet. Showing off her impressive double layout and a stuck cold double tuck, Torrez added a 9.925 on floor. Bowers anchored with a gorgeous double pike for a 9.95 to close out the meet and push the Sooners to an 11th mark of 198-plus this season.

Published Apr 4, 2024

JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.