OU Gymnastics: No. 1 Oklahoma Crushes Competition Behind Jordan Bowers' Perfect Score

Bowers landed her second career 10 and her teammates were nearly as flawless as the Sooners routed Cal and Arizona State.

John E. Hoover | Feb 4, 2024

OU Gymnastics: No. 1 Oklahoma Crushes Competition Behind Jordan Bowers' Perfect Score /

By OU Media Relations

TEMPE, AZ – No. 1 Oklahoma tied a program record with a 49.825 on the uneven bars and Jordan Bowers secured the first perfect 10 of the year for OU as Sooners posted a season-high score Friday night in the desert.

The Sooners roared to a 198.375 score and took down No. 2 California (197.950) and No. 23 Arizona State (197.250) inside Desert Financial Arena.

Oklahoma matched its program record on bars, set in 2022 against Michigan, after a lights-out third rotation. OU counted no score lower than 9.95 as multiple Sooners set a season high. Bowers' 10.0 was the second of her career on bars and her fourth career perfect mark.

Bowers took home the event title on bars with her perfect mark, on floor with a 9.975 and the all-around with a 39.675.

Faith Torrez took home the beam title with a near-perfect 9.975. All four Sooner all-around competitors notched at least a 39.600 with Katherine LeVasseur earning a 39.650 and Torrez and Audrey Davis earning matching 39.625s.

OU opened the meet with a season-best 49.650 on floor to take the lead after the first rotation. Davis tied her season high with a 9.9 in the leadoff spot, followed by a 9.85 from Bell Johnson in her season debut. In the No. 3 spot, Smith nailed her opening double tuck in her Taylor Swift routine for a season-high 9.95. LeVasseur showcased a stunning full-in to open her Western themed routine for a 9.9 in the No. 4 spot. Torrez showed off her incredible double layout for a 9.925 and Bowers anchored with a near-perfect routine for a 9.975 with her sky-high double pike.

In the second rotation, the Sooners notched a 49.250 on vault, dropping to second behind Cal at the halfway point. Davis led off for the second-straight event with a nice Yurchenko 1.5 for a 9.85. LeVasseur stuck her 1.5 for a 9.875, followed by a 9.8 from Bowers. In the No. 5 spot, Wells tied her season high with a 9.875. Anchoring was Torrez with a 9.85.

The Sooners responded in a big way in the third rotation to take back the lead as all six athletes stuck their dismounts. Dani Sievers started the rotation with an amazing routine and stuck dismount for a season-high 9.95. In the No. 2 spot, LeVasseur showed off her stunning handstands and another stuck dismount for a 9.95 of her own. Torrez was exceptional with a stuck double layout for a 9.875. In the No. 4 spot, Smith showed off a stuck double layout dismount for a 9.95. Davis kept the sticks coming after a nearly perfect routine for a 9.975 in the No. 5 spot to set up the perfect 10 for Bowers.

In the final rotation, the Sooners used a 49.650 to secure the victory. Davis started the beam squad with a gorgeous routine and a stuck dismount for a 9.9. In the No. 2 spot, Wells earned a career high on a stunning routine and stuck dismount for a 9.95. In the No. 3 spot, Bowers had a strong routine for a 9.9. In the No. 4 spot, Torrez was near perfection with a stick and a 9.975. LeVasseur added a 9.925 in the No. 5 spot as she stuck her gainer full dismount. Anchoring was Smith with a solid routine for a 9.9.

The Sooners will return to Lloyd Noble Center on Friday for a quad meet featuring Big 12 newcomer BYU, TWU and Utah State.

Published Feb 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.