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OU Gymnastics: At End of Busy Week, Oklahoma Wins Metroplex Challenge Title

The Sooners beat Florida earlier in the week and finished things with an impressive victory over North Carolina in Fort Worth.

John E. Hoover

Oklahoma gymnast Jordan Bowers
Oklahoma gymnast Jordan Bowers / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

By OU Media Relations

FORT WORTH – After a busy week that included a big win over SEC foe Florida, No. 1-ranked Oklahoma wrapped things up Sunday with its seventh consecutive championship at the Metroplex Challenge.

OU topped No. 24 North Carolina 198.050-196.200.

Jordan Bowers secured the all-around title with a 39.650 and floor with a near-perfect 9.975. Keira Wells won the vault title with a 9.925, while North Carolina’s Lali Dekanoidze won bars with a 9.95. Faith Torrez took home the beam title with a near-perfect 9.975 of her own.

OU held a 49.400-49.225 lead over North Carolina after the opening rotation. Pederson led off vault with a 9.85, followed by a 9.675 from Torrez. In the No. 3 spot, Wells once again nailed her 1.5 for a 9.925, while Bowers added a 9.9 for the second straight meet. Elle Mueller notched a 9.85 on her 1.5 and Audrey Davis anchored with a 9.875.

The Sooners extended their lead in the second rotation with a 49.425 on bars to UNC’s 49.150 on vault. Dani Sievers started things off with a stuck dismount for a 9.9, followed by a 9.825 from Pederson. Addison Fatta had the high score of the rotation for the Sooners in the No. 3 spot with a 9.925. Torrez added a 9.80 and Davis earned her 58th mark of 9.9 or higher on the bars with a 9.90 in the No. 5 spot. Bowers closed out the event with a 9.875.

A season-high 49.650 on beam gave OU a 148.475-147.350 lead with one rotation left. In the leadoff spot, Davis earned a 9.925 as she drilled her dismount. Fatta added a 9.85 in the No. 2 spot after a strong routine and stuck gainer full. Pederson looked poised and composed on the beam, tying her career high with a 9.95. In the No. 4 spot, Bowers kept the sticks going after a steady routine for a 9.90. Finding her groove again on beam, Wells added a 9.90 of her own after adding another stuck dismount in the rotation. Torrez anchored with one of her best routines of the season, earning a near-perfect 9.975.

The Sooners earned 49.575 on floor in the last rotation of the day. Davis started the final rotation with a 9.875, followed by a 9.90 from Pederson as the two showed off their energetic routines. Elle Mueller notched a 9.825 in the No. 3 spot and Fatta stuck both of her passes cold, earning a 9.90 in the No. 4 spot. Bowers showcased why she’s one of the top floor workers with her sky-high double pike on full display after nailing her opening pass for a near-perfect 9.975. Torrez closed out the meet with a 9.925.

OU returns to SEC competition Friday night at Auburn. The teams will face off at 6:45 p.m. on SEC Network+.

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John E. Hoover
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.

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