Oklahoma gymnastics begins its NCAA title hunt Friday

After winning the women's NCAA gymnastics title in 2016 and 2017 and finishing runner-up in 2018, Oklahoma takes the stage again on Friday to begin its title hunt. Here's what you need to know about the Sooners: 

THE BIG STAGE 
When the No. 1 Oklahoma women’s gymnastics team takes the competition floor this weekend at the NCAA Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, it will begin its quest for a fourth national title. The top-seeded Sooners will compete in Semifinal II at 6 p.m. CT on Friday against No. 5 Denver, No. 8 Georgia and No. 15 Oregon State with the top two teams advancing to the NCAA Four on the Floor on Saturday night. Competing on the opposite side of the bracket for a shot at the title will be No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 UCLA, No. 6 Utah and No. 7 Michigan.  

BACK TO WORK
Coming off a spectacular season that ended in heart-breaking fashion as the Sooners finished as the 2018 NCAA Runner-Up, the 2019 Sooners entered the season refocused and ready to fight for another national championship. After beginning the season at No. 2 in the nation, OU reclaimed the top spot after week one and never relinquished its position as the No. 1 team. For the fifth consecutive season, the Sooners entered the postseason as the No. 1 overall seed and won their 10th consecutive regional championship. This weekend, OU will look to add a fourth national title to its collection. OU tied with Florida to win its first national championship in 2014, becoming just the sixth school to ever earn a title, before snagging its first outright win in 2016 and adding another in 2017.

BRACKET: PDF for the 2019 women's gymnastics championships

POSTSEASON PROWESS
Postseason has become a strength of the Sooners under head coach K.J. Kindler. Since 2010, OU owns nine seasons in which it has captured a conference and regional championship in the same season, accomplishing the feat in 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2010. The Sooners have advanced to the NCAA Championships 19 times in program history and every season dating back to 2004, a streak of 16 straight. OU has never missed NCAA competition under Kindler’s leadership.

ROTATION ORDER: 

QUEENS OF THE HILL 
After starting the season at No. 2, the Sooners wasted no time taking back the top spot in the rankings, claiming the No. 1 ranking after the first weekend. OU did not relinquish its No. 1 ranking all season, marking the eighth straight year the Sooners have finished within the top two of the regular season national rankings based on national qualifying score. The Sooners entered the postseason as the No. 1 overall seed for the fifth consecutive season.

TOP REGIONAL TEAM 
The Sooners secured their spot at nationals in dominating fashion as they won their 10th straight regional title, earning a first-place finish at the NCAA Athens Regional. For the third consecutive season, OU posted the highest regional score with a 198.475, the highest road score in NCAA history.  Senior Nicole Lehrmann and junior Maggie Nichols claimed the top spot on vault (9.95), while Nichols added a regional title on bars (9.975). Sophomore Carly Woodard earned the title on beam (9.925) and freshman Olivia Trautman took home the top mark on floor (9.975). Senior Brenna Dowell was the all-around regional champion with a 39.550.

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
In addition to determining the squads competing in the Four on the Floor, Friday’s semifinals will serve to crown individual national champions. Scores will be combined from both sessions to determine the winners. In its history, OU has had five gymnasts combine for 11 individual NCAA titles. Kelly Garrison (1987 and 1988) won all-around honors twice and claimed bars and beam titles, Taylor Spears (2014) was on top of the podium on beam. Maggie Nichols and Nicole Lehrmann shared first-place honors on bars in 2017. In 2018, Nichols took home the all-around title, along with bars and floor and Brenna Dowell earned her first national title on vault.

WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS: Everything you need to keep track of the NC championships

SOONERS AGAINST THE FIELD
Oklahoma has faced four of the seven teams in the 2019 NCAA Championship field this season. OU holds a 7-0 record against those teams, defeating Denver, Georgia, Michigan and UCLA throughout the season. The Sooners will be seeing Big 12 foe Denver for the fourth time this season at semifinals.

MATCHUPS AT A GLANCE: 

ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS
Seven members of the gymnastics squad combined to earn a program-best 16 regular season All-America honors from the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA). In the seven years that regular season All-America accolades have been awarded, the Sooners have totaled double-digit honors six times. Seniors Brenna Dowell and Nicole Lehrmann, juniors Jade Degouveia and Maggie Nichols, sophomores Anastasia Webb and Carly Woodard and freshman Olivia Trautman all received recognition from the association. Dowell led the way with four accolades, including her first all-around recognition.

Could not have scripted Senior Night any better! I’m so thankful for the opportunity to represent this school and especially for my family who’s been beside me for this crazy and amazing journey! I love you guys 😍❤️ pic.twitter.com/HY6D0QgnW8

— Brenna Dowell (@brennadowell) March 16, 2019

TOP TOTALS
Of the nation’s top totals, the Sooners boast three in the top five and six in the top 10 this season. OU holds the No. 1 spot with a 198.475, the No. 3 spot with a 198.325 and the No. 5 spot with a 198.300. The Sooners are the only team with five scores over 198.200 this season. OU also boasts the sixth-best score with a 198.275, seventh-best with a 198.200 and 10th-best with a 198.075.

HISTORY: Every NC women's gymnastics champion ever

VAULTING TO THE TOP
On Jan. 11, the Sooners became the first team in the NCAA to field a lineup of six 10.0 start value vaults since the devaluation of the Yurchenko full. OU has competed six Yurchenko 1.5s in nine meets this season and is one of just three teams (Florida, Nebraska) to accomplish the feat. Of the nine meets, the Sooners have posted at least a 49.350 in all nine, and higher than 49.500 in five meets.

CLOUD 9.9
The Sooners have posted 189 scores of 9.9 or better this season. With 358 routines under their belts, that means that 52.8 percent of the routines competed have scored at least a 9.9. The Sooners have put up double-digit scores of 9.9 or better in 12 of 15 meets, tallying 18 in both regional meets; 17 against Florida; 16 against Alabama; 14 at the Perfect 10 Challenge; 13 at the Metroplex Challenge, at Michigan and the Big 12 Championship; 12 against Arkansas and UCLA; 10 each against Georgia and UNC.

Congratulations to these 2⃣ #Big12 gymnasts on being named Regional Gymnasts of the Year:

🏆 @maddie_karr, Region 2
🏆 @brennadowell, South Central Region

For more on their most recent honors » https://t.co/ThnEIWNSJv. #Big12GYM pic.twitter.com/kht30ZENFH

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) April 10, 2019

CLUB 197
The Sooners have posted a score of at least 197 or higher in 58 of their last 59 meets. Currently, the Sooners’ streak is at 24 meets with a score of at least 197, and 14of those meets have featured a score of at least a 198. The Sooners are one of just two teams that have scored a 197 or better in every meet this year (UCLA).

UCLA: Katelyn Ohashi looks to make final statement on floor

TO 198 AND BEYOND
With a 198.050 in their opening meet, the Sooners became the only team in NCAA history to break 198 in the first meet of the year. OU has posted at least seven marks of 198 or better for the second consecutive season. The Sooners now have 25 marks of 198 or better since the 2016 season and 32 overall. Of those 32, only 11 have been earned at home with the other 21 all coming at road or neutral sites. Eight of those scores came in regional or national competition. The Sooners mark of 198.475 on April 6 is the highest road score in program history. In 2018, OU set the NCAA record with 10 scores of 198 or better in a single season.

let’s GO👀💯🤩❤️ https://t.co/aItDQcgrH6

— MAGGIE NICHOLS (@MagsGotSwag12) April 17, 2019

QUICK HITS

• Seventeen of OU’s scores this season are currently in the top 10 in program history including five team totals, five bar totals, three vault and floor totals and two beam totals. OU set a program record on both bars and floor this season with a 49.725 and 49.825, respectively.
• Senior Brenna Dowell, junior Jade Degouveia and freshman Olivia Trautman were honored at the Big 12 Championship with yearly awards. Dowell was named the 2019 Big 12 Gymnast of the Year, her second major honor after earning Newcomer of the Year in 2015. Degouveia captured her first major honor being named the Event Specialist of the Year after having an outstanding year as a vault and floor specialist. Trautman was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, joining teammates Dowell, Maggie Nichols and Anastasia Webb as current Sooners who have earned the honor.
• Five current Sooners have recorded at least one 10.0 in their careers, including seniors Nicole Lehrmann (UB, 2017, 2018) and Brenna Dowell (UB, 2017; VT 2018, 2019), junior Maggie Nichols (VT, UB, BB, FX), sophomore Anastasia Webb (BB, 2018) and freshman Olivia Trautman (FX, 2019).

UP NEXT

The top two placing teams from each semifinal will compete in the Four on the Floor, Saturday, April 20, at 6 p.m. CT. The meet will air on ESPNU.