Gymnastics

Oklahoma Breaks NCAA Record to Claim 2024 Big 12 Gymnastics Championship Title

 NORMAN, Okla. – Oklahoma claimed its 15th Big 12 Gymnastics title Saturday with a final score of 198.950 at the Lloyd Noble Center. The score shattered the previous record NCAA of 198.875 registered by UCLA and Stanford in 2004.

Backed by perfect 10 performances in every event, the Sooners placed first on all four apparatuses. Denver finished second with a score of 197.975 followed by BYU (197.050), Iowa State (196.350) and West Virginia (195.125).

OU’s Ragan Smith defended her beam title with her fifth 10.000 of the season. Following last year’s perfect score, she is the only Big 12 gymnast to accomplish the feat during a Big 12 Championship.

Smith was joined by teammates Jordan Bowers and Faith Torrez, who also collected perfect 10s Saturday. Bowers recorded the Big 12 Championship’s highest all-around score of 39.925 after she took the vault and bars title outright with a 10.000. The junior and Torrez both secured perfect scores as the Sooners ended the meet on floor. There have only been two other Big 12 gymnasts to win the all-around and claim at least a share of three Big 12 titles in the same championship: Nebraska’s Richelle Simpson (2003) and Emily Parsons (2007).

In addition to winning four titles, Bowers was also announced as the 2024 Big 12 Gymnast of the Year. During the season, she has earned six perfect 10s and has recorded nine in her career. The Lincoln, Nebraska native had procured 28 event titles entering the Big 12 Championship. Bowers, the 2022 Newcomer of the Year, has been awarded Big 12 Gymnast of the Week five times this season.

K.J. Kindler claimed her 16th Big 12 Coach of the Year and 13th as the leader of the Sooners. During the 2024 season, OU has remained No. 1 in the national rankings with a 25-0 regular season record.

Denver’s Rylie Mundell became the second Pioneer to earn Event Specialist. The senior posted six event wins this season across three disciplines.  Her season highs were a 9.900 in vault, 9.950 in bars, 9.925 in beam and a 9.850 on floor.

Madison Ulrich from DU rounded out this year’s Big 12 yearly awards, claiming Newcomer of the Year. In her first season with the Pioneers, she claimed five event titles. She ranks within the top 10 of the Conference in all-around, bars and floor while owning a 39.505 NQS all-around score. She claimed the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honor six times this season.
 
Big 12 Championship Team Standings
1. Oklahoma – 198.950
2. Denver – 197.975
3. BYU – 197.050
4. Iowa State – 196.350
5. West Virginia – 195.125
 
All-Big 12 Championship Team
(top three places, including ties)

All-Around: Jordan Bowers (Oklahoma), 39.925; Faith Torrez (Oklahoma), 39.700; Katherine LeVasseur (Oklahoma), 39.700
 
Vault: Jordan Bowers (Oklahoma), 10.000; Hannah Scheible (Oklahoma), 9.975; Faith Torrez (Oklahoma), 9.900; Katherine LeVasseur (Oklahoma), 9.900; Jessica Hutchinson (Denver), 9.900; Ava Siegfeldt (Oklahoma), 9.900; Kiana Lewis (West Virginia), 9.900; Keira Wells (Oklahoma), 9.900; Mila Brusch (Denver), 9.900
 
Uneven Bars: Jordan Bowers (Oklahoma), 10.000; Audrey Davis (Oklahoma), 9.975; Ragan Smith (Oklahoma), 9.950; Anna Bramblett (BYU), 9.950
 
Floor: Ragam Smith (Oklahoma), 10.000; Faith Torrez (Oklahoma), 9.950; Katherine LeVasseur (Oklahoma), 9.950; Bella Mabanta (Denver), 9.950; Ava Siegfeldt (Oklahoma), 9.950
 
2024 Big 12 Gymnastics of the Year Awards
Gymnast: Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma
Event Specialist: Rylie Mundell, Denver
Newcomer: Madison Ulrich, Denver
Coach: K.J. Kindler, Oklahoma