A few weeks ago this looked like one of the best remaining meets of the year. It’s still potentially a great meet, but it’s lost a lot of its luster after Denver had two season-ending injuries to deplete its already thin roster and the news that Maggie Nichols has an injury, the extent of which is currently unknown.
Let’s mourn these losses for a minute. Lynnzee Brown is simply one of the most consistent gymnasts in our sport. She competes all around every meet and just doesn’t fall. Last year she had only two scores below 9.800 the entire season, and her lowest score overall was a 9.750. The routine in which she injured her Achilles was her first score on any event lower than 9.825 this year, and that meet resulted in her first sub-39.500 all around score this season. Despite only competing in seven meets, she debuted at 5th in the AA, 22nd on vault, 13th on bars, 16th on beam and 7th on floor in the first NQS rankings this week. In short, she’s impossible to replace. She likely won’t be eligible to redshirt this year but at least she still has one year left. We can’t forget about Mia Sundstrom as well–she was a rock on three events for the Pioneers up until her injury. She was well on her way to high national rankings in vault and bars and possibly beam as well.
Oklahoma has been battling injuries all season, with Olivia Trautman slowly adding events every few meets (she’s currently up to three and has yet to make her season debut on floor), Brehanna Showers seemingly still not back from last year’s knee injury, unexplained absences from Karrie Thomas (who returned to the bars lineup last week) and now an ankle injury to two-time defending NCAA all around champion Maggie Nichols. Oklahoma is a very deep team and has so far been able to fill holes without any issue, but losing Nichols is losing assured 9.9-plus scores on every event. The Sooners’ brand is dominance, and Nichols is a key part of that. With Florida on their tails, suddenly Oklahoma isn’t looking quite like the heavy favorite for the national title as they were just a few weeks ago.
I don’t expect we’ll see Nichols back competing today—KJ Kindler has proven time and again that she likes to rest gymnasts with even minor injury concerns, and the Sooners already have a fantastic NQS that should keep them in the top two through the rest of the regular season. But the injury does have postseason implications if Nichols isn’t back in lineups by the time nationals comes around.
All right, it’s time to discuss who’s actually going to be competing in today’s meet. Denver had a bit of a disaster last week in its first meet without Brown. On vault, Victoria Fitts made her career debut with an unsuccessful Yurchenko full, and Amoree Lockhart stepped into the lineup for the first time with a 9.525 Yurchenko layout that had to count. I’m curious to see whether this will be the lineup going forward and whether or not Lockhart will attempt to upgrade her vault.
On bars, the Pioneers ended up with two sub-9.000 scores from Lockhart and Natalie Morton, both of whom started competing the event in recent weeks after the string of injuries. Both have put up 9.8+ scores in other meets so this was likely a fluke that I expect won’t be repeated today. Beam saw a fall from Alexandria Ruiz, but it was her first fall of the year, so I’m willing to call that another fluke. If Denver can put that meet behind it and do what it’s capable of, a mid-196 should be easily attainable and a 197 won’t be out of the question. Key gymnasts to watch are the underclassmen who have plugged holes in lineups in recent week: Fitts, Lockhart, Morton and Emma Brown.
On the Oklahoma side, I’ll be watching to see if Trautman finally returns to the floor lineup where she truly shines. Floor is technically Oklahoma’s weakest event (at No. 3 lol) and her return would be a big boost in Nichols’ absence. Thomas’ return on beam would also be welcome, likely replacing Jenna Dunn or Evy Schoepfer. I don’t expect we’ll see any changes to the vault or bars lineups from last week, but Kindler has been playing with lineups all year so we’ll see if she tries something new.
The Sooners are an overwhelming favorite to win today given Denver’s recent injuries, which is a shame since this really should be one of the marquee meets of the year. However, weirder things have happened in college gymnastics, and I’m looking forward to seeing how Denver comes back from last week’s meet (I’m assuming it was a fluke and you can’t convince me otherwise) and I wouldn’t be surprised if they kept it competitive.
This meet is being streamed on ESPNU and live scores can be found here.
It’s less than an hour until meet time and word on Twitter is that Nichols warmed up bars and beam! So…forget everything I said about her? Not sure if she’ll actually be competing today but it’s a great sign that she’s at least warming up. I do still think getting her back on floor by postseason is essential, though. EDIT: well now, she seems to be warming up floor as well. That is an unexpected development! It doesn’t necessarily mean she’s competing, but this is excellent news.
T-15 until meet time and OU just released lineups. Nichols is slated for everything but floor, as is Trautman. Smith is on everything but vault so it looks like Webb will be the only all arounder for the Sooners today.
Rotation One: OU Vault, Denver Bars
Well we already have an OU lineup change, with Smith vaulting after all! Why do I even bother writing intros?
Smith VT: Y-full, leg separation on the block, good distance, small pike down, small hop on the landing. 9.85
Ruiz UB: Full turn to Tkatchev, short on the next handstand. Good bail, last handstand looked good. Nice DLO with a small hop in place. 9.85
Stern VT: Y-1.5, not a ton of distance, sizeable hop on the landing. On replay it looks like her knees were a little soft in the air. 9.875
Subject UB: Maloney with leg separation. Good bail but short on last handstand. Pretty DLO with a slight hop forward. 9.85
Degouveia VT: Beautiful, huge Y-1.5! Can’t quite hold onto the landing and has to take a couple small steps forward. 9.95
Lockhart UB: Huge Ray but she can’t even get her hands on the bar and she falls. She repeats it to get credit but she has to muscle up her next handstand. Her DLO is very piked to get it all the way around. 9.025
Webb VT: Underrotates her Y-1.5 and has an awkward landing, has to take a large step back. 9.9 is a choice
Glynn UB: Beautiful opening handstand. Some form issues on the Gienger and arches her next handstand but saves it! FTDT with a lean to hold the stick. Nice routine to follow the fall! 9.825
Trautman VT: Beautiful, stuck Y-1.5 If Degouveia got a 9.95 then that better get a 10. Yep, it’s a 10! I won’t complain about that one.
Karr UB: A little short on the first handstant. Full turn to Ginger, nice. Bail is a little messy, then another short handstand. Beautiful DLO, stuck! 9.95
Nichols VT: Another stuck Y-1.5, I don’t think the landing was as perfect as Trautman’s; she was leaning back a little bit and her legs were pretty far apart. 9.975
Morton UB: Nice Tkatchev, a little hesitant on the next handstand. Same hesitation on the last handstand. Piked down DLO with a hop back. So they’ll drop Lockhart’s score! 9.625
After 1: OU 49.700, Denver 49.100
Carol definitely showed up to this meet a little drunk on mimosas, but at least the crack is being spread around some. I will say that Trautman’s 10 was well deserved, but most of the other high scores should’ve been around a 10th lower (in my opinion, of course). Regardless, both teams will take those totals, especially Denver after an early fall.
Rotation Two: OU Bars, Denver Vault
Subject VT: Y-full, very piked down, deep squatty landing. She almost sticks it but ends up having to take a small step back. She looks happy with it! 9.8
Trautman UB: Nice Maloney, good Pak. Has to muscle up a handstand but saves it. DLO with a small hop forward. 9.775 is…not what I’d have given her.
Ruiz VT: Good Y-full with a tiny hop in place. Pretty clean in the air! 9.85
Thomas UB: Toe-on blind half to Jaeger is very nice. Good handstands throughout. DLO almost stuck! But she has to take a small step forward. 9.875
Fitts VT: Y-full, a bit piked down and has to take a large step. But that’s a huge improvement over last week! 9.825
Webb UB: Gorgeous Pak to open! Beautiful Van Leeuwen as well. She actually held the handstand after her blind half (insert eye hearts emoji here) and just has to take a small step after her double front half out dismount. 9.875
Glynn VT: Tsuk full with some leg separation on the block and a weird hoppy landing, but she looks happy with it. 9.85
Degouveia UB: Beautiful piked Jaeger, excellent Pak. Great handstands throughout! FTDT with a fairly large step back. OU is not getting the bars landings that they want, but otherwise a really great rotation so far. 9.9
Karr VT: Stuck Y-1.5! Her usual soft knees and a slight lean forward on the landing but I don’t think they’ll take for that. And it’s a 10! I wouldn’t have given her a 10 for that but I’m happy to see that after all of the overscoring for OU on vault.
Smith UB: Beautiful Ricna and Pak. Small hop after her DLO. 9.9
Lockhart VT: Scratched, understandably.
Nichols UB: Huge Ray to Pak, gorgeous. A little short on last handstand. DLO is beautiful and stuck. Bart thinks that should be a 10. Admittedly I didn’t have the best look at that handstand but it seemed short to me so we’ll see… 9.95!
After 2: OU 99.200, Denver 98.425
OU is basically like “What do you mean Maggie was supposed to be out? And who’s this Florida team who’s supposedly threatening our #1 ranking?” The Sooners are on track for a 198.400, and yes, I’ll be the first to complain about some of those scores, but they’re honestly looking like the top team in the nation so far in this meet. Denver, meanwhile, is on track for a high 196, which would be a most welcome result after last week’s disappointment. This is a fun one!
Rotation Three: OU Beam, Denver Floor
Trautman BB: BHS LOSO, solid. Cat leap to switch side, one leg may have been slightly higher than the other but that’s nitpicky. Front toss with a check. RO 1.5 with a heavy lean forward then a step, I don’t think they’ll give her the stick. 9.85
Glynn FX: Front tuck through to double tuck, a very large lunge out of it so I don’t think they’ll count that as a controlled landing. Nice leaps! Double pike, lands with her chest low and has to take a large step forward. 9.8
Dunn BB: BHS BHS LOSO, right on! She has a small hesitation between her jumps so we’ll see if she gets that connection. Gainer full dismount, stuck with a bit of leaning. 9.925
Subject FX: Double pike, well controlled. Front layout to front full, solid with good form in the air. A little low on her split positions in her leap series. Double tuck with some form issues to finish, maybe a bit of a low landing. 9.825 feels a little high
Woodard BB: Small check after her full turn. Side aerial BHS is right on! Kickover front to beat jump is solid. Good leaps. Beautiful scale! She’s a joy to watch on this event. Side aerial to back full dismount, STUCK! 9.925
Ruiz FX: Beautiful, high double tuck to open. Good leaps. Back 1.5 to front layout, her lunge forward seems a bit uncontrolled. Double pike with a bit of an awkward landing but keeps it under control. 9.875
Smith BB: BHS LOSO, beautiful and well controlled. Front aerial to straddle jump, GORGEOUS. Beat jump to straddle half to Korbut, wow. Bobble after her full turn, which is a shame because this routine has been perfect so far. Gainer full dismount, stuck. Awesome routine! 9.9
Lockhart FX: Front tuck through to double back, great landing! Fantastic positions on her leaps. Double pike but overrotates it and nearly falls but saves it with a couple large steps. Too bad because that was a really nice routine otherwise. 9.725
Webb BB: BHS LOSO, solid. Front aerial to split jump, small hesitation in between. Switch leap to split leap, small check in between but keeps moving so she didn’t break the connection. Side aerial to back full, holds the stick but leans forward a bit. 9.95 feels a bit high to me
Karr FX: Front double twist to open, fantastic landing! Great leaps. Back 1.5 to front full to finish, solid. 9.925 and I can’t complain about that one
Nichols BB: Front toss to Korbut, solid. Beautiful leaps. Front aerial, great. RO 1.5 is stuck but with a large lean forward. 9.975–I’m sorry but it’s possible to take deductions on landings even if it’s a stick, do judges not know that?
Brown FX: Double back with a slightly uncontrolled step back. Back 1.5 to front layout, again with a slightly uncontrolled lunge but otherwise solid. Closes with a Rudi, that was a great landing. Nice routine! 9.85
After 3: OU 148.875, Denver 147.700
Crack scoring aside, this is turning into a great meet for both teams. We’re officially on program record watch for OU–with a 49.650 on floor, the Sooners will break the previous record. If Denver can hit beam they can possibly break 197, which would be a fantastic result and would move them up to 7th in the real-time NQS rankings ahead of Alabama.
Rotation Four: OU Floor, Denver Beam
ALERT: Maggie’s in the floor lineup now! (eyes emoji)
Brown BB: Front aerial to back tuck (?), solid. Good leaps. Side aerial, chest a little low but otherwise nice. Small check after her full turn. Gainer full dismount, STUCK! 9.825
Draper FX: Double pike to open, really solid. Front full to front full, good control. Nice leaps! Whip half to Rudi (?), another good landing. 9.9
Ruiz BB: Hitch kick to switch side, nice. BHS LOSO with some leg issues but good control. Side aerial to split jump, small hesitation in between. Gainer pike dismount, stuck! Another solid routine for the Pioneers. 9.825
Degouveia FX: Front layout to front double twist, great control. Front layout to front full, maybe a bit uncontrolled on the lunge out of it. Good leaps. Back 1.5 to front layout, another great landing. Great routine! 9.925
Lockhart BB: Front aerial with a slight check. BHS LOSO LOSO, some arm swinging but no visible checks. A little short of horizontal on both her leaps. BHS gainer full dismount with a hop back. She has SO much potential. 9.85 is quite high for that routine
LaPinta FX: Triple twist, gets it all the way around with some crossed legs. Front full to front layout, very nice! A little short of horizontal on one of her leaps. Double tuck to finish, overrotated a bit and has to take a large step back to keep from falling. 9.875 feels quite high
Schlottman BB: BHS LOSO and falls. A little short on her leaps. Side aerial, solid. BHS gainer full dismount with a step back. 9.225
Nichols FX: Back 1.5 to LOSO, her usual greatness. Double pike, solid. Beautiful leaps! 9.925 will win her the all around
Karr BB: Side aerial BHS, solid. Hitch kick to side somi but she doesn’t grab her legs so I’m not sure what that actually counts as? Good leaps. RO 1.5 dismount, holds her leg up while leaning to the side so not a great landing. 9.85
Webb FX: Front double full, good control on the landing and nice in the air. Back 1.5 to front full, a little low in amplitude. Rudi to close, nice routine.
Vasquez BB: Front aerial BHS LOSO, beautiful and solid. Gorgeous leaps. Amazing, controlled Y-turn. Beautiful Sissone. Side aerial back full, STUCK. That better get a 10 with the way scoring has been today. 9.95…I don’t get it.
Smith FX: Double tuck to open, moves her front foot slightly on the lunge. Back 1.5 to front layout, beautiful and floaty. Double pike with a low landing and has to take a small step forward. 9.9
Final: OU 198.450, Denver 197.000
The Sooners record a 198.450 for the highest score by any program this year as well as their third highest score in program history. Not too shabby. With Nichols entering the all around last minute, she edges out Karr by 0.100 to take the title. Denver will be head over heels happy with that 197.000, but they’re capable of even higher so they’ll want to clean up a few things in the run up to regionals. Thanks for joining me for this fantastic meet!
Live blog by Jenna King
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