Oklahoma gymnastics: Sooners No. 1 ranking goes much further than polls
By Chip Rouse
After two more quality wins over the weekend, the No. 1-ranked women's Oklahoma gymnastics squad improved to a perfect 23-0 for 2024 and remained in the top spot nationally for the ninth consecutive week.
Within their 23 victories are wins over 11 teams ranked in the top-25 nationally, including three teams twice, and six teams ranked in the top 10.
The Sooners' winning team score against No. 7 Michigan (198.650) on Friday, their second against the Wolverines this season, was the second highest in program history the fifth best in NCAA history and just .025 off the OU school record. Oklahoma has produced seven scores of 198-plus this season.
The two-time defending national championship OU team also boasts a record National Qualifying Score this season of 198.400. NQS scores are used to determine seeding for the NCAA regional competition. The scores are based on a team's six best scores of the season, three of which must be competition away from home. The highest score is thrown out, and the five remaining scores are averaged.
In addition to its nation-best NQS score and No. 1 ranking, Oklahoma is No. 1 nationally in three team events (vault, beam and bars) and second in the other (floor exercise). Junior Jordan Bowers is No. 1 nationally on uneven bars, tied with teammate Audrey Davis, with an average score of 9.970. Bowers is tied for No. 3 in the country with in floor exercise with a score of 9.995.
Senior Ragan Smith owns the top score on the balance beam at 9.990. Sophomore Faith Torrez ranks third in the country on the balance beam, averaging a score of 9.965.